Inletting the barrel - questions

[Justin]

I hope you folks don't get sick of me on here... 

I'm inletting the barrel of my Jim Chambers Isaac Haines kit -- mainly just doing a bit of scraping to get it to fit properly. I asked Jim about how it should fit and he says the fit should be pretty snug (not just drop into a big hole). I think I have it mostly at that point as I can put the barrel in and it seems to be bottoming out ok even though I do have to push it down a bit for it to feel like it's in there solidly. At first I had to use the ramrod to get the barrel back out because it stuck pretty good but now I can just remove it without that by working it a bit with my hands but it is in there pretty good.

Question one:
I had the bottom 5 sides of the barrel coated with inletting black (what a mess) and I do not see black all over the bottom of the channel. Should I see a good amount of black on the bottom of the channel or is it enough if it seems to be fitting in pretty well? I say "seems to" because I can see at the nose of the stock that the barrel is touching all the sides and then I compare how deep the barrel is in the stock there all the way back to the butt of the barrel. I should post a picture to illustrate but at the nose of the stock and barrel, more of the barrel sticks out of the channel but as you approach the butt of the barrel, less of the barrel side shows and the top of the barrel is just a hair higher than the stock where the breech plug and tang will go. For that reason I think I need to take the barrel a little deeper but I want to get my lock plate inlet tonight so I can see how the touch hole will align. I suppose I probably answered my own question here... Once I know the touch hole is aligned properly with the pan, I'll know if I'm back far enough and deep enough. Right?

Question two:
While scraping the inside of the barrel channel, I took a bit too much wood off one of the sides for a few inches and now when I have the barrel in snug, I can see a small gap between the barrel and the side of the channel. It may be 1/16" but I think probably less. I just know I can see it and of course, I didn't notice it until too late last night and now it's bothering me. Assuming the gap is 1/16", should I bother with patching that and re-doing it or is that small enough that the gun's finish would make up for it? I feel like I should patch it as it'll keep bothering me forever if I don't.

Thanks!

[rich pierce]

1. Impossible to get 100% contact on bottom and side flats. If you see good contact at each underlug position and muzzle you’re good. As far as deep enough and far back enough, I suggest learning how thick the web of wood is between the barrel channel and the ramrod hole. Near where the front lock bolt will go, drill a hole in the bottom flat of the barrel inlet, into the ramrod hole. Maybe 3/32” drill diameter.  Then put the ramrod in and use a wire to measure how thick the web is. I’d stick the wire in and bend it over and measure the leg until I got a nice depth tool. Keep in mind you need room for that front lock bolt as you inlet deeper.

You do need to inlet the barrel deep enough to have the tang completely down into the stock of course.

2. Wait and see. You may be able to fix this by wetting the forearm, really wetting it, then using an inner tube tourniquet to pull the wood toward the barrel overnight.

[Kingsburyarms]

Justin - Take a look at this thread - I am also putting together a Chambers Isaac Haines kit and here is how I did all the measuring and cutting to match the barrel, Lock and Tang.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=46087.0

Jon

[Mike Brooks]

I have often seen originals with oct. barrels  and round barrel inlets....don't get too crazy.

[Justin]

I have often seen originals with oct. barrels  and round barrel inlets....don't get too crazy.

Haha -- ok. It's tough for me because I'm a perfectionist for this kind of thing and don't want it to look sloppy.

[Justin]

Justin - Take a look at this thread - I am also putting together a Chambers Isaac Haines kit and here is how I did all the measuring and cutting to match the barrel, Lock and Tang.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=46087.0

Jon

Jon, this is great. Thank you. I will definitely use this as a reference and guide.

[Dennis Glazener]

Wet the wood where you took too much off, then clamp it against the barrel and let dry. Probably will close up. Next time consider draw filing the barrel until it fits. Nothing is harder for me that to take off a few thousandth's of wood.

Dennis

I hope you folks don't get sick of me on here... 

I'm inletting the barrel of my Jim Chambers Isaac Haines kit -- mainly just doing a bit of scraping to get it to fit properly. I asked Jim about how it should fit and he says the fit should be pretty snug (not just drop into a big hole). I think I have it mostly at that point as I can put the barrel in and it seems to be bottoming out ok even though I do have to push it down a bit for it to feel like it's in there solidly. At first I had to use the ramrod to get the barrel back out because it stuck pretty good but now I can just remove it without that by working it a bit with my hands but it is in there pretty good.

Question one:
I had the bottom 5 sides of the barrel coated with inletting black (what a mess) and I do not see black all over the bottom of the channel. Should I see a good amount of black on the bottom of the channel or is it enough if it seems to be fitting in pretty well? I say "seems to" because I can see at the nose of the stock that the barrel is touching all the sides and then I compare how deep the barrel is in the stock there all the way back to the butt of the barrel. I should post a picture to illustrate but at the nose of the stock and barrel, more of the barrel sticks out of the channel but as you approach the butt of the barrel, less of the barrel side shows and the top of the barrel is just a hair higher than the stock where the breech plug and tang will go. For that reason I think I need to take the barrel a little deeper but I want to get my lock plate inlet tonight so I can see how the touch hole will align. I suppose I probably answered my own question here... Once I know the touch hole is aligned properly with the pan, I'll know if I'm back far enough and deep enough. Right?

Question two:
While scraping the inside of the barrel channel, I took a bit too much wood off one of the sides for a few inches and now when I have the barrel in snug, I can see a small gap between the barrel and the side of the channel. It may be 1/16" but I think probably less. I just know I can see it and of course, I didn't notice it until too late last night and now it's bothering me. Assuming the gap is 1/16", should I bother with patching that and re-doing it or is that small enough that the gun's finish would make up for it? I feel like I should patch it as it'll keep bothering me forever if I don't.

Thanks!

[Mark Elliott]

If you wet down just the inside of the barrel channel and then replace the barrel,  the channel will widen some and then close up tighter when it dries.   I have used this to close up small gaps in the sidewall.   The sidewall does need to be smooth and even, though, without any nicks or gouges.    I got this tip from Wallace Gusler.   So everyone needs to make some adjustments now and again.     

[ltdann]

If you wet down just the inside of the barrel channel and then replace the barrel,  the channel will widen some and then close up tighter when it dries.   I have used this to close up small gaps in the sidewall.   The sidewall does need to be smooth and even, though, without any nicks or gouges.    I got this tip from Wallace Gusler.   So everyone needs to make some adjustments now and again.     

That is an excellent tip! Learned something new, Thx.

[Adrie luke]

I had the bottom 5 sides of the barrel coated with inletting black (what a mess).

Justin

 I used a candle that works very clean.
When you hold the barrel above the flame, the flame becomes bigger and begins to smoke.
The smoke gives the black color on the barrel.

[Justin]

I had the bottom 5 sides of the barrel coated with inletting black (what a mess).

Justin

 I used a candle that works very clean.
When you hold the barrel above the flame, the flame becomes bigger and begins to smoke.
The smoke gives the black color on the barrel.

Do you use any old candle for this?

[Adrie luke]

Just a normal candle.
First hold some iron in the flame and take the iron slowly higher.
Then you see the smoke. Then you are on the right height to keep the iron in the smoke.

[rich pierce]

Is that blood?

[Adrie luke]

It isn't blood, it is red Nail Polish I tried to use it for engraving transfer, and it works.
Later I tried the white color and that also works.

[longcruise]

If you put a drops of oil in the pocket of the candle where the wick protrudes it will create more black smoke.  I think I learned that here and it did work.

[BOB HILL]

I use a candle if doing demo at living history events, but at home always used an oil lamp. The only thing I have always worried about was the wick smoldering after blowing it out. Recently my son-in-law, Mike, produced the lamp out of a tiki lamp to smoke a mold for casting some round balls. It worked great very smokey and it didn't smolder when we blew it out. Needless to say, my next trip to Walmart I got one and have been using it since. Cheap enough,too.     Bob

[TommyG]

Justin, if you do decide to continue using inletting black, use it sparingly.  I made the same mistake with my first build, painting the stuff on.  Now I use an old towel or sock or anything cotton as a blotter.  I brush the black onto the fabric to thin it off my brush then paint the transfer area.  You only need very little to color your wood.  It should look more like a graphite coating(think pencil) than paint.  It is real easy to get false readings and end up removing too much wood when using too much black.

[Scota4570]

Another member here suggested using a big fat black marker for spotting stuff.  I tried it and like it much better.  It takes a little friction to make it transfer.  That avoids a lot of mess and false transfers. 

[Justin]

I think I'm getting the hang of using the inletting black. It does have a tendency to go on thick. What I have been doing to fit the butt of the barrel flush into the stock was to just put as little as possible on the end of the barrel, fit it, trim obvious high spots, then I just re-spread the same black around again (not applying more, just reorganizing what's there). That worked pretty well and I have a nice fit there now.

Now I need to get the barrel channel a little deeper (like less than 1/16" I think). I might try the candle approach on that tonight.

Here you can see I have the horizontal alignment pretty good:


The depth looks further off in this picture than it really is because of the perspective. I haven't inlet the lock the whole way yet so the pan touches the barrel so there is a gap there. It's less than 1/16" high I'd say.

[n stephenson]

Justin , it looks like your in pretty good shape from the pics , just go at it in a patient manner and you will do fine , with a few "learning experiences " tossed in for good measure.  Nate