Aligning a Wooden Patch Box

[moleeyes36]

I'm soon going to be at the point of inletting for the wooden patch box on one of Tip Curtis' Bucks County rifles and I have a question on the alignment.  In the pictures I see of long rifles with wooden patch boxes I note some seem to be parallel more with the line of the comb, some more with the line of the belly of the stock, and some are in between. 

If I draw a line on the side of the stock that goes down the center of the wrist to the butt, then center the wooden cover on that line it looks good to my untrained eye and flows well with the lines of the gun.  That center line is not parallel to either the top of the comb or the belly of the stock but somewhere in between.  Would this be a proper way to align the patch box on the stock?

Mole Eyes

[Acer Saccharum]

Make a cardboard cut-out and lay it on the stock.

You can move it around until it pleases your eye.


This one is kinda parallel to the comb, and it's kinda high. But it is a copy of an original. Maybe the old fella didn't know how we would like to do things these days.

 

http://flintrifles.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/tc-b-007.jpg

[LRB]

  I don't recall where I saw this, be it Bivins or Buchele, but it was mentioned that the butt end be center or near center to the plate, while the front end aims at an imaginary point just below the tail of the lock. Always worked good for me, and seems pretty close to most originals.

[moleeyes36]

What Acer and you both said basically puts the patch box where it looked best to my eye using the centerline down the side of the wrist to the butt plate method.  Glad to know I was on the right track before making the wood chips fly.  Thanks.

Mole Eyes

[WadePatton]

Ain't the style i'm studying just yet, but i do see a lot of (i'm sure it's copying originals) "low" boxes.  As P/C as it may be (i don't know really), I don't think i'll ever warm up to the box pointed at the trigger/s, just doesn't work for my eye.

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

I did a real "bone-head" in my last build.  I cut the patchbox hole in the butt before the final shaping on a Lehigh style.  When more finished, the patchbox did not align well with the center at the wrist end, it just looked wrong to me.  So, to make it look OK I just cut the patchbox lid with the cover at a slight angle to the dovetail.  Now when the patchbox is closed the lid end is centered.  The mistake I still see is the lid is a bit too wide, you understand that to get the angle between the lid and the dovetail the lid gets a bit wider.  Also, when you open the patchbox and look at the underside, it looks sort of strange.

Anyway here is what the "fix" looks like.

Jim

[Acer Saccharum]

A slider often tapers a little, a bit wider at the rear, narrower at the front. This, in concert with the buttstock tapering, helps create the 'forward motion' visual effect.

[Lucky R A]

   Only in a TOW description or the imagination of those who have not thoroughly studied the school.... Usually they have a side opener and a few have front opening boxes w/ the elusive Delaware Daisy...or similar.

Ron

[moleeyes36]

I like how the Bucks County rifles, and to a lesser extent Lehigh Valley rifles, fit me and how they balance to me.  I'm building a new hunting rifle from a Tip Curtis Bucks County Rifle kit that will be fast handling and shoot well.  It's not intended to be a copy of any original rifle. 

I'm also aware that a side opening patch box would have been PC for a Bucks County Rifle.  Chapter 8 of RCA Volume 1 shows examples of that and the text describes that fact.  I'm putting a wooden patch box cover on my hunting rifle, double set triggers, and the B weight swamped barrel is only 38" long.  From what I've found none of this would probably be PC for an original Bucks County Rifle. 

It is not my intent to build a PC copy of any Bucks County Rifle, nor do I claim it to be.  If anyone wants to build a PC copy of a Verner, Weiker, Shuler, etc., my hat's off to you and certainly I admire your skill.  Perhaps I'll tackle that sometime in the future. 

However, my goal this time is just a good fitting and handling hunting rifle along the general lines of a Bucks County Rifle. 

If that's heresy to anyone, I can live with it.   

Mole Eyes

[JTR]

Well, if you're not going to go PC with a Bucks rifle, just put the box cover where ever you want it.

I don't understand why you ask for the correct way to do it, then say you're not going to do it that way anyway?

Heresy? I don't think anyone will care... 

Good luck,
John

[moleeyes36]

John, I don't know where you got the idea I wasn't going to locate the non PC wooden patch box cover as suggested, I didn't mean to give that impression.  I just said I was glad to see that both suggestions showed me that I was on the right track. 

I've already used Acer's suggested approach, made a cardboard cutout and moved it around on the stock until it looked like the cover, when done, would flow with the lines of the stock, and then marked the location with a pencil. 

Although I'm taking some liberties from what is PC for a Bucks County Rifle, I still want a good looking and good fitting hunting rifle that balances well for me.  That's the objective.

Mole Eyes, The Heretic       

[moleeyes36]

Okay guys, the guilt was getting to me.  I just ordered a PC correct, side opening brass patch box to put on that Bucks County Rifle kit I'm building.  At least it's a dead ringer for the one pictured on page 277 of RCA volume I.  When I sat down at the bench to start inletting the non PC wooden patch box cover I could almost feel the eyes of over two hundred years of my Pennsylvania ancestors staring at me.  I caved in.     Maybe I'll use the piece of curly maple I have for a patch box lid to make a handle on a new patch knife.

Mole Eyes 

[moleeyes36]

Thanks, Eric, that's who I ordered the patch box from.  Since I didn't have the release mechanism for a side opening patch box, I ordered that as well.  I've dealt with them for years; really nice people to deal with.  I just wish I knew how the heck to engrave it.  I guess it will go on plain.

Mole Eyes