Lock inlet repair

[Uncle Alvah]

Do you have a book/books on building a longrifle?

I know what more than one of ya'll is thinking.

 

Well then, ya better go read 'em some more!

   

I believe I will......

[Uncle Alvah]

Look at lots of well made guns and you’ll know what I’m saying. Your raised area is way too thick.

Sorry, I'm not following. The proportions of the lock panel are very nearly the same as on the Longrifle I currently own. Not the best pics but the calipers are the distance from the rear of the lockplate mortise to the wrist on the build rifle as an example. Checked against the completed Longrifle, every dimension was pretty similar?

[Ky-Flinter]

Alvah,

The area we are mainly talking about is above and below the lock mortise.  The width of these areas on the finished rifle you posted look to be about 5/16", maybe 3/8" wide.  They would look better if they had been slimmed down to about 1/8" wide.

Yes, the nose and tail of the lock panel (fore and aft of the lock plate) will be wider than the top and bottom areas, because they look better when they are stretched out a bit.  How much "stretch" in the nose and tail depends on the style or school of the gun.  I like a little more stretch than the first picture, but it will give you an idea.

Rifle from 2011 by ALR member Curtis.


A rifle attributed to Andrew Fitchthorn.


Another by Curtis.


Gun by ALR member Flehto.

[Uncle Alvah]

I'm with you now, thanks. In all honesty though, I think the mortis on the finished rifle looks good as it is.

[rich pierce]

Looks good is subjective; looks like originals of a similar period and school can be objective. If you are using a contemporary rifle as your model, all bets are off depending on who made it and if they are expert in a particular area.

But we do not know your goals, whether you’re making a generic longrifle to be a shooter, or attempting to re-create a longrifle that would fit in with originals.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Some originals have wider lock panels than others.  Narrower is more desirable, in most "student's" eyes.  Here's an image of 'the' Verner rifle so often referred to...these moldings are less than 1/8" for the most part, above and below the plate.

[Uncle Alvah]

whether you’re making a generic longrifle to be a shooter,

Just a shooter, to be certain. The stock I had carved for a Southern Mountain Rifle and the parts I am using are TOW's for that kind of rifle.   

[JTR]

whether you’re making a generic longrifle to be a shooter,

Just a shooter, to be certain. The stock I had carved for a Southern Mountain Rifle and the parts I am using are TOW's for that kind of rifle.   

Then your lock moldings are about right.
But one might question the use of that style of lock...

But since it's Your shooter, you can make any way you please!

[Uncle Alvah]

But one might question the use of that style of lock...

I believe that. Like all the other parts, it was right off the TOW smr parts list. I didn't figure I knew enough to make a selection, or any selection, really, so I went with their "recipe", except for the stock. That I bought as a blank. 

[Jason C]

Cut out a square section in the bad area  then inlet a piece of wood that fits the square section, staining the cut out and filler before you glue it in. Then reinlet the lock in that area.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but why stain the cutout and filler before gluing and before finishing the rest of the stock?

[Mike Brooks]

Cut out a square section in the bad area  then inlet a piece of wood that fits the square section, staining the cut out and filler before you glue it in. Then reinlet the lock in that area.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but why stain the cutout and filler before gluing and before finishing the rest of the stock?

Glue line becomes invisible.