Hi,
I am sorry this is going slowly but I am dealing with some health issues that really slow me down. I had some flu-like illness that lasted almost 2 weeks and then I came down with shingles. It attacked my face, right ear, and inside my mouth. I am healing fast but I fatigue easily, am uncomfortable most of the time, and I am at risk of making stupid mistakes because I am just not up to par. Anyway, I am doing better and spent some time working on the fowler. I cut the ramrod groove and drilled the hole. On this gun, that required some preparation and accurate measuring because the ramrod groove and hole are not parallel with the bore of the barrel, rather it is parallel (approximately) with the bottom of the barrel. Therefore the web of wood between the barrel channel and the ramrod groove and hole is 5/64" at the muzzle and about the same at the breech. I used my router table to cut the groove so the bottom of the stock, which contacted the router table surface, had to be planed so the surface was parallel to the ramrod rather than the bore of the barrel. That required good drawn plans transferred to the stock. The groove and hole are 5/16" and I drilled the hole in the usual way with a brace and bit and long 5/16" ramrod drill. Careful planning and going slowly, checking multiple times, resulted in success. The result will be a very slim forestock the bottom of which, tapers from the end of the trigger guard to the muzzle in a very elegant fashion and copies the original fowler I am using as a model.
Next is inletting the barrel keys. I think this is a task that gives a lot of folk's heartburn. With the right technique, it is not hard to do. The first step is to inlet the barrel lugs into the stock. This was easy, however the thin web of wood between the barrel and ramrod will result in the bottom of the lug showing in the ramrod channel. That is how my original gun is made so I am not concerned. Some folks object but I would rather have a very slim fowler than worry about lugs showing in the ramrod channel.
The key slots must be accurately positioned so it is important that they are precisely marked on the sides of the stock. Prior to doing this task I make sure the sides and top of the barrel channel are squared up. Then I measure the diameter of the barrel at the location of a key, measure that distance down on both sides of the stock. Next, using the barrel bands, I mark lines on both sides of the stock showing the width of the slot. In the photo below the slot is cut but is shows the marking lines.
Once marked, and checked, and rechecked, I punch 3 horizontal lined up holes into both sides of the stock that are a little under sized for the barrel key. Using my drill press, I drill those holes from both sides of the stock. I then use a chisel made from a flat needle file to cut wood away between the 3 holes. The file tip is shaped and sharpened like a skew chisel. You have to be gentle because the file is brittle but with a sharp edge, it will cut through the wood quickly. Once I break into the inlet for the barrel lug, I switch sides and do the same from the other side. Then to widen the slot, which is undersized, I use a piece of fret saw blade that has been broken off to a short length and the end ground to a point. It is placed in a handle used for X-Acto blades and oriented so it cuts on the pull stroke. I then use the saw to cut the slot wider.
Once cut to the correct width, I use the flat needle file chisel to clean up the slot a bit before burning in the final fit. I shape the end of a barrel key into a chisel point, hold it with pliers, and heat it with a mini torch. When it is a bit beyond blue, I insert it into the slot and allow it to burn its way into the stock. Don't wiggle it, just let it burn in. On British guns, barrel keys are inserted from the side opposite the lock. Always. I don't care if on some Hawken or American guns they are inserted from the lock side. On British guns the heads are on the side plate side. Burn the key through the stock from the direction they will be inserted. That will assure the slot opening on the lock side does not get burned wider than the key and any slop on the side of insertion is hidden under the head of the key.
If you are careful, a perfect barrel key slot is the result.
More to come.
dave
