Chamber's Lancaster Build

[Snakebite]

Opinions on building a Chamber's Lancaster for a pretty novice builder? I might try my hand at some incised carving but it would be pretty simple. I've built a couple pre-carved kits back in the day, but they were on some of the cheaper kits. A Chamber's is a pretty good investment, any constructive comments are certainly welcomed.

[PPatch]

Hello Snakebit, welcome to the ALR forum - loads of expert advice here - mine is not in that category except in a limited way but please read on.

Dave here, and I, a complete novice to rifle building but with furniture making experience, bought the Jim Chambers Lancaster "Kit" some months back. I say "Kit" in parentheses because it is more an assemblage of very well thought out period correct parts that come with a well made pre-carve stock. This is not a snap together deal as the term kit might imply, there is much work and consideration to do to complete a rifle. The pre-inletting of the Chambers Lancaster for the flintlock, lock panel, trigger plate and ramrod entry pipe are very close to finished dimension and care is needed to complete the job. The overall stock shape is nearly to finished dimension but requires wood removal also. Be prepared for some delicate work in those areas.

On my rifle I had to move the barrel back a bit over one eighth of an inch to align the touchhole and pan, and down a sixteenth for the same reason and to create a slimmer profile overall. This requires mostly using a scraper and flat chisels and is the first step involved in the build, next is the lock. The pre-carve for the flintlock panel is very very close and one must be careful not to enlarge it overly; the same with the other pre-inletted areas of the stock. Wood must be removed to move the lock in and seat the lock bolster properly to the barrel. The examples above are typical for the Chambers “kit.” If you feel capable of tackling wood and metal with chisels, scrapers, and files you are good to go. Completing a Chambers “kit” can be done if one is careful and proceeds thoughtfully. As I mentioned too there is a great deal of excellent advice available here on ALR. Be sure too to search the archives and tutorial sections for information, that is where I find most of the answers I seek for my build.

Good luck on your build.

dave

[flehto]

Just to add to the above excellent info and advice....the bbl dovetails are in except for the rear sight and the brass components require a minimum of work, but the holes for the lock and sideplate, tang. buttplate, trigger guard and trigger plate  and bbl pins need to be drilled. The lock holes require tapping as does the tang screw hole in the trigger plate.  Have done 3 Chambers' early Lancasters and they all came out  OK ...nothing like the more skilled builders on this forum would make,  but all somehow pleased their owners. Below is a pic of the middle build....Good luck w/ your wise choice.....Fred

[E.vonAschwege]

Fred - the fit and finish of a couple of your rifles on Track years ago are part of what got me into this!  I saved the images onto my computer at the time. 

Snakebite - what the others have said is pretty accurate.  The collection of parts that make a Chambers kit are top notch quality and if assembled with care, will give you the highest quality rifle you can get.  The furniture and parts are selected to match the style of the stock, so it takes some of the guesswork out of "did I pick the right triggerguard to match the buttplate?" etc. 

Books are also a huge help.  Most of them have the same information in them, so take your pick!  I started with "Recreating the American Longrifle", but have since added many others to my collection.  Whatever kit you go with, take photos and check in with the forum often - the folks here are a huge help and give excellent critique.  Dixon's gunmakers fair is also a great way to get advice on an ongoing build.
Best,
-Eric

[pushboater]

Snakebite,
     The best advice I can give on incised carving your Early Lancaster is, if it looks good on paper, it'll probably look good on the rifle. Use the eraser end of your drawing device about four times more than the graphite end. Look at and study as many photographs of carving on rifles from the Lancaster School as you can before you start designing your carving as each school had more or less it's own characteristics and unique style that was particular to that school. Some gunsmiths repeated their carving design on each rifle they built with very little variation, and even though the rifle may not be signed, the carving can be more or less used as a signature to identify the gunsmith who built it.  Other gunsmiths varied their designs but kept within the general design characteristics of the school. Then of course you always  had those few individuals who boldly went where no one had gone before and simply did their own thing.
     My main point is, do your research, then design your carving so that its appropriate to the school. The next thing you'll want to do is practice on some scrap, and then practice some more before you attempt it on the rifle. Practice different techniques. some like to use a mallet while carving while others like to simply use hand and palm pressure. find the technique that's most comfortable for you. Most importantly, learn how to properly sharpen your carving tools. A sharp chisel is a pleasure to work whereas a dull chisel will result in endless heartache. If you mess up on the rifle don't get discouraged, simply alter your design to incorporate your mistake and no one will ever be the wiser unless you point it out to them. Go slow, take your time, and have fun.

Capt. David