Author Topic: Ramrod groove (Read 7701 times)

Red Owl · « **on:** May 12, 2009, 11:59:25 PM »

How do most of you make the groove for the ramrod under the front end of the fore stock? Thanks.

Stophel · « **Reply #1 on:** May 13, 2009, 12:12:05 AM »

I need to make myself a plane to cut the groove, but in the meantime...

I will lay out the position on the stock and draw the outlines. Then, I take a yardstick, and clamp it down on the stock along either outline, and take a knife and score along the line. This helps GREATLY in preventing wood from chipping out the side of the groove. Then, I just gouge it out with an appropriately sized round gouge. I have a little adjustable square that I use for a depth gauge. When I get much of the bulk of the wood gouged out, I then take a piece of 3/8" round steel stock that has the edge cut off sharp, and use it for a very effective scraper to clean up the groove pretty quickly. Also, the steel rod is rusty, and I can lay it in the groove, and rub it back and forth and it works well to show me the high spots.

It doesn't take nearly as long as you might think.

bob in the woods · « **Reply #2 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:38:48 AM »

Same, only I have a 3/8 inch round coarse tooth file that I bent the tang up and fixed a wooden handle to. I use it to finish the groove. I like to gouge the groove deeper ie leeve more wood on the side depth, so that after the groove is down to where there is about an 1/8 inch between it and the barrel cut out, I can take off the extra wood around the ramrod groove . This helps me have nice sharp clean edges, since the ragged edge is planed off. I always seem to get a ragged edge here and there no matter how careful I am.

Red Owl · « **Reply #3 on:** May 13, 2009, 05:07:52 AM »

Thank you both and believe it or not both of your ideas were some of the things I was considering- it's just better to know I'm on the right track. I was going to leave an extra 1/16" that I would plane down after the groove is formed.

BUT ONE MORE Q.

How much of the ramrod should be exposed? If the ramrod is 3/8" and the groove 3/16" then half the ramrod is covered. If the groove is only 1/8" or 3/32" deep then more of the ramrod will show. I was planning the show half, in other words a 3/16" deep groove for a 3/8" ramrod- is that the normal practice? Thanks.

David Rase · « **Reply #4 on:** May 13, 2009, 07:44:52 AM »

I like to show about 2/3 of the ramrod. In other words, a 3/8" ramrod would have a 1/8" groove. I do this bcause it makes the pipes easier to inlet and two it makes for a thinner more slender forestock.
DMR

Dphariss · « **Reply #5 on:** May 13, 2009, 07:56:42 AM »

Quote from: Red Owl on May 13, 2009, 05:07:52 AM

Thank you both and believe it or not both of your ideas were some of the things I was considering- it's just better to know I'm on the right track. I was going to leave an extra 1/16" that I would plane down after the groove is formed.

BUT ONE MORE Q.

How much of the ramrod should be exposed? If the ramrod is 3/8" and the groove 3/16" then half the ramrod is covered. If the groove is only 1/8" or 3/32" deep then more of the ramrod will show. I was planning the show half, in other words a 3/16" deep groove for a 3/8" ramrod- is that the normal practice? Thanks.

The groove should be a little less than 1/2 the rod diameter in depth.
Too deep is bad and too shallow will leave too much of the "octagonal" pipe exposed that is not "octagonal"
Round pipes eliminate this concern.
Look at pics of original rifles such as in Rifles of Colonial America.
Dan

Chuck Burrows · « **Reply #6 on:** May 13, 2009, 10:34:02 AM »

I use an L shaped piece of metal that has a half round "teat" of the right size hanging down from the top cross piece at the right distance from the inside edge of the "leg". Sharpen the teat like a scraper. The right side of the L rides along the still square forend.......only takes a few minutes of work when sharp and the depth is automatic. I think it was builder, Ted Fellowes who showed my how to build the scaper many, many moons ago.
Like Stophel I usually scribe a couple of lines with a SHARP knife, which keep the splintering at the edge to a minimum.

lew wetzel · « **Reply #7 on:** May 13, 2009, 03:33:22 PM »

while still in blank form...router to depth,bandsaw off excess,use a hand plane to square and even things up...install pipes...

David Rase · « **Reply #8 on:** May 13, 2009, 03:57:46 PM »

Too deep is bad and too shallow will leave too much of the "octagonal" pipe exposed that is not "octagonal"
Dan
[/quote]
That's a good point Dan. I've never had a problem with the oblique flat of an octogon pipe showing but I will keep that thought in mind.
DMR

Dale Halterman · « **Reply #9 on:** May 13, 2009, 04:54:16 PM »

It's easy enough to file the flat further down if you have to. I generally modify factory puchased pipes before I use them anyway.

Dale H

Roger Fisher · « **Reply #10 on:** May 13, 2009, 04:58:36 PM »

I got docked at Dixon's for showing too much!!

Ramrod!!

David Rase · « **Reply #11 on:** May 13, 2009, 05:03:04 PM »

Quote from: Roger Fisher on May 13, 2009, 04:58:36 PM

I got docked at Dixon's for showing too much!!

Ramrod!!

Everybody gets docked at Dixon's for something. I got dinged for not having a nose cap on an American musket one year.
DMR

Stophel · « **Reply #12 on:** May 13, 2009, 07:34:05 PM »

I cut mine at half depth, then inlet the pipes, then cut the groove area down to the depth I want. I guess it depends upon the type of gun you're doing. About a third of the rod thickness for depth is about normal. Sometimes more, sometimes less!

LRB · « **Reply #13 on:** May 13, 2009, 10:28:52 PM »

1/8" deep should be about right for a 3/8" rod. I have a question on the upper thimble. How many of you use a larger thimble here for the tapered ramrod, and what is most correct, or common on originals? I have so far used a 3/8" thimble, and adjusted the taper in the rod to accomodate.

Doug Cline · « **Reply #14 on:** May 13, 2009, 10:56:57 PM »

LRB,
Last year (I think) at Bowling Green, Wallace had an original rifle that had ramrod pipes that tapered from muzzle to entry, and each pipe was tapered so the bottom of one matched the top of the next one down. I don't know that this was common, but it was neat.
Doug

LRB · « **Reply #15 on:** May 14, 2009, 01:58:11 AM »

That is very interesting. One might pull that off using a swage. Do you remember where the gun came from, and the basic time?

rich pierce · « **Reply #16 on:** May 14, 2009, 02:27:33 AM »

Quote from: LRB on May 13, 2009, 10:28:52 PM

1/8" deep should be about right for a 3/8" rod. I have a question on the upper thimble. How many of you use a larger thimble here for the tapered ramrod, and what is most correct, or common on originals? I have so far used a 3/8" thimble, and adjusted the taper in the rod to accomodate.

I have done it both ways but now do all the tapering between the last thimble and the muzzle. If the thimbles are to be tapered then the groove must be tapered, or the rammer will look like it has suffered shrinkage.

Jim Kibler · « **Reply #17 on:** May 14, 2009, 07:37:53 AM »

Quote from: LRB on May 14, 2009, 01:58:11 AM

That is very interesting. One might pull that off using a swage. Do you remember where the gun came from, and the basic time?

RCA #42 rifle has the feature of incrementally smaller tapered ramrod pipes. I'm sure they were just wrapped around around a tapered mandrel when made.

Michael · « **Reply #18 on:** May 14, 2009, 02:55:58 PM »

Jim is correct on the pipes on number 42 being tapered. Even though I was making a copy of Wallaces Shroyer (92) I was taking notes on both rifles

Michael

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Author Topic: Ramrod groove (Read 7701 times)

Red Owl

Red Owl

lew wetzel

Michael