Fichthorn fore-end profile and ramrod reveal question

[James]

Hello, Could you folks tell me if I'm close to the right profile for a Fichthorn fore-end and also if the ramrod reveal is right?







Thanks,
 James

[smylee grouch]

Realy dont know mutch about that maker but it looks abit thick from here.

[Jerry V Lape]

I tried scaling it off your photo, and assumed the barrel is aprox 7/8" wide at the muzzle.  It appears your sides are a little over 1/4" thick and should be closer to 1/8" thick.  It also appears your web is a little over 1/4" thick which you can't do much about now - but in the future you might like to get the web closer to 3/16" thick.  Ramrod reveal looks okay.  Muzzle view  is a little tricky to measure since the lens makes it look flared to both sides and the wood isn't cut back to finished length.

I just spent the last 15min trying to find my photos of an original Figthorn  I took a couple years ago - must have misfiled them somewhere in here.  Wanted to see if he used a more triagular shape to his forend or not.  Don't recall off hand.  I look some more later and forward if I find it. 

[Tom Currie]

I agree with Jerry, but I'll be a bit more direct. Way too much wood on the sides. 1/16 to 1/8 on upper forestock.  My first gun looks just like that. Slim her down some.

[Bill of the 45th]

When it gets smoothed down correctly, all of that  unnecessary fiberglass $#@* will be showing.  These are not modern firearms.  The barrel holds the fore arm, not the other way around. Bedding is for suppository guns not muzzleloaders.

Bill

[James]

When it gets smoothed down correctly, all of that  unnecessary fiberglass $#@* will be showing.  These are not modern firearms.  The barrel holds the fore arm, not the other way around. Bedding is for suppository guns not muzzleloaders.

Bill

I'm not sure what you mean about fiberglass showing when I get it slimmed down.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I think Bill is seeing the stuff that's bordering your barrel, in the first photo...looks like bedding, yet in the second pic, it's not there.

Although the forend may be slightly rounded , it should not be plump.  If you drop a line vertically along the sides of the barrel, there should be only 1/8 at the lower forend, near thelock, and as little as 1/16" along the upper part.

[James]

There is no fiberglass on my rifle, I didn't know there was supposed to be.
Here is another picture so I might understand correctly





The horizontal distance at 'A' is 5/32", I don't know what Fichthorn would have left for thickness there, but a Reedy I saw has 0.105" or about 7/64" at that location, so I think I'm getting close there. Would the curved pencil mark on the right side of the picture be closer to how the profile shape should look? The ramrod to barrel web is 1/4", How would I correct that the next time? Inlet the bottom of the barrel more?

[Bill of the 45th]

Amoeba, I apologize, the new pic really shows it's a bevel.  That first one sure looked liked like bedding.  The new pic has a profile on the right, and the inside of the line is closer to what you will want.  Your ramrod channel should only be about one third of the rod.  The web is probably twice what it should be, but there are some old originals like that out there.  Gives you more room to pin the tenon's.

Bill

[Blacksmoke]

James:  I think the "fiberglass"  in the first photo is actually a short portion of the forestock protruding beyond the end of the barrel.  The lighting in the third photo reveals that quite clearly.  However you forestock is too fat and too thick vertically - the web is too thick.  You only need 1/8" for a web - 3/16" at the most.   To correct that the next time draw your profile on the side of the stock blank with the thinner web before you band saw the blank.  Also the sides of the forestock should terminate on the top edge to a sharp point like what is pictured above side "A".   Hope that helps,   Hugh Toenjes    

[Jerry V Lape]

I think it will look fine with the profile you are showing penciled on the right side of the third photo, especially if you can reduce the ramrod conceal some more and taper the side into that edge.  Really hard to tell from the second photo if you have it close to the 2/3d reveal or not.  It is the depth of the wood as viewed from the side of the rifle that gives the longrifle a really slender appearance.  Amazing what an extra 1/8" does to that profile which is where the thin web and minimal ramrod conceal becomes so critical.   I haven't had the nerve to go to 1/8" web yet myself, but will on the next one.  3/16" web doesn't look too bad but another 16th there and more reveal along the barrel can really slenderize the forend even though it is just a matter of perhaps total of 3/32".  Amazing what the eye perceives.  A lramrod molding line can help that visually as well. 

[Tom Currie]

The penciled in line looks much better but start it closer to the barrel at the top.

[Robby]

Why cant the web thickness be reduced at this point? why wait for the next build? I would check to see how thick it is at the breech, and based on that measurement, scrape down the groove as much as I could, even to an eighth. if need be the bore for the ramrod can also be scraped on the barrel side using a tool like Dan Pharis showed. Once the ramrod passes through the entry pipe, if it has a taper to it, it will flex enough to work, even if the bore is not in perfect alignment. One way or another, I would thin that web.
Robby

[Jerry V Lape]

If I were going to try reducing the web thickness at this stage it would depend on whether the breech and wrist area would allow me to sink the barrel in deeper without distorting the architecture there.  That is assuming the lock and side plate aren't inlet yet.   Wouldn't mess with the ramrod side.  He has done a pretty nice looking job of barrel inletting from what can be seen in the photos so taking the extra thickness from there is well within his abilities.  Just another couple hours with the scraper and inletting marker. 

[Robby]

Either way, I would skin that cat!
Robby

[T*O*F]

I would leave the inletting of both channels alone and make the following mods.


First, I would install the nosecap, or at least draw it on the wood for reference.

Lower the ramrod channel to the indicated point determined by having at least 2/3rds of the thimbles exposed.

Place a thick pencil alongside the barrel flats and draw a line on each side from the muzzle to the side panels.

Draw a line indicated by the left and right apexes of the red lines.  It will run from the nose to the forward edge of the lock moldings.  It will establish the highest point on each side of your forestock.  It will also determine the line at your entry thimble where it transitions from the tang into the forestock.

Remove wood as indicated, but leave the pencil lines...centerline to barrel line, and centerline to edge of ramrod channel.  Once that is done, sand the sharp edges and round them to your original profile in a gradual ellipse.

This is my "in progress" Figthorn, Reedy, Bonewitz.

[Dale Campbell]

Dave, I think you got too close to the target.

[greybeard]

I am really enjoying this post as I am expecting delivery of a Reedy stock ,barrel lock etc from David in the next 3 weeks.. I have my double lever triggers and thimbles made and am looking foreward to getting started. Some of my questions have already been addressed on this post. Thanks.   Bob

[James]

I would like to thank all of you for your help. I'm working on it and will post another photo when I get closer. Does anyone have a tip for burnishing a 3/8 scraper?  The lock has already been inlet- poorly I might add, I went too deep. I have read here that some folks would pitch the stock if it was screwed up, but I figure I'll stick with it and try to get some more mistakes out of my system. 
 Bill, don't worry about it, just know I'm not one to use anything like that.
 Thanks again to all of you. James

[Jerry V Lape]

Splice wood back into the lock inlet and try again.  You are only as good as your ability to recover. 

[Paddlefoot]

Burnishing a scraper.. to roll a burr on it use something good and hard like a chromed valve stem or a polished off round file. You might want to just hone the face on some fine wet or dry (1500 or 2000) and touch up the bevel on the back with a hard arkansas or ceramic stone.