patchbox lids

[smylee grouch]

This question may have been asked before but I will ask again. When I look at pics of old originals most have the ends of the patchbox lid terminate overlaping the butt plate but there are some that end right at the forward edge of the butt plate. Is there a advantage, construction wise, in doing it one way or another?        Gary

[flintriflesmith]

depending on how stable the wood is, whether the blank is quarter or plain sawn and how close the fit between lid and butt piece is--- either method is subject to needing adjustment after 10 or 20 years! That's because wood is constantly expanding and contracting but always, after each cycle, ending up ever so slightly smaller.

I think you will fins that rather than one being superior to the other from a construction standpoint the real difference is one that can be seen being passed from master to apprentice in a particular regional style.

Gary

[Herb]

Well, Gary, after having people rip open lids with their fingernails because they don't know about a release, I like to build mine inside the buttplate so they can't do that!  It only takes one ignorant person to damage that release.

[ERH]

I like to make the lid go over the but plate it makes a nice tight fit that dose not change with weather . Nothing worse then not to be able to get cleaning jag out of box on rainy days