Cart before the horse.

[Woodsrunner79]

Oldtravler, thimblerig: I took your advice to heart and then looked up mr. Kibler. I've been this patient so I think I can wait till he unveils his new kit.  Till then I'll keep reserching and pecking away at a quality tool here and there.

[B Staley]

You could buy one in the white that still gives you a lot to work on.

[Eric Krewson]

Like has been mentioned; do you have a history of wood work, metal work, crafting, art work or any other prerequisite leading up to building a gun? Do you have the level of patience to stick to a small detail even if it takes days to complete correctly, a buttplate or entry pipe come to mind.

The reason I sound like gloom and doom is I teach bow making. Almost always my students haven't done anything crafty in their past but are "enchanted" with the prospect of making their own bow. None of these guys ever complete a bow, they get disenchanted with the work involved, don't remember the process I teach them and get lost on what to do next. I teach for free, perhaps if there was money involved they would stick to it.

My progression was; general handyman, duck carver, bow maker, flintlock builder and I still found flintlock building very challenging,

[rich pierce]

Eric, you make good points. I started with an easy kit, a Sharon trade rifle back in 1976. Learned some inletting skills and how everything works together, and finishing skills. Jumped from there to a flintlock from a blank, making all the small parts. But I'd already been busy honing my skills making horns, knives, bags, and all sorts of accoutrements. Jumping from ground zero to building a Chambers or other longrifle kit (sliding scale depending on the kit) would be challenging.

[Woodsrunner79]

Sorry If my response time is hit and miss. I work 3rd shift.

Mr. Krewson-I see what your saying. I've dabbled in many things drywall, welding, framing, rough carpentry and the like. It was just expected that you learned how to do these things. However nobodies going to refer to me as a craftsman in any of those areas in preticular. I'm a custodian by trade. As for patience, with two boys under 5 I like to think I've got it in spades.

[Eric Krewson]

You will do well with your gun after dabbling in a variety of other handyman stuff as long as when you feel the urge to reach for something that cuts faster you walk away from your gun and come back later after this feeling has passed. A dremel tool is the DEVIL!

[thimble rig]

You can always make other things while you are waiting for youre kit.A shooting bag powder horn.short starter.Get some male scraps and practice carving.Make sure you get some good books and videos on gun building too.

[Mauser06]

I will go against the grain here. 


Prior to putting my rifle together, I had little experience doing anything of the sort.  Shop class. I love guns and have refinished them and such. Even took a TC lock apart and was smart enough to draw it before I took it apart lol. (before digital cameras were affordable).

But really, fine wood working and metal work....Nope.

I had basic tools...Screw drivers..Pliers. Hammers.  Hand saws that were low quality and already well used.

I didn't buy a book or a DVD.  Read a LOT on here... YouTube etc.

I bought tools as needed.  Compared to say a Chambers or Kibler kit, I had a lot more work to do. 


It worked out and my gun is functional. Not the greatest..but it works and I'm proud of it. 


I took my time.  As was said...There's times you're far better to just walk away and not touch it...


I learned a lot... Learning by doing..Can be "costly". But, I learned a ton. I saved my tear drop lock bolt inlay for last..Being the smallest and to me, most difficult. Has a tight small round portion and a pointed portion. Not easy to do...But it's my cleanest inlet.  I was pretty proud to get it in there so cleanly. 


It's not rocket science.   Sure, getting into elegant carving and engraving...A little different..But finishing metal and shaping wood and inletting parts..Not terribly difficult.

My biggest mistake was not planning anything.  I did the expect to get the stock I got when I placed the order.  I expect to screw my parts on and finish it.

Now I'm planning my next 2 builds.  And in the mean time, learning more and practicing.  I am very hopeful that my next builds turn out pretty well. 


Why was a guy like me able to build a rifle??   Because I wanted to. Determination.  I had a desire to. 


Just because a person has never done something doesn't mean that they CAN'T.  It'd help if a person had skills going into it.  But if you don't and you just wanna build a rifle....Then do it! 


You'll either love it or hate it.  I'm not sure there is an in-between.  A lot of time and tedious work. Really, none of it is fast or easy.  A lot of precision and detail.

Measure 8 times...Then make the cut or drill the hole lol.  Twice isn't enough sometimes! 

I have little patience.  Get frustrated easily. Not much valuable skill or experience.  Let me tell you... Probably the worst guy to handle such a task.  But I did.  I just have to go slow..Think it out...And know when to walk away....

I never had to devote time to working on my furniture because that's what I did while I stared at the stock or whatever was actually giving me troubles...I'd do a whole lot of thinking while filing and sanding my steel furniture lol. 


I've never tapped a hole in my life till I built my rifle.  Never scraped wood. Never countersunk drill holes. I could go on for days lol. 

I also decided since it was a bit of a Franken-Rifle, to try to learn as much as possible...Did I need an entry pipe like I used on a half-stock? No.  Did I need to pour a pewter nose piece?  No.

My theory was..It's gunna be full of mistakes.  Why not just go for it and try to learn as much as possible??   

As soon as I get around to it...That lock is gunna be the guinea pig for engraving.  Probably fairly soon so I can practice and learn.  Probably start on the inside of the buttplate...Then probably dress up the trigger guard and lock. Gotta learn some how. 

[SingleMalt]

I don't think anyone's mentioned this, but it helped me to no end. I had a mentor. Bill Brockway gave freely to his time, experience, and no doubt patience. We became friends. When I finished my first rifle and brought it over for his critical appraisal, he praised the stain and finish, and hefted it as if to fire it. "You left too much wood on this one. The next one will be better."

[WadePatton]

...
Measure 8 times...Then make the cut or drill the hole lol.  Twice isn't enough sometimes! 

...

Learn how to patch holes and re-drill.  That frees up a lot of measuring time.    

AND it's good knowledge to have. I have NO DOUBT in my abilities to plug a mistakenly drilled hole and start over.  None. 

Don't let fear of mistakes hold you back, so long as they're repairable mistakes.  Most everything can be fixed. 

And you can order a new fly after yours takes off.   

[Woodsrunner79]

I'd like a mentor. Even if it was just so that when I got stumped I could bring it over and get perspective. But I can do that here too I  guess. I did make a couple of contacts at the central Vermont  Gunshow. Lives about 40 mi away got to look him up.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

To go back to the original question, you really do not need to have a wide variety of tools to build a Chambers hit.  By that I mean no carving, but a plain rifle.  A properly built Chambers kit that is not embellished, will still be a beautiful rifle. 

You will need files, but nothing to fancy.  You probably already have those. 

I would recommend a very small chisel, 1/8 or so and a 1/4 or slightly larger chisel.  Maybe a small gouge to help inletting the pipes.

Wood rasps.  Nicholson's are the best I think.  You will need a rough and a finer cut. 

Other than that you probably already have everything you need. 

Cory Joe Stewart

[Boatman53]

Ive got way more tools than I have time to use and I'm starting to thin out the herd in preparation of a move. Feel free to send me a PM with a request and I'll see what I can do. That goes for everyone too.
Jim

[Daryl]

Nice work on that rifle, Dan.  I do like the colour as well.

[Woodsrunner79]

Pm sent

[Boatman53]

Pm answered.
Jim