Assistance, or experience needed...

[Trekker1]

Gentlemen, and Ladies,

I am in need of experienced advise! I have built a multitude of half and full stock rifles, and have done a fair job of assembly, with the occassional mishap or unwanted gap in inlay, that was readily repaired by epoxy. I however, am building a Fusil De Chase or Fin, smooth bore .20 ga 42" bbl on an expensive tiger striped maple stock. My problem is, I am having a @#%! of a time trying to inlet the entry thimble into place... I know for most of you, this is a simple task. However, it has me befuddled to no means... I have everything in place except that piece. I should have stayed with the poorboys, they are simpler, but I have always admired the Fusil.

Thanks, and don't laugh too hard,

Daniel.

[Birddog6]

   Why is it different than any other entrypipe.  You figure where you want it, you start trimming out, cut the slot for the lug to go & you draw around the entrypipe & take it down a little at a time using inletting black ?  Or that is how I do it.
It  IS    important that the tail of the entrypipe be centered to the forestock, so I usually have them finished down real close to size & find that center & mark it well   so I can always see it & keep that in mind as I am inletting it.

Keith Lisle

[Herb]

Daniel, go to the Tutorial board and look at "Inletting Rod Pipes" by Herb, July 27, 2011.

[Rasch Chronicles]

If I may be of assistance:

Inletting Ramrod Pipes

Best regards,
Albert “El Matamoro” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
Hunting Merriam’s Turkey: Tips and Technique
ΜOΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!

[Pete G.]

Use the middle pipe as a pattern and inlet into the entry pipe position, then use the entry pipe and inlet the rest of the tang

[Trekker1]

Every bit of advise was helpfull... For some reason on this one, I was having a senior moment... I have done it only a few times, but never paid any attention, until a very expensive stock... The tutorial was a huge help, and by utilizing the center pipe, I layed it in with no problems. a little bit of a gap on one side but nothing  a tiny bit of epoxy can't fill in ! Problem averted, and thanks to all that helped ! I will post pics as soon as she is complete.

Daniel

[dannybb55]

It is amazing how the price of the wood makes the work harder. A few years ago, just as I was about to feed a 16 foot long 8/4 by 18 inch stick of clear teak into the thickness planer, my boss innocently asked: "You know that's an 800 dollar piece of wood, right?" And our wood is much more dear per bd ft.

[Acer Saccharum]

I find the entry pipe one of the hardest pieces to inlet.

If it's a cast pipe with floral decoration, then there is no leeway for adjustment for filing the skirt down. The shape of the stock must suit the skirt. This is the most difficult pipe, in my opinion to inlet.

A sheet metal pipe with a formed skirt is easier because one can reform the skirt to fit. Put a little more or less curvature to the tail, or change the angle, etc, to suit the shape of the forestock. There is little room for filing the skirt down, however, so one must go for a good fit.

Blah, blah, blah.

I find it the most helpful to have the forestock near finished shape before I inlet the pipe. I know others inlet it with the forestock still square, but I can't do that. I need to see the form of the gun before I apply parts to it.

Tom