Inletting Locks: Must have tools?

[Rasch Chronicles]

Howdy fellows!

Well as you all can see, I've been able to steal some time and get on my favorite forum!

I like asking these questions so that I learn what tips and techniques you might have, and I'm sure there are a couple of guys out there with similar questions that just haven't gotten around to ask.

Anyway, I got to thinking... What tools do you find indespensible when it comes to inletting a lock. Of course, we can look at this from two points of view, the "90% inletted kit" stock, and the "I'm going to whittle this out of a chunk of wood" stocks.

I'm interested in both, and I don't think that anyone will mind if you shared a few photos too!

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
Handmade Custom Traditional Bows

[Old Ford2]

Hey Albert,
From the way my inletting looks, all you need is an axe, and adz, and a hammer!
I have done many modern rifles, and perhaps thirty black powder.
Small wood carving chisels do most of my work, but to be truthful, I have been using a dremel more often, BUT it has taken a lot of skill and training not to screw things up, with the dremel.
Forestner bits do help a lot.
All the best & keep safe!

Old Ford

[keweenaw]

I use the same tools whether it's on a precarved or a scratch build.  Mostly it's  5mm and and 8 mm straight chisels, a 1/16" straight, a 3 sweep gouge - I use both a 5mm and an 8mm but you could get by easily with the either-, and a 9 sweep 6mm and a 3/8" in beveled home made gouge.  I also make some use of a 2 sweep 12mm but that's pretty much luxury.

Tom

[Jerry V Lape]

Don't know if this is what you meant, but you also need the spring vise and well fitted screw drivers to dissassemble your lock so you can inlet them in inverse order beginning with the bolster. 

[smallpatch]

Just my opinion, (don't ask how I know) a dremel is the most dangerous tool you can use. It will turn a nice lock mortise into a gaping hole in 1/100th of a second.  Stay with sharp chisels or pay the piper.

[whitebear]

I must agree with Smallpatch, Dremels are great little tools and fun to use, I own three, but they will screw up a nice piece of work in a heartbeat, ask me how I know.

As I say Dremmels are useful tools, and perhaps one day some engineer will find out what they are useful for, but in my opinion lock inletting ain't one if them!

[Meteorman]

Mostly it's  5mm and and 8 mm straight chisels, a 1/16" straight, a 3 sweep gouge - I use both a 5mm and an 8mm but you could get by easily with the either-, and a 9 sweep 6mm and a 3/8" in beveled home made gouge.  I also make some use of a 2 sweep 12mm but that's pretty much luxury.
Tom

I can't quote the sweeps on my gouges without checking the receipts from Woodcraft, but when I got one that had a radius just a skosh less than the nose of a Siler lockplate, life got waaay easier and fit got better.
I also use X-actos....  a lot.   Pointy ones and modified ones (for a stronger edge at tip).  I change blades often... 2-3 times per inlet.
/MM

[Dale Halterman]

Stones to keep your chisels sharp.

Inletting black. You can use a felt pen if you work fast before the ink dries completely.

A file to bevel the edge of the lock plate.

While I would never use a Dremel to inlet the lock plate, I do use one to hog out wood for the internal parts, then clean up with the chisels and gouges. Not a "must have", of course.

Dale H

[JDK]

I must have bought the same tools as you MM.  I too use the sweeps that match the curves of the lock plate when inletting.  I do use a dremmel for screw-heads on the tumbler bridle, etc.  I use their little router bit and and go straight in.  It is about the same size as the heads and leaves nice round flat bottomed holes....like a little forestner bit.  I would never dream of using it to do the lock plate or anywhere else on the surface of the stock....carving tools only!!!  j.m.2.c. J.D.K.

[Jerry V Lape]

For those of you who don't know how useful a Dremel tool really is you need to talk to my dog.  Best tool ever made for trimming dog nails is the dremel sanding drum.  Just be careful about long haired dogs, tends to rip out hair if the dog drops her head near the tool.  Don't ask the dog about that as she may bite you. 

[doug]

      I have several small chisels and gouges that I use but what might be out of the ordinary is that I have made several goose neck chisels out of chain saw files.  In other words, looked at sideways, they are shaped like a drawn out Z and allow me to work in a recess with the handle well out of the recess and more or less parallel to the surface of the stock.  I also have several small home made scrapers for contrary grain and places where the chisels will dig in.

cheers Doug

[Dave Dolliver]

Inletting black:

Try the dry erase markers that are used to write on white plastic display boards (that have replaced "black" boards).  Less messy than some other suggestions.

Dave Dolliver

[greybeard]

Albert;  These are the chisles that I use for lock & trigger inlets  They are mostly A. B. Addis chisels Sheffield England. 40 Years ago I bought  boxfull at auction for $5.00
 

[Rasch Chronicles]

Thanks fellows!

What great answers, and Greybeard, thanks for the photo! I really appreciate everyone's time and generousity with their knowledge.

I'll have to get the gouges I suppose, as I don't have the know how to make them, or better said the swages to make them with, but the straight chisels should present no problems. I've been mentally mulling over a handmade router/scraper tool for the bottom of the mortice. Something bronze and steel I think, that will allow me to accurately flatten the flat parts. I've seen some English Best with lock mortices that by themselves are works of art.

Thanks again!

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
Preserving and Tanning Small Hides

[Don Getz]

I'm glad I have access to a vertical milling machine.     I will locate the position of the lock, then hand inlet the bolster down to the same level as the barrel.   I then lay the lock plate on the gun, with the bolster in the inlet, and draw around the plate.    I then also measure the distance of the bolster to the barrel......this is how deep I will have to inlet the
plate in order to get the bolster to touch the barrel.   I then mill out the wood inside the pencil outline, almost to the line,
so that I can finish fitting with chisels.  You will then have a beautiful flat inlet of the lock plate with the bolster against the
barrel.    I then start to add parts, bridal  first, followed by the tumbler, then the sear and sear spring.   It becomes real
easy to mill out that deep hole for the sear.  If I were building guns and didn't have access to some of the equipment in
our barrel shop, a table top mill would be a necessary tool for me.   I know, most of you guys prefer to do it the old fashioned way.   Nothing wrong with that......maybe I was just born lazy.....................Don

[Eric Krewson]

I was once a power duck decoy carver and can do just about anything with a dremel. It is all about bit and speed choice, get either wrong and you are going to screw up in a hurry. I use chisels mostly for inletting locks but do pull out my dremel to make a few small adjustments when my inlet is so tight I can't pull my lock plate out easily. Again, I spent years learning how to use it correctly and only use a fine grit diamond stone on inlets.

[BJH]

I have to profess my ignorance of the metric system for sizes. I use a 1/8 in radius gouge for the front end of a lock inlet, a 3/16 flat chisel for much else and usually 3 diffierent sized forstener bits for clearence cut waste disposal. I use a forstener bit to drill the flat bottomed sear hole. Pluss a couple of smaller gouges to outline the bridle in the bottom of the lock mortice, and a 1/16 or so chisel to clean up any thing needed. BJH

[Captchee]

Like Mr Getz , I to use a mill a lot  to do the main lock inlet , then the finish is done with  chisels .
 I would also agree about the comments about the Dremel tool .
 But  while visiting another local gunsmith the other day   we got into this discussion  and the Dremel issue came up .
 He uses a Dremel  to inlet trigger plates  and such . but he has the clear  router base attachment for the tool  . The base has a full evaluation adjustment  and 2 handles for control .  It appears that he uses it very much the same way as I use my mill
IE rough things out and finish off with chisels .
 so like most thing i think its having the right tools to do the job and knowing HOW to use those tools

[Rasch Chronicles]

Thanks again fellows!

Great answers and lots of knowledge out there with all you guys.

I recently purchased a blacksmiths post drill, and have been collecting traditional Forster bits. When I heard that several of you used Forster bits to cut the radi and hog out the excess, it occured to me that a hand cranked post drill with razor sharp bits would allow me greater accuracy, without the danger of chewing up the lock mortice with an electric drill press.

Thanks again!
Albert

[Artificer]

If you don't like a Dremel tool, you would hate this beast:

http://www.artcotools.com/dumore-series-10-hand-grinder-10-321-pr-18315.html

I was first issued one of these in 1973 when I began my apprenticeship to become a Marine NM Armorer.  We called them "hand held milling machines."  We used them to make pretty precise cuts when we cleaned up the fiberglass in M14 wood stocks, in different areas of NM pistols and all sorts of things.  I would be lost without one today. 

I have not and would not use one of these for a lock inlet, but it comes in real handy to clear wood away when a part is rubbing or binding where it shouldn't in a lock or barrel mortise.  You do have to be extremely careful though....... Grin. 

Gus

 

[38_Cal]

I use a couple of wooden router planes a lot when inletting...tools that my step-dad made for me when I started gunsmithing in the mid-70's.  If I had to buy one, I would look at the Stanley #271.  I also use scrapers a lot, made from garage sale screwdrivers, heated and bent about 80 degrees, shaped on a belt or drum sander, and then heat treated. 

David

[FG1]

A 4"-6" square and a depth guage like General Tool makes helps quite a bit in inltting the plate and parts in .
I use them quite a bit throughout the build overall.

[Rasch Chronicles]

38 Cal,

Those 271s are hard to come by. If you look them up on eBay, the demand is pretty great and the price goes up quick! You can get a good Stanley #45 Combination Plane for less than most 271s auction off for!

I've in mind a similar tool, and when I finally get home and manage to build it, (And test it to make sure it works!), I'll share the process with you fellows.

Best regards,
Albert “Yes, I am still in Afghanistan!” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
The Range Reviews: Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn

[Bill of the 45th]

A tool you already have is patience.  Take your time.  Thanks again for your service.  My son in law just parked in Bagram for six months.  Your Blog helped the cheapskate get some of the right stuff in his ditty.  He would get all his med's at the dollar store.  At least back home he's not into those in thingies.

Bill

[Dave B]

Albert,
I can speak for the use of the small router plane. Its is a fantastic tool for the leveling of the background as well as edge  clean up with a special made cutter.  I was lucky enough to be at one of the Washington Gun makers fair where they were casting hard ware in brass with Dave Rase's foundry and one of the fellows had a small router plane made by his dad. They used this planes body as the model and cast up six or seven of the little buggers. I got to ram the sand on the mold that mine was poured from. I use allen wrenchs for the cutters. I made up some very narrow "dog tooth" bits to do fine pierced inletting like you find on the horse pistols and fowlers side plates. It works like a charm.