Pinewood Derby Soddy Daisy

[Dwshotwell]

This is really cool. I love that you are doing it with brace and bits and hand saws in addition to the interesting techniques.

[JWrightsman]

I love it!!! Doin a fine job. Like the new trigger guard,,definitely
not an easy thing to make.

[Daniel Coats]

Thanks guys! I have been called back into the office this week since my company removed the mandatory face mask requirement. I am taking a 4 day weekend though and hope to make considerable progress.

I really appreciate the comments! 

[Daniel Coats]

Lock and triggers are on the gun and fully functional now with test screws holding everything together. I can start working on the Soddy butt plate now that I know exactly where the front trigger is. At 13 and a half inch pull the butt plate is projected to be four and one quarter inches tall which is pretty close to where it needs to be. Lesson learned for next time and yes I was warned is have all of your parts available before you start laying out the stock drawings.

[Daniel Coats]

Looks like a fine job to me.  I don't see any gaps.  I can't wait to see you work that "wonky" Soddy buttstock and cheek piece.  I've always liked the Soddy rifles.

Thanks Mike I have been studying all the pictures I can find until my eyes cross. "Wonky" Soddy is right. Ought to be a movie made called "Soddy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". Too bad because this rifle already has a name Long Tall Sally!

[Daniel Coats]

This is really cool. I love that you are doing it with brace and bits and hand saws in addition to the interesting techniques.

Thanks it is interesting to try to use as much of the old methods and tools as possible. Of course it's almost impossible to build one completely PC for most people. The House brothers and a few others are the exception however. For me however it's just entertainment and something to get me off of the couch. Plus it's cool to see my dad's old tools used again.

[Daniel Coats]

I love it!!! Doin a fine job. Like the new trigger guard,,definitely
not an easy thing to make.

Thanks Josh I appreciate it! I'm going to build a fourth trigger guard that is smaller. The last one I built was too long to fit the wrist of the stock. Each one is a little better than the last so I don't mind spending more time and have it be the way I want it.

All of this making and remaking and then making yet another one really makes me appreciate the builders who get the results that are almost priceless when you think about it.

[oldtravler61]

  Daniel wait till ya get to the butt plate.  Made two of them. I was even impressed with my handy work. Showed them to Mr. D..  He was not impressed. Said the shape was right. But the plate is NOT flat.. But beveled (?) In the center.  Oh well back at it.   Oldtravler

[Daniel Coats]

  Daniel wait till ya get to the butt plate.  Made two of them. I was even impressed with my handy work. Showed them to Mr. D..  He was not impressed. Said the shape was right. But the plate is NOT flat.. But beveled (?) In the center.  Oh well back at it.   Oldtravler

Thank you so much for the insight!

I've been thinking about this for hours now and honestly never considered using anything but flat raw material. My reasoning though may be flawed but with a flat butt plate you have more room to work with and can shape the profile as you go along forging in place. Once it's on the rifle you can then bevel from the center line towards the edges. Starting out with a beveled butt plate I think you're more limited in what can be done while installing. Meaning if you reduce the width after it's secured in place there's more potential for a gap to develop. Maybe it can be beat to fit the curve again but I'm still leaning towards forging in place with flat material.

One thing seems more certain in my mind is I have less wiggle room on the butt plate than the multiple attempts for the trigger guard, side plate, and ramrod thimbles.

Man am I having fun I love this stuff!! 

[Daniel Coats]

It's difficult to see a curve without realizing that it's really a series of circles and ellipses. The dark outline was the curve I drew before I had all of my parts on hand. The red lines are after the triggers were installed and establishing a final length of pull. I literally took some of my wife's dishes saucers and cups and a red clay pott from the garage and laid it on top of the stock before drawing a series of lines with a sharpie.
Next up will be clamping the stock in my pattern makers vice and getting out Dad's old brace and bit and drilling a series of holes around the curve and cutting out with his keyhole saw.

[Bob Roller]

Dan.
I do not think there is any way for that trigger to fire that lock and it looks too far back
in these pictures.
Bob Roller

[Daniel Coats]

Dan.
I do not think there is any way for that trigger to fire that lock and it looks too far back
in these pictures.
Bob Roller

It's just the camera angle Bob, it also shows the trigger pull at 13 inches when it's really 13 1/2 plus. Triggers fire fine set or unset.

[Daniel Coats]

Curve is cut with the leftover piece showing in the picture. Final curve will be close to this if I change it at all. This rifle built mostly with old farming tools is somewhat backwards in that the curve is cut first then the 3 piece butt plate toe plate and comb fitted about the same time.

[FALout]

Now is the time to be very careful, mighty easy to break off those stubs of wood where you butt plate needs to go!
Bob

[Daniel Coats]

Now is the time to be very careful, mighty easy to break off those stubs of wood where you butt plate needs to go!
Bob

Yes, good reminder. Thanks for the comment!

[Daniel Coats]

Butt plate progress, only made one so far. Toe plate and comb are next and then we'll see if they make the cut as a set.

[steven baker]

Hi Dan, just wondering if you cut yourself ? that looks to me like blood stains down the stock. Excellent posts on your project and take care Steven.

[Daniel Coats]

Hi Dan, just wondering if you cut yourself ? that looks to me like blood stains down the stock. Excellent posts on your project and take care Steven.

Thanks Steven, no that's not blood it was raining while I was talking pictures. Boy that stock's going to be dark huh?

[Daniel Coats]

Toe plate and a new butt plate are on and ready for a copper rivet. I'll use Dad's old rivet tool punch when the time comes. Also replace the temporary screws.



Next up is the comb which I'll fab later this week.

[oldtravler61]

Daniel looking good. Another five pounds of wood sacked off an it will be amazing. Good job !

[Daniel Coats]

Here's my free hand template I made for the butt plate. The only significance to the length was that it fit the curve of the buttstock. On installation however the small crack I noticed a week after I got the blank developed into a full split when the wood was thinded at the toe. The result was I trimmed some off of the toe rather than try and patch the wood in this very delicate area. I love this walnut stock blank but I've noticed hidden stress points throughout as I've made it smaller.

[Daniel Coats]

Daniel looking good. Another five pounds of wood sacked off an it will be amazing. Good job !

Yep, the goal is to remove the clunkiness essentially everything that doesn't look like a skinny Tennessee long rifle. Thanks for the comment!

[Ken G]

It's coming along nicely.  Thanks for sharing the process.  I think you have the shape pretty good on the Soddy butt plate.   Nice job.

Ken

[Bob McBride]

Looks awesome Dan. You’ve motivated me. Can’t wait to get started on my .29 youth Soddy.

[Marcruger]

You're getting there brother.  Please proceed.  God Bless,   Marc