Building from a blank: do you make a blueprint every time?

[James Rogers]

Rich, since you also inquired of greenhorns,....... I inlet my own barrels with a pantograph type machine. I do not do a blueprint but I make a profile pattern from a piece of lauan that has the barrel, lock, etc. and stock dimensions. This allows me to use it again if I use the same type lock and barrel. Wrist cross section shapes, etc, are just rough sketched or depending on the case, if an original is on hand for those measurements I go to it as the shaping continues.
 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I make a blueprint style drawing full scale of each gun I make, even if it is a repeat, such as a Hawken rifle.  Usually, it is just the butt to about half of the lower forearm.  I make the drawing on poster board and use it for reference over and over, noting things that I'd like to improve on the next one.  I inlet about half of my barrels and farm the rest out.  I really like the work the pros do.

[Tim Crosby]

 Any of you guys ever think about sell a pattern? The details may help someone understand the architecture of a long gun better and solve/answer some basic questions.

   Tim C.

[L Moler]

Jerry,
Yep, it is me..
Medical/physical problems almost got the best of me, but I am back in the shop.  Just not nearly as driven as I use to be..

[Bill Ladd]

Any of you guys ever think about sell a pattern? The details may help someone understand the architecture of a long gun better and solve/answer some basic questions.

   Tim C.

Tim, do you mean dimensioned drawings or an actual 3d patterns?

If you mean drawings, I built my NC mountain rifle from Dennis Glaezner plans. I also have some primo drawings by Mark Elliot and Evon Eschwage. Also got 10 southern mountain rifle drawings by Ron Borron from Log Cabin Shop.

I have no idea, but I bet there are more out there.

Currently I'm building a Rupp barn gun from Evon's plans and a SMR from one of the Borron drawings.

Of course if you mean 3d patterns then I've just wasted bandwidth. lol.

[Lucky R A]

     I am pretty much like Acer, In that I let each component tell me where the next one goes.  Over the years I have amassed a collection of outlines (stock profiles) from originals that I worked on or handled in the shop.  I have the barrel inlet and the RR hole drilled.  The end of the breech plug tells me where the vent goes, the vent tells me where to position the lock. The stock is band sawed to the proper width at the lock area and along the barrel channel.  The lock is inlet.  The lock tells me where to locate the trigger.  From the trigger I can determine the LOP.  I do a center layout line and determine cast off if any is to be used. The butt plate is installed.  From that a top profile is laid out on the top of the stock.  The 'fat girl" is then put on a diet with the band saw.  I saw away wood to near the finish 3-D profile, and then finish shaping.   You now have a blank canvas to decorate in keeping with what you are building.  I build a lot of copies of originals, so very often I can copy and size patchboxes and inlays for patterns.  Remember to keep your copied patterns about 5% undersize as they will "grow" about that much when you copy them to the brass and saw and file them out.  I have done it so much that the guys I am teaching say I am on auto pilot...it just seems simple and natural...

[Tim Crosby]

Any of you guys ever think about sell a pattern? The details may help someone understand the architecture of a long gun better and solve/answer some basic questions.

   Tim C.

Tim, do you mean dimensioned drawings or an actual 3d patterns?

If you mean drawings, I built my NC mountain rifle from Dennis Glaezner plans. I also have some primo drawings by Mark Elliot and Evon Eschwage. Also got 10 southern mountain rifle drawings by Ron Borron from Log Cabin Shop.

I have no idea, but I bet there are more out there.

Currently I'm building a Rupp barn gun from Evon's plans and a SMR from one of the Borron drawings.

Of course if you mean 3d patterns then I've just wasted bandwidth. lol.

 Either but the sources you have posted may help some out.
 After posting the above I thought it may be an unfair question, I should have thought before I posted.

  Tim C.

[rich pierce]

Eric Von Aschwege has some nice blueprints.

[gwill]

I'll second the comment about Erc's prints. I've purchased one for my next build and it looks perfect for building from a blank.

[Rich]

I draw a plan then transfer it on to clear acitate sheets as a template for transfer to the blank. I enjoy hand inletting the barrels and fabricate as many of the components as I can.

[Dan Fruth]

I always make a blueprint before beginning. I use the photos from RCA and blow them up to full size. Then I tape them to a large window in our house and trace them unto a sheet of drafting paper. Then I position the parts I am using onto the paper pattern, adjusting as needed. Then I adhear the paper pattern onto a piece of 3/8 thick pine board with 3M spray adhesive, and bandsaw out the pattern, and rasp to the outline. I now have a template for the rough stock, and a reference for location of all parts. This method came about as a result of NOT planning a rifle before I started building, and the result was a dissaster!

[BOB HILL]

Lucky has described pretty much the process that I have always used. Once you understand the relationship of each part to the others, it simplifies everything.      Bob

[heinz]

Dan is an expert professional builder and was one of the makers of the bench copy of the 1812 Sheets rifle the CLA auctioned in 2012.  His technique preserves a pattern for later use.

[wbradbury]

I find drawing and sketching helps tremendously when planning/visualizing a project. I don't do a full length drawing if I know the style and have a plywood template for that style. But just to know I'm heading in the right direction I'll do a pretty detailed drawing from the lock panels back and I will use the actual barrel, lock, triggers and butt plate for that gun to aid in drawing/locating everything. Once I get the stock blank squared I transfer the dimensions to the blank and draw it in pencil on the blank although not in great detail, just enough to know where I'm at on the blank.

So far I'm doing the barrel inletting and RR channel myself, sure takes me longer than some have mentioned, two, two and a half days using chisels a homemade scorp and rails for the barrel channel.





I guess that puts me in Situation #1.

dave

Not to change the subject, but what are the strips screwed to either side of the barrel channel.  I am guessing they are a contour guide for inletting the barrel.  Bear with me, i'm learning!

[Mark Elliott]

The metal strips are saw guides.  You partially inlet the barrel, centered in the channel; clamp the guides to the sides of the barrel; and screw the guides down.   Then,  you can remove the barrel and cut in the sidewalls with a special saw.  The saw is a variant of a stair tread saw with the set removed on the side to be used up against the guides.    I adjust the depth of the blade to cut the average depth of the sidewall.   You then use a gouge to cut away the wood up to the sidewalls.   At that point you have your barrel about half-way in.  

I looked in the tutorials for a guide to inletting a barrel.   Did I miss it?