Swelling the gap shut!

[Roger Fisher]

I have a slight gap 1/2 inch long alongside the barrel tang where the tang inlet meets the barrel end.  I mean slight.  I have yet to try this; but I do wonder have any of you successfully swelled that spot up with warm water cloth, say over night and closed that hairline gap that she stayed   I'm in the midst of so doing now!

[Jim Kibler]

If the wood has been compressed in this area during inletting you may be able to swell it a touch.  If it hasn't been sufficiently compressed, it won't help.  This area of a tang inlet can be a little tricky to inlet tight.  The key is to have a generous taper on the breech plug bolster.  If the plug doesn't come like this, file it to shape.

[Dennis Glazener]

Roger,
One time I had a similar situation and I soaked the are with oil finish and it closed the gap. The oil soaks in the wood and swells it somewhat. Of course I usually use an oil finish so there was no problem with it bothering the final finish.

May not work but you might try it.
Dennis

[David Rase]

The other option is to peen the metal on the tang.  I have filled a multitude of gaps moving metal.  The problem with swelling the wood is once the stock moisture content returns to normal the wood almost always returns to its original size.  I have found swelling is only good for dents.
DMR

[erdillonjr]

Roger, you could use a little pro bed available from muzzle loaders building supply to fill the gap. Mix a little bit of inlet black in it to match the finial finish. Ed

[JTR]

Roger,
I bought some stuff called Swell lock to use on an old chair, and it worked just fine.
I'm not sure it would work for your situation, but might be worth a try.
I bought the stuff at Home Depot, but the link has some info about it;
http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11212

John

[dannybb55]

To close small gaps at work, for varnished work, we dab a little wood glue on the gap and sand the area with 120 g. The dust and glue disappear the spot and the match is perfect. Note, "work" is 90 foot plus wooden luxury yachts. Just to bring it back on topic I do have a gunstock clamped in my vice there, a box of small parts and a barrel on my bench, in the shadow of a 55 foot Trumpy no less. Needs must when the devil drives.

[Dphariss]

Dented/compressed wood will "grow"
If steam (as in using a wet cloth and an iron or heated punch) will not work then the metal needs to be  carefully peaned with a smooth faces hammer OR the bottom peaned while the visible portion is on the anvil. This is dependent on the part and the circumstances.
The reshape (leaving the part oversized) with a file *if* needed, perhaps do a little reinletting and the fit should be good.

Dan

[RobertS]

I've not done this, but have heard of others using colored beeswax to fill little gaps like this. 

[Acer Saccharum]

How about Plastic Wood?

Comes in a can, maple colored.

 

[LynnC]

Acver - Your horns are showing

[LynnC]

Darn - can't fix spelling from a blackberry

[Nate McKenzie]

Try a wet wash cloth over the crack and iron it with a hot soldering iron. The steam will often swell the wood a little to close the gap.