4 months in

[Mike Lyons]

This is my first build.  I spend hours and hours at night on this thing. It's not perfect by any means,  but I'm having a blast and appreciate this website and everyone that has given me advice. I finally got the push button patch box put together.  It works well but I have a little wiggle room with the rod. It makes a click sound when I turn the gun over.  I filed a hair too much off of the rod. Anyone ever put a little spring in there between the button and bottom plate to prevent the wiggle?  You don't notice it function wise but it drives me crazy.

[Thawk]

I finally got the push button patch box put together.  It works well but I have a little wiggle room with the rod. It makes a click sound when I turn the gun over.  I filed a hair too much off of the rod. Anyone ever put a little spring in there between the button and bottom plate to prevent the wiggle? 

Solder a shim on the end of the rod?

[stubshaft]

Coming along just fine for your first build!

[Dave B]

I saw an original push button that was in the return of the butt plate. It had a spring wire that was piercing the shaft I figured it was to keep the buttons shoulder firm against the butt plate return. I have a picture some where

[Stophel]

Depending on what kind of spring latch arrangement you have, you may actually be able to attach the pushrod/button to the spring itself.  No rattle.     I've never done this, but it just occurred to me.

[PPatch]

Your rifle is looking GOOD. I like it. Sorry, I have no info on the push button deal.

dave

[45-110]

easy fix.....just soft solder a wafer/button on the rod to lengthen it, then re adjust length.
best
kw

[hanshi]

I think what you've done so far is pretty darn good!

[Iktomi]

First rifle and carving? I find that encouraging, it looks pretty good to me

[sleddman]

Push rod.   Usually this is a soft steel.  Just lightly hammer around the center of the rod to displace the metal lengthening the rod.  It will not take very much so do a little and check often to keep it straight.  Easy fix

[QuanLoi]

Your work looks pretty good.  Keep in mind, the more you build, the better you get. 

[Mike Lyons]

Thank you all for the advice and all the encouragement.  I used to do quite a bit of taxidermy.  Believe it or not,  there's a lot of similarities.   Both you are trying to make things look natural out of a chunk of material. I don't have the gun building experience, so patience and good magnification is probably the most important factor I can control. With the fortune ive spent in tools,  I plan to try to build another.

[Mr. Bubbles]

That's the cost of gun building that never really gets factored in isn't it?  The specialty tools's cost, and the numerous trips to the hardware store for this that or the other thing.  It seems that each time you build one you figure out some new tools to get that really are't that useful for much else in the household repair kit. 

Your carving start looks great. So far you've resisted the temptation to dig your background plane out too deep.  That's a common mistake.  Making the relief carving too high.  On the butt stock and entry pipe you can usually recover from that pretty well.  Not so so easily with the tang carving.

[David R. Pennington]

I have drilled a tiny hole in push rods and inlet a piece of spring wire under but plate to cure the rattle you speak of on one where the button was in the top.

[Mike Lyons]

I got started on the stock carving.  The bottom took a strange turn but I'm learning. Haha