First rifle progress

[Mike Lyons]

A few months into it and this is my first crack at carving on a rifle.  Things are a bit easier than I expected but I've only carved strait lines so far.  I'm using several rifles online as reference and following the Mike Brooks build tutorial. 

[Nordnecker]

Well, it looks like you're doing something right. Tell us more- plank? precarve? Whatcha got there?

[smart dog]

Hi,
It is looking great for your first effort.  Nice and clean and crisp.  One problem I can see is that your "beaver" tails at the end of the lock panels are not in line with the panels and the way you cut in the lock panels, the tails just hang there with no easy way to connect them with moldings around the panels.  As I show in the photos below, lock panels form naturally as you shape the wrist. They don't have to be cut in except for an almost incised cut that forms the edge of the molding when the background wood is removed. That edge is done after the final shaping of the panels.  By cutting in too early and carving a tight radius along the edges, you create a "picture frame" effect that does not flow with the contours of the stock.  When you let the panels form naturally while shaping the wrist you will create a ridge along the sides of the wrist as you round the top and bottom to meet in the middle. That ridge becomes the guide for the natural alignment of the beaver tails. In the first photo you can see a little of that ridge left in the beaver tail.
 
 

[Mike Lyons]

It's a TVM early Lancaster precarved kit.  The lock panels have been the most challenging part of the build so far.  Mike Brooks makes it look so easy in his tutorial but it's not. Haha.  I still have plenty of wood to take down to the demensions in your picture.   Although I'm not following a particular rifle, my line is supposed to follow the barrel flat more like your picture.  I wish I had your pictures a couple weeks ago. Lol. I've added the section from the tutorial I used.  It wasn't too bad rasping and filing down to my line around the panel.  My problem came when I had to use the round and half round file to clean up the front and rear.  Thank you for your comments.  Anything I can get is greatly appreciated.

[smart dog]

Hi,
Here are some more photos showing wrist shaping.  On this militia musket, the lock panels were formed using a #49 Nicholson pattern maker's rasp, a coarse half round file, a coarse rat tailed file, and flat and convex scrapers. This gun shows the level I finish shaping the wrist and lock panels before ever cutting in moldings or beaver tails. Basically you could just finish the gun, as I did this one, without adding the moldings.





dave

[Iktomi]

Looking forward to seeing your progress. I'm still trying to get up to speed on some of the nomenclature WRT various features of a longrifle. Thanks also for referring to Mike's tutorial. It looks pretty comprehensive and I am sure it will prove to be invaluable once I commence building.

[Mike Lyons]

Thanks smart,  those are some very handy pictures and beautiful work. I like the top rifle that has the steeper angle following the barrel flat unless that is a 2D illusion.  Iktomi,  it is similar to watching a movie where a mathematician has one of those huge  equations written on a chaulk board and the end isn't in sight.  Haha.  Your the guy on the ladder righting numbers.  I've been half way there in my mind for weeks and weeks.  It's probably the most relaxing and most satisfying project I've ever tackled, - my two week stay in Thailand.  My advice would be to make the plunge. 

[Iktomi]

Iktomi,  it is similar to watching a movie where a mathematician has one of those huge  equations written on a chaulk board and the end isn't in sight.  Haha.  Your the guy on the ladder righting numbers.  I've been half way there in my mind for weeks and weeks.  It's probably the most relaxing and most satisfying project I've ever tackled, - my two week stay in Thailand.  My advice would be to make the plunge.

 For my first, I intend to go with a Kibler kit, really to give me a frame of reference as to what a proper longrifle should be that I can actually hold in my hands before I take on a scratch plank build. I'm confident in both my wood and metal working skills, but I am kind of wandering in the wilderness out here and don't know ANYONE who shoots traditional black powder guns, let alone builds them.

[Mike Lyons]

My next kit will be a Kimbler also.

[BOB HILL]

Rick, I think building one of the high end kits offered today is a great idea for someone’s first build. For the reason you stated. You will have an excellent example of proper architecture as reference for later builds.
Bob

[Willbarq]

Was the cheekpiece well delineated on the precarve? Looks good!

[stubshaft]

Great looking work Dave.

[sleddman]

Way to go.   The end results will be satisfying.   👍👍