Design mounts, and prepare initial carving, engraving and inlay designs.
Make/Prepare all mounts and parts for inletting including barrel tang. I engrave the lock as part of my extensive lock prep.
Layout all parts on stock blank in proper relation and draw profile to be cut. I locate the touch hole at this point and centerpunch it. I will most likely install the touchhole liner at this point if the gun is to be a shooter.
Cut out the side/vertical profile of stock to just outside the pencil line.
Inlet barrel and tang at same time.
Inlet ramrod groove and drill ramrod hole.
Layout and cut top/horizontal profile on stock. Leave 3/32 - 5/32" along sides of barrel depending on style of gun. Lock panels will be width of lock bolster. I leave an extra 1/32"(the width of a pencil line) to trim.
Install the barrel tenons, inlet and drill pin holes or cut key slots
Inlet the lock relative to touch hole. Do not disassemble lock. Inlet starting with location of sear bar. I will begin shaping up the lock panels and wrist as I go.
I inlet the sideplate and install the lock pins(screws) when I start to inlet the lock plate into the stock. This is necessary because you need the lock pins to drive out the lock as you inlet it to avoid breaking the lock mortice by twisting the lock.
Inlet trigger(s) relative to lock sear bar.
Inlet trigger guard
Inlet butt piece trimming around it to make the inletting easier. Get close and then hammer the butt piece to the stock and finish filing it.
Rough out butt stock, work more on wrist and lock panels, start work on lower forearm.
Inlet the thimbles starting with the rear thimble.
Shape up the lower forearm a little more
Inlet the remaining thimble and pin them.
Continue shaping up the forearm.
Install the nose piece and continue shaping the fore arm.
Cut mouldings if you are going to do that.
Inlet patchbox and release mechanism and engrave the patchbox
Finish shaping up stock.
Scrape to final lines and whisker stock for carving or inlays
Do the carving and inlays and any remaining engraving.
Install sights.
Finish file or polish metal parts that you haven't finished yet.
Do any touch-up wood shaping or finishing with a scraper
Apply wood finish including whiskering if necessary.
Apply metal finish.
Touch-up finish and/or apply aging finish.
Clean, wax and lube.
Sight-in
Clean, wax, and lube.
Photograph, although I may do this before sight-in if sight-in isn't a priority.
This is basically my process.
Mark E.
