Author Topic: Most hated task when building a rifle (at least for me) (Read 21666 times)

Dennis Glazener · « **on:** December 01, 2015, 09:45:52 PM »

I am working on prepping hardware to be browned and I just dread polishing the lock

I hear others say they hate to inlet buttplates but I don't mind them at all, in fact I normally look forward to it. Others hate to inlet entry pipes but other than making the darn things I don't mind in-letting them. I dislike finishing iron/steel parts, I much prefer to finish brass but iron/steel is another thing.

Would love to hear how some of you polish your locks maybe I am doing it all wrong i.e. file/220 grit then 320/380 grit then brown (all by hand). If leaving it in the white I usually finish with 400 then use something to lightly age it.

Dennis

okieboy · « **Reply #1 on:** December 01, 2015, 10:08:45 PM »

Here's a question about the process Dennis. When you brown, do you produce a very smooth brown finish?
I like browning, but my browning is generally a somewhat rough texture, produced by letting the rusting to go on longer than needed and applying a lot of coats and restrained carding using a worn soft brass brush. Not everyone would like the finish that I produce, but it makes going beyond 220 grit polish a waste of effort. You could do a test piece to see the results if this sounds interesting.

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2015, 10:22:35 PM »

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When you brown, do you produce a very smooth brown finish?

It depends. I build more mountain rifles than anything else and if I am trying to "antique" it I do the same as you. If to be otherwise I use maroon Scotch Guard pad or 0000 steel wool between coats of browning.

Its not the browning I hate so much as the filing/sanding/polishing etc
Dennis

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #3 on:** December 01, 2015, 10:25:52 PM »

I'd gladly pay another $100, $200 to have a lock come all polished. Hahahaha.

You're not alone, Dennis. There is, BTW, a discussion of polishing materials and techniques in the Tutorials. They left out one ingredient: elbow grease.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=2585.0

L. Akers · « **Reply #4 on:** December 01, 2015, 10:33:24 PM »

I follow your procedure Dennis. If something needs 60 minutes of polishing, it gets 60 minutes of polishing.

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #5 on:** December 02, 2015, 01:06:57 AM »

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elbow grease

Tom, I didn't really want to say it but that's what I think bothers me so much. Just no way to speed it up.

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If something needs 60 minutes of polishing, it gets 60 minutes of polishing

Its all the little crooks/curves/crannies that bother me.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #6 on:** December 02, 2015, 01:48:25 AM »

I hate polishing trigger guards and all brass mounts. I also hate filing out Colerain barrels......

JCurtiss · « **Reply #7 on:** December 02, 2015, 03:09:00 AM »

I hate not knowing what the heck I'm doing!

elk killer · « **Reply #8 on:** December 02, 2015, 03:18:22 AM »

I HATE filing dovetails in barrels, would much rather do anything else

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #9 on:** December 02, 2015, 03:54:56 AM »

I just spent my whole day working on the trigger group in the picture below. The guard needed filing to even up the casting mould lines, then polishing first with 80 grit and then 120 grit abrasive cloth. The triggers from L & R also needed some alterations. The front trigger in this set has a nice wide shoe but the curve was wrong, and they needed polishing as well. The plate gets drilled and tapped 1/4" x 28 tpi and the lug on the guard gets a die run down it, and I made a 6 x 40 screw for the back end. Apart from breaking for lunch, and answering the phone once, this has consumed my whole day. Is it worth it...of course! But tedious. I guess I have to learn to work faster. Once it's inlet, I can go back and finish polishing to ~ 320.

bob in the woods · « **Reply #10 on:** December 02, 2015, 04:03:12 AM »

Draw filing barrels is probably one of my least favourite tasks. [ Depending on the maker, it can be a real chore ]
I don't use the wax cast "bronze" mounts anymore, so don't have to contend with filing /polishing them. That was another pain in the *** job. Making most of the parts from scratch is what I like the best.

retired fella · « **Reply #11 on:** December 02, 2015, 04:37:18 AM »

Acer,
Where can I get some of that elbow grease and how much does it cost? Does TOW carry it?

Mark Elliott · « **Reply #12 on:** December 02, 2015, 05:05:52 AM »

I file with a #1 Grobet Habilis set, then #2 swiss needle files, then abrasives (cloth or stones) 120/320/600 grit. I do all that and engrave before I inlet. Usually there is a little touchup at the end using the same procedure but not nearly as much work. I have a special jig to hold the lock plate in a vise for filing the face. I spent 24 hours filing and polishing my current lock. At least half the time spent building a rifle for me is filing and polishing mounts.

oldtravler61 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 02, 2015, 05:49:17 AM »

Don't mind polishing,butt plates. Mine is inletting the lock. An trying to keep my chisels scary sharp. If it wasn't for my pet woodchuck wouldn't ever get it done.

Turtle · « **Reply #14 on:** December 02, 2015, 04:54:22 PM »

Polishing locks and possibly surprisingly, shaping lock panels.
Turtle

runastav · « **Reply #15 on:** December 02, 2015, 05:20:16 PM »

Hi Dennis!
I use this a lot, learned it from a old toolmaker years ago, take a old butterknife? file a point and the rest you see on photo

Bytheway, I hate finish the wood

dustalergy
Runar

PPatch · « **Reply #16 on:** December 02, 2015, 05:56:56 PM »

Yeah, lock filing. Obviously I've done far fewer than most here but polishing locks is becoming more tedious each time I face the task. As others state there isn't anyway to speed the process, one just has to get at it knowing it is going to be slow going if done right. You examine your new lock with its even gray coating knowing that as soon as you touch it with a file you will discover all those casting pits hidden under the gray and some of them are the devil to file out. Plus they always seem to be at the most difficult place to reach with your files and smoothing media.

The last one I did went fairly quickly however. It was for a SMR and I decided right off to take it down as little as possible then brown it. I filed out the larger pitting and casting marks, hit it with course, medium and fine emery paper backed with wood and plastic blocks, taking care to remove all prior sanding marks. I then browned it carding with a fine wire wheel from Brownells. Came out looking fine for the rifle type, a workmanlike job.

dave

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #17 on:** December 02, 2015, 07:56:40 PM »

runastav,
That's a neat idea, I have a few pieces of wood that I keep for similiar use but have to use a small nail in one end and that doesn't last very long. Maybe I can raid my wife's supply of stainless steel knives and come up with one.
Dennis

Daryl · « **Reply #18 on:** December 02, 2015, 08:23:57 PM »

I hated polishing the lock on this - got tired only 1/2 way through and said it was done. It isn't. The picture is deceiving.

Robby · « **Reply #19 on:** December 02, 2015, 10:14:19 PM »

I can't think of anything about any of it that I 'hate'. Though sometimes I do have to keep my eye on the prize, and drive on!
Robby

David R. Pennington · « **Reply #20 on:** December 03, 2015, 02:22:42 AM »

Well I don't hate any of it or I would do something else. I admit some of it is more fun than others. I have been leaning toward forging mounts out of wrought iron. The last triggergaurd I filed, then went over it with a superfine half round file and burnished it with hardened steel. I think I like the look. It is not perfect, but looks good. The file is marked with three or four xs and "superfine" or extra fine" I think. This file is so fine you can hardly see the grooves in it. Do they still make these?

Bob Roller · « **Reply #21 on:** December 03, 2015, 02:43:59 AM »

Quote from: David R. on December 03, 2015, 02:22:42 AM

Well I don't hate any of it or I would do something else. I admit some of it is more fun than others. I have been leaning toward forging mounts out of wrought iron. The last triggergaurd I filed, then went over it with a superfine half round file and burnished it with hardened steel. I think I like the look. It is not perfect, but looks good. The file is marked with three or four xs and "superfine" or extra fine" I think. This file is so fine you can hardly see the grooves in it. Do they still make these?

Maybe one of the Swiss file companies can help. I have a Baiter pillar file with a #8 cut which is said to be 233 teeth per inch.

Bob Roller

rich pierce · « **Reply #22 on:** December 03, 2015, 03:19:29 AM »

I'll polish your locks for $150.

For Dennis or Acer, $50 will do. But just one special deal per lifetime.

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #23 on:** December 03, 2015, 06:12:26 AM »

Thanks for the promotional plug, Rich. I can't imagine polishing anyone else's locks, I can't stand to do my own. And I'm good at it, polished plastic molds for years. Ugh.

oldtravler61 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 03, 2015, 06:38:08 AM »

Worked in a machine shop for years. Polishing metal, steel was just a daily thing. Rather do that than inlet.

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Author Topic: Most hated task when building a rifle (at least for me) (Read 21666 times)

JCurtiss

Turtle