Wooden vs Brass patchbox

[saltland]

   Which one would be easier for a beginner?It may be one of the influencing forces on deciding which build I do 1st.From books/dvd's it seems the wood would be.Thoughts?
 Thanks again guys for your guidance.
    Scott

[JCKelly]

I started with brass, circa 1962, fit the style of what I made.
Some dozen guns later I made one in wood, on order.
Dunno which was easiest.
Make what you like.
Oh, yeah - I am an Old Geezer and used an actual Ink-on-Paper Book by William Buchele, Toledo, Ohio as my teacher. Get a copy of Recreating the American Longrifle, current edition is by Buchele, Shumway and Alexander.  Then buy your CNC machine later, once you've learned to do it the simple way.

[rich pierce]

Brass patch boxes usually need engraving. Wooden ones do not.

[saltland]

Yes I have that book along with Grenville county gunsmith and dvd'sThanks for your input.
Scott.

[saltland]

Brass patch boxes usually need engraving. Wooden ones do not.

My thoughts exactly.
   Scott

[oldtravler61]

   Scot if I am correct it might depend on the style your building. Also uric a few N. Carrolina had a pivoting wood patchbox instead of sliding towards the butt plate. Just some thoughts.  Mike

[flinchrocket]

Imo the easiest is an early two piece brass box. Wood boxes aren't bad,but usually have some carving.With a square graver and a little practice you can put engraving on a brass box faster than you can carve a wood box. I guess it depends on what your most comfortable with.

[saltland]

 Yes thats what I was thinking....sticking to a rifle that originates in PA.Really leaning towards a wooden...plus I like it as it looKs more"primitive".So as far as kit I'll try to stick with one that would traditionally have that.I put the question out there just because it seems as though wooden would be easier but since I'm a rookie maybe I was wrong on that assumption.
 Thanks for input.

[jerrywh]

Brass patch boxes usually need engraving. Wooden ones do not.

That's good, then you can learn to engrave it later.  If you don't want to put forth  any effort  just forget the patch box. Nothing good is easy.

[Paddlefoot]

JMHO; I'm not sure one is easier than the other. It's probably more of a question of which you are more experienced or comfortable working with. As far as the engraving is concerned, not all of the old time gunsmiths were great engravers so a plain patchbox or one that was less than perfectly engraved is not a total disaster. It's supposed to be a challenge for us.

[Ed Wenger]

For me it's kind of "six in one, half a dozen in the other" thing.  Each have there challenges....  Brass boxes can have some releases that are a little tricky.  As noted, a lot depends on the style and period of the rifle being considered as to a wood or brass box.


          Ed

[deepcreekdale]

Thank you Ed. Patchbox releases can be a complete can of worms, especially for a beginner. On my first several ones, I think I spent as much time fiddling with the latch than on any single part of the gun. Just when you think you have everything just right, you go and tighten up those screws for final assembly and Presto, the latch no longer works and needs more adjusting. However, use the one that fits the style of rifle you like.

[B.Habermehl]

Myself I would rather use a wood patch box whever it's plausibly apropreate. Its handy that my tastes have been drawn to earlier style guns too. I can make a wooden lid and inlet it into the but stock in a good deal less time than it takes me to make and install a brass patch box and catch. BJH

[SingleMalt]

I've done both. Reading rifles usually had no engraving on a brass patch box. Here's one I built several years ago. Good thing, too. My engraving stinks!

[David R. Pennington]

Myself I would rather use a wood patch box whever it's plausibly apropreate. Its handy that my tastes have been drawn to earlier style guns too. I can make a wooden lid and inlet it into the but stock in a good deal less time than it takes me to make and install a brass patch box and catch. BJH

I agree, for me wooden ones are easier, of course style being replicated should dictate to some degree, even though some makers appear to have waffled back and forth producing both types. The wooden sliders are supposed to be the earlier style, but I have seen some 19th century pieces with wooden lids (Honakers in Southern WV comes to mind). The hardest part of the wooden ones is getting the right combination of good tight fit without binding in humid weather while hunting.

[WaterFowl]

I vote wood..just keep it a low profile. Hard to make a wood patch box lid too skinny.
I'm of the school not to cover natures beauty with metal.
Just have not seen apiece of metal more eye appealing than wood.
Think of the "golden mean" during the build. Size matters.
Ok.... time to duck and run...See Ya! gotta go! 

Study the guns you want to copy..and enjoy!

[SingleMalt]

Myself I would rather use a wood patch box whever it's plausibly apropreate. Its handy that my tastes have been drawn to earlier style guns too. I can make a wooden lid and inlet it into the but stock in a good deal less time than it takes me to make and install a brass patch box and catch. BJH

I agree, for me wooden ones are easier, of course style being replicated should dictate to some degree, even though some makers appear to have waffled back and forth producing both types. The wooden sliders are supposed to be the earlier style, but I have seen some 19th century pieces with wooden lids (Honakers in Southern WV comes to mind). The hardest part of the wooden ones is getting the right combination of good tight fit without binding in humid weather while hunting.

True. J.P. Beck made rifles with early features even late in his career.

[Hemo]

Beyond period and style and ease of building, one consideration, if this is to be a hunting rifle, is losing the wood cover in the brush. Make a strong catch!

Gregg

[B.Habermehl]

On that note, I always make two lid blanks. One is deliberately about .015 bigger across the dove tail than the other. I fit the mortise to the smaller lid, keeping the bigger one for back up. I've never used one of my spares yet, they just go in the work bench drawer. A secure latch with good hook engagement, is important, too.  BJH