? Inletting metal parts

[wet willy]

How to get tight fitting lock, sideplate, and tang inletting? I've tried the X-acto knife tracing, pencil outline, numerous chisels with similar radii to the the metal, all of which yield mediocre results. Beveling the tang and sideplate seem to help, but how about the trigger guard with a fancy acorn ....?

I'm very impressed with the quality of the tang & lock inletting on the photos on http://www.montywhitley.com/antique_arms_fine_sporting_guns/flintlock_percussion_sporting_guns/?pos=2  Click on any item and the details, which includes a zoom feature that will magnify most images to 2X or more actualsize.

The ML pieces are mostly high grade English 18th/early 19th century arms, but as I look at the images I don't see any gap-filling material or metal-wood gaps, even after hundreds of years of wood drying out. They did this 200+ years, how did they do it?

[rich pierce]

Good eyes, sharp tools, and 7 year apprenticeships.  We expect pro results with little experience, sort of like expecting to play the guitar without lessons or much practice.  Today it's common to think education replaces experience, that reading about it is good enough.  I find I have to re-learn by doing, because I do not build often enough.

[tallbear]

Willy
If you scroll halfway down the page on this thread is a disscusion i did with pics on how I inlet. LINK;http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=19231.msg181604#msg181604

Mitch

[wet willy]

Tallbear & Pierce: Thanks for the advice. I've previously tried Tallbear's technique, so maybe with another 50 or more attempts,  it will get better, if not perfect.

I suppose this is why people take guitar lessons year after year.

The persons who did this 18th and 19th century firearms work did it with natural lighting, wintertime cold workshops, but were perhaps hand-picked for having a knack for that work.

[bama]

There is an old saying that is very true - Pratice, Pratice, Practice and then more Pratice. This is true for all things in rifle building.