Author Topic: Side plate (Read 2103 times)

577SXS · « **on:** August 20, 2020, 03:35:35 PM »

I know this has probably been talked about before but I couldn't find it in a search. I'm inletting a side plate and the tail won't lay flat when I tighten the screws. I know its the nature of the beast with the back lock screw at the top of the side plate cocking it. In the past I've bent the tail down a little to make it fit better but they still ride up when screw is tight. I've tried relieving the center of inlet so just the edges touch but that didn't work either. I've lowered the screw side more than the bottom side and done the opposite of that and still the tail comes up. Short of putting a steel bushing in stock for plate to tighten up to I don't know how to solve this. Anyone got a trick to getting the plate to lay flat?

Ron Scott · « **Reply #1 on:** August 20, 2020, 03:45:35 PM »

How thick is the side plate?

Stoner creek · « **Reply #2 on:** August 20, 2020, 03:46:06 PM »

Perhaps the top of your inlet mortise is deeper than the rest. If so either mortise the rest at the same depth or bed the deep part. Check the depth with your calipers.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #3 on:** August 20, 2020, 04:10:39 PM »

Put a little bend in it, it will lay flat when you snug it down.

EC121 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 20, 2020, 04:31:08 PM »

It is easy to over inlet the wood around the holes and make the plate pull up. Wax the side plate well and then put a thin coat of epoxy in the inlet( or even just around the holes). Then seat the plate where you want it and let the epoxy set. Just some epoxy around the edges will work as well as a full coat. Wood glue and fine powdery sawdust will do the same thing. Just takes longer.

smart dog · « **Reply #5 on:** August 20, 2020, 05:14:18 PM »

Hi,
Part of your problem is your mortice is so shallow. I am guessing, your sideplate is pretty thin. Even if the bottom of the mortice was perfect, compression of the wood at the bolts could flex the plate. I suspect a thicker plate and deeper mortice will resolve your problem.

dave

gusd · « **Reply #6 on:** August 20, 2020, 05:19:02 PM »

What Mike said!
gusd

577SXS · « **Reply #7 on:** August 20, 2020, 05:37:44 PM »

My plate is 1/8" hard brass and the inlet is over a 1/16" deep. I guess I just need to put a little bend in it at tail so that end bottoms out. Thanks!

T*O*F · « **Reply #8 on:** August 20, 2020, 05:50:30 PM »

It looks to me that your front screw is drilled at an angle. When you tighten it, only one side of the screw hits the plate which causes it to lever the rear of the plate up.

577SXS · « **Reply #9 on:** August 20, 2020, 06:50:41 PM »

I think that is an optical illusion the hole was drilled straight through in my milling machine. Well actually you have a point because the panels angle in. The screw is actually putting pressure on the tail side which should be helping.

P.W.Berkuta · « **Reply #10 on:** August 20, 2020, 08:45:07 PM »

Quote from: T*O*F on August 20, 2020, 05:50:30 PM

It looks to me that your front screw is drilled at an angle. When you tighten it, only one side of the screw hits the plate which causes it to lever the rear of the plate up.

I think this is most of the problem also.

Marcruger · « **Reply #11 on:** August 20, 2020, 10:11:35 PM »

As a test, get some slim washers and put them under the plate at the two bolt locations. Try combinations and see if it is the inlet rather than the plate itself. Just a thought. God Bless, Marc

flehto · « **Reply #12 on:** August 25, 2020, 03:53:34 PM »

When the inlet is done and the sideplate w/ a coat of Prussian blue is screwed down, the blue is only evident at both screw holes , at the "tail" and the lower edge.....the center is chiseled out slightly. The 1/8" thick side plates always lie flat.......Fred

577SXS · « **Reply #13 on:** August 25, 2020, 04:04:52 PM »

I got my depth mic out and started measuring the depth and found high spots that weren't showing up. Its lying flat now.

flinchrocket · « **Reply #14 on:** August 25, 2020, 05:13:48 PM »

Sometimes on a thin sideplate I will use a short piece of wood to set on the plate to tap on, which will eliminate the false readings. Without it you might tap on a low spot and get a mark then the brass springs back.

Not English · « **Reply #15 on:** August 25, 2020, 08:51:38 PM »

What Mike and gusd said. The problemis being overt thought.

little joe · « **Reply #16 on:** August 25, 2020, 08:55:56 PM »

In the RCA books there are several rifles with a small wood screw near the tail

smallpatch · « **Reply #17 on:** August 25, 2020, 11:44:14 PM »

If you look at your inletting black, it’s pretty obvious that the black is MUCH darker at your screws. It also appears your inlet is shallower at the bottom. Even this out, and it should be fine.
Hope this helps.
Make sure that both the plate and the wood are flat before you start.

577SXS · « **Reply #18 on:** August 26, 2020, 02:18:32 AM »

The reason the inlet black is so dark at screw holes is because I stopped scraping it off there to see what was going on. I had taken the areas around screw holes deeper that rest of inlet. I used a depth mic the level the inlet so that everything is same depth and this has worked.

Thanks

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Author Topic: Side plate (Read 2103 times)