making a blueprint from rca measurements

[billm]

I am going to be starting my next build and want to build a soddy daisey like the flint one in the library.Problem for me is I only done precarves and since I cant find a plan for a soddy i will have to go off of those measurements provided  in the library.Being a novice I figured some of you with more experience could help me out..thanks in advance
Bill

[Acer Saccharum]

You can't rely on a photo for exact measurements, because of the 'fisheye' effect when a full length gun is photo'd. The center of the gun is closest to the lens, and the muzzle and butt are farther away. The farther away the camera is from the gun when the picture is taken, the better.

Being aware of that effect helps when you wish to proportion off a photo.

[billm]

thanks,for the rifle i want to build from the vitual museum they have some rca measurements listed at the top of the page. so i figured it wouldnt be that hard to get it close,just dont know how to go about laying it out from known measurements.its the flint soddy daisey with the cheekpiece that runs from the wrist to the butt.I have a 13/16 40 cal barrell and a stock that has the rr drilled and barrell inlet.no other shaping and really want to learn how to start from a blank.I just did a fordney preshped  and that drop at heel is close would you just go off that or try to draw out the measurements they have listed on the site?thanks...bill

[JCKelly]

You might want to spend a bit of time, effort and gasoline to actually see and handle a Soddy rifle. There is only so much that you can get out of someone else's photo (Ancient One, don't have a clue what "rca"means except it brings to mind a dog listening to . . .)
Some time in the last century I was fortunate enough to spend time in Pennsylvania, to photograph and handle a number of rifles. Can't say that my 6 or 8 guns were anything to brag about, but they were a lot better than the Martin Shell I made strictly based on Joe Kindig, Jr.'s book. 
As an ex-pat Pennsylvanian I don't know Soddy from anything else in Tennessee, though I am impressed by that Dave Byrd book Gunmakers of Buffalo Valley & Greasy Cove And Jerry Noble's books. Noticed in the one Tennessee rifle I had, and one Virginia rifle I still have, that the set triggers were offset from the centerline in the plate, toward the right side/toward shooter's hand. Dunno if anyone sells such triggers these days, would be a nice touch.
Never used a precarve, myself. At one time owned 5/6 of a Michigan maple tree, the last 1/6 went to Larry Mrock. Need (!!!) a new flint, looking over a blank I sawed out in the '70's, machine inlet for 7/8" bbl. Have a Chambers brass plate Siler, GM .50 x 7/8" bbl, assorted buttplates & triggerguards. Probably can remember how to drill the rr hole, less confidant about making a domed patchbox lid for Shroyer style rifle. We'll see.

[okieboy]

 Can't find a plan for a Soddy? The print that Ron Borron did and is available at the Log Cabin Shop of Old Scaley would be a good start. If it is not the best Soddy that was built, it is certainly the most famous. Look under Custom Rifle & Pistol Components then Prints. They are worth more than the $20.00 charged.
 And for those that enjoy Mr. Byrd's fine new book there is a Bean gun also.

[rich pierce]

Blueprints are great, but keep in mind every build must be based on the parts that will be used.  If the barrel is of different diameter, lock of different dimensions, breechplug longer, any number of parts-determined changes need to be made.

[okieboy]

 Just remembered that I know how to post a URL now!
http://www.logcabinonline.com/index1.html
 What Rich said is very true. A lot of the Soddy guns are heavy. Old Scaley uses a barrel that is 1-1/8" across the flats and weighs (the whole gun) about 19 pounds, but having the drawing is still a great help as a starting place.
 Scaling can get complicated, but taking a print your local copy shop and making copies scaled down a percent or two at a time will sure give you some measurements to work with. I like to measure the pull and the distance across the flats of the barrel with each successive reduction. They will seldom vary together such that they both make you happy on one print, but with a copy which is correct for each of the desired measures you are getting close.
 Back to Rich's point, I am adjusting the length of my breech plug thread to pull the vent back so that the sear in the closest sized appropriate lock will be in the right place for the original (but scaled) trigger placement and so not affect the pull. Making this all work out is the fun part for me.
 I think that you are doing the right thing investing some effort in your planning, it will pay off later in the project.

[Acer Saccharum]

RCA= Shumway's "Rifles of Colonial America"

[JCKelly]

Thanks for the translation, Acer S.
Just ordered a set. Also Buchele, misplaced mine. Considering re-learning how to make stuff. Only been three decades . . .