Barrel wedge/ Key slots in the stock

[Scota4570]

Anyone have a slick way to do them.  I find the job to be tedious and difficult ot do neatly.  is there a trick? 

[moleeyes36]

Check Mike Brooks' tutorial starting about page 11.   http://americanlongrifles.org/PDF/tutorial.pdf

Mole Eyes

[Scota4570]

Cool link but not relevant, I'll have to take some time with it. 

That build used pins, I mean flat keys that hold the barrel down, not pins. 

[seniorsgt]

drill 3 holes and use swiss file. after that I heat an old flat swiss file and push it through

[flehto]

Not going into the details because it's kinda hard to explain, but in essence, the top surface of the slots in the stock and the bottom surface of the bbl lugs are what forces the bbl and stock together when the key is pushed in.

As was said, after an accurate layout is made, holes are drilled w/in the confines of the slot layout and a smaller wedge is heated to red and pushed into the holes and burnt through on both sides. If escutcheons are used, I favor the bottom side of the slots in the stock seeing the  escutcheon will cover the gap.

A needle file is then used to file the upper surface of the slots in the stock for a proper press fit w/ the lower surface of the slot in the bbl lug which isn't touched at all.

An accurate layout of the slots in the wood is the most difficult part of installing keys, especially the upper surface and the rest is easy.....Fred

[PPatch]

Taylor Sapergia created this tutorial for just what you're asking for;

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=10171.0

dave

[Scota4570]

That is what I was looking for!  I searched the tutorials several times too.  Thanks. 

A question.  Wouldn't it better to cut the slot in the barrel tennion after the slot int he stock is finalized?   By doing that one could adjust the tension of the key, barrel, stock fit. 

[P.W.Berkuta]

Use a smaller key that your final size for the burn-in because you will char the surrounding wood and need to file off the damaged wood to get a nice fit.

[smylee grouch]

I don't think you need to get the burn key red hot.

[jerrywh]

 Yeah. Taylor has the best method I have ever heard of.  His is great.  Should be a tutorial on here from him somewhere.

[PPatch]

"A question.  Wouldn't it better to cut the slot in the barrel tenon after the slot in the stock is finalized?   By doing that one could adjust the tension of the key, barrel, stock fit."

I have never had a problem with the key snugness doing it the way Taylor shows in his tutorial. You could however cut the key slot after you drill the holes in the stock for the slot? At that point you will see where the drill bit tips hit the lug and know where your slot should be.

Someone mentioned not having the slot burner red hot - true, you want it just hot enough to "melt" the wood, the wood will smoke and you have to apply some pressure to keep it moving. If your slot burner is too hot it will burn the heck out of the wood and create too large a slot. Practice on some scrap before doing the stock.

Dave

[seniorsgt]

careful with them small bits they like to wander just touch it to the barrel lug don't drill through. I work some finish in the hole with a toothpick that and beeswax help keep tension on the wedge. and don't forget to round all the edges on the wedge before start they can chip a stock just like pins

[L. Akers]

My method utilizes a "toothed wedge" I make from a 12-14 TPI jigsaw blade  by grinding the blade from the back into a wedge shape with the wide part at the top, tapering to as close to a point at the bottom as I can get.  I drill a series of holes through the stock and then insert the tip of the toothed wedge into the outside hole with the teeth toward the center of the slot and drive it completely through.  Repeat for the other outside hole.  Clean up the slot with a  swiss file. 

[Majorjoel]

I start with 1\16" pins just like I was making a pinned rifle.

Drill them all the way through the barrel lug and out the other side of the stock.

Remove the barrel and see where the pin hits the lug and easily go from there to expand everything.

[JBJ]

Just tried to access Taylor's tutorial. The pics are gone - Photobucket has struck!
J.B.

[Smoketown]

Just tried to access Taylor's tutorial. The pics are gone - Photobucket has struck!
J.B.

P.I.T.A --- Pain In The A -- and SLOW, but it works.

Right click on the missing image and open it in a new window.

Cheers,
Smoketown

[Scota4570]

It went pretty well.  I made three holes.  I then made a slot with little chissels.  I then heated the wedges to about heat blue color and worked them in and out to true up the slots.  It never got hot enough to mess up the wood you can see. The char acts as an insulator to I cleaned that between hot wedge treatments with an automotive points file.