RR Pipe install jig

[WestBranchSusquehanna]

Never fails that you always can use a third hand on doing most things in building a gun.  When installing ram rod pipes, you want to hold it tight in place and drill the pin hole at the same time.  I've used clamps and somehow managed to "clamp" the clamp down on my drill press base and hope all stayed in place when I drilled.  Did cause for the use of a few toothpicks to fill unwanted holes though.
Recently, I added two tools to my bag and put them to use to make a great RR or even Barrel pin drilling guide.
First, I cut out five pieces of white oak to make a open ended box. (approx. 2 X 3 inches)  Dovetailed the sides for strength.  Doubled up the top for the turn screw threads.  Then drilled and tapped two holes on the top or bottom, (whichever you like) and then make two screws out of 1/2 dowels.
Also, note that the tap and die, I use for the bottom end of powder horns.
I will make a couple of pilot holes on the side and then use my egg beater hand drill to make the pin holes.  I'm also sure that this jig will come in for many other uses. (like cracking walnuts)
Took a little over an hour to make but will sure save some time down the road.

[Mauser06]

The craftsmanship that went into that jig is awesome!!   Great work! 


It'd take me longer to build that jig than to stock a rifle lol. 

[Mike Brooks]

 

[EC121]

Very ingenious.  You can never have too many gizmos.  I just clamp a piece of ramrod in the channel to hold the pipe in place and use a drill press.

[Mike Lyons]

WOWZERS!!  She's a dandy one!!!

[Eric Kettenburg]

First, that almost looks like art!  Great work.

That being said, I'm kind of with Mike's little confused face, or at least what I think he means, since he wants to be man of few words right now.

I don't get it.  Is it a drill press thing?  I just use a plain old clamp, but I drill with a hand drill, not a press.  I've never had a problem with a C-clamp. 

Do you drill through the side of the box?

[Eric Kettenburg]

Oh wait ok I read it again.  So you're going to drill through the side of the box, and then the whole assembly will act like a guiding jig due to the thickness of the side walls, correct?

How will you adapt to different forearm, barrel or pipe thicknesses?  Shims, or

[Mike Brooks]

First, that almost looks like art!  Great work.

That being said, I'm kind of with Mike's little confused face, or at least what I think he means, since he wants to be man of few words right now.

I don't get it.  Is it a drill press thing?  I just use a plain old clamp, but I drill with a hand drill, not a press.  I've never had a problem with a C-clamp. 

Do you drill through the side of the box?

Ditto all of the above.

[T*O*F]

I've got an old 3/8ths steel curtain rod that I run thru the pipes and clamp with C clamps.  Then drill all the holes.  That way everything is always lined up.

[Clowdis]

I see how the jig holds down the entry pipe but how do you get to the stock to drill the hole for the pin? Drilling through the jig could be tricky, especially with a 1/16 drill bit.

[WestBranchSusquehanna]

Oh wait ok I read it again.  So you're going to drill through the side of the box, and then the whole assembly will act like a guiding jig due to the thickness of the side walls, correct?

How will you adapt to different forearm, barrel or pipe thicknesses?  Shims, or

So, I will use a drill press to make a pilot hole and then use my egg beater drill as stated.  Just having that little bit of help keeping the bit straight really works for me.
I don't know about others but I have a very hard time aligning up the entire stock in a perpendicular position and then drilling either for RR's or barrel lugs on a small drill press plate. 
As for the position of the guide holes:  I'll set and drill them as needed with the RR Pipes and of course with a swamped barrel will have to have a guide hole for each lug.  I just have to keep track of which hole I need at the time.  When the jig starts to look like Swiss Cheese, I just make another open ended box.
Note the dovetail jig that I am using.  I just got it a couple of months ago to make a range box and with just a couple of practice boards, I am making decent dovetail joints. 
AND, I have two sets of Conover tap and die sets for wooden screws.  One 1 inch and the other 1/2 inch.  Great for plug ends of horns and use your imagination for anything else.
Here's the range box I just make from curly cherry.  (Sorry I don't have a close up of the dovetail joints on the sides.)

[WestBranchSusquehanna]

Here's a picture of the jig in action:

[moleeyes36]

I've got an old 3/8ths steel curtain rod that I run thru the pipes and clamp with C clamps.  Then drill all the holes.  That way everything is always lined up.

Dave,

I use basically the same method only with brass rods I’ve had on hand for ages.  The KISS method is sometimes the way to go

Don Richards

[Daryl]

Here's a picture of the jig in action:

Must be an optical illusion - looks to me you are drilling holes in the bottom of the forend.

[WestBranchSusquehanna]

Must be an optical illusion - looks to me you are drilling holes in the bottom of the forend.
[/quote]

Yes looking at the picture it does seem that way but trust me.  They are dead on.  I like the pins to almost touch the roundness of the pipe keeping them far from the barrel channel.  And these are.

[Not English]

I drill my thimble/pin holes while the forestock is still square in profile. A 3" small C clamp is all that is needed to hold the thimble in place after it's been inlet into the ramrod channel. once you've laid out the dimensions of the tab for the thimble on the forestock, it's a simple matter to drill a hole for the pin with a drill press. This can even be done with a hand drill and a good eye. The key is to do it before you shape the forestock.

Dave

[sdilts]

Or you could use the C-clamp drilling jigs sold by David Rase, Tom Snyder and others. Really easy to use.

[Eric Kettenburg]

It's funny how we all approach things differently.  I can't even imagine inletting and installing pipes while the forestock is still squared.  And I clamp the pipe when I drill but I just measure and go by eye, although I measure on one side, then the other, and go very slowly.  I used to use an egg beater but lately have been using a cordless because I finally ponied up and bought one.  Corded drills and 'eyeballing' it can create issues because of the weight of the drill and how hard it may be to keep steady.

West Branch - are you the guy that was sitting at the 'check in' table at Lewisburg in the hallway down to the antique room?  If so, I was carrying around "an old relic  " and I think you asked me to bounce the rammer 2 or 3 times!

[WestBranchSusquehanna]

It's funny how we all approach things differently.  I can't even imagine inletting and installing pipes while the forestock is still squared.  And I clamp the pipe when I drill but I just measure and go by eye, although I measure on one side, then the other, and go very slowly.  I used to use an egg beater but lately have been using a cordless because I finally ponied up and bought one.  Corded drills and 'eyeballing' it can create issues because of the weight of the drill and how hard it may be to keep steady.

West Branch - are you the guy that was sitting at the 'check in' table at Lewisburg in the hallway down to the antique room?  If so, I was carrying around "an old relic  " and I think you asked me to bounce the rammer 2 or 3 times!

Yep, that was me.  Due to insurance requirements, we had to be sure that the rifles didn't have a charge still in them.  You never know so, just bouncing a RR is a sure way of confirming. 
Lewisburg is a great show and fortunately, just down the road from me.