cover up

[elk killer]

I'm building a flintlock rifle out of curly ash
no particular  style, just my own design,
my original  thought was to use a 4 piece  patch box
after shaping and getting the butt
 smoothed out
it has such great figure, I'm having second  thoughts of
covering it up, might do a sliding wood lid,
anyone else ever have this thought?

[Joe S.]

not sure if you have the scrap cut offs from that section but that would make an attractive box with all that figure.

[Mauser06]

I've always appreciated nice wood.


Never made much sense to cut into a  nice piece of wood and cover it with a metal patch box. Maybe if I ever get good at engraving I will use some metal patch boxes...But till then, I'd be just as happy with no patch box..Even though some say a longrifle isn't complete without one...

[oldtravler61]

 Personally I like wood patch box's. Have you looked at the N.Carolina style. It slides up instead of back towards the butt plate. If I am correct. Joe Shell has one on here.   Oldtravler

[EC121]

To be correct it pivots on the screw.  He designs them so the latch end should pivots upward to avoid dragging the wood.  By leaving the BP edge the tiniest bit proud of the wood the lid rides the BP edge on opening instead of the scratching the finished wood.
     

[WadePatton]

* Methinks the struggle between pretty wood and "masking" it with appropriate metal is common.

The style I'm learning yet can go any direction on the subject, but does favor the smaller cigar-shaped boxes.  I too hate obscuring fine wood, but then there's the cheek side. It's a gun, not a coffee table. Coffee tables should be true to form, as should guns. 

I put in a grease hole, such that I could cover it with a box if I decided to later.  I'm not going to, but wasn't sure at the time.

I've seen wooden boxes spin, pivot, and slide.  If you don't have a matching slab from that blank, it's a real gamble to get grain and colors right. Good luck.

*edited as I had mixed up two posters as one, comment made no sense when I sorted those out. Sorry for any confusion/offense. 

[oldtravler61]

  EC121 thanks for the input. Wondered about that. Am in the process of making one for a current project...Oldtravler