Stock inletting

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prarie_boy

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Just looking at some options for the best piece of kit to open up a barrel channel other then those handy tools from Brownells looking for something I can source locally. I have done a few with sandpaper and a dowel but I find it’s tough unless you have a small bit to open up and easily rounds corners.
 
Years ago I took a piece of round Surform rasp and bonded a plane handle to it. Worked well.
I also made scrapers.
 
Maybe if you don't want to buy the Gunline style, you might want to try to make one of these type - Jerry Fischer design, I think. Hold like a pen in your fingers, takes very tiny thin shavings wherever you need to remove them. Works very well to simply burnish on edge with a hard rod, to create a minuscule burr, like on a furniture scraper.

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Depending on whether the channel has to duplicate the profile of the barrel, I use a modified flexible shaft, made from a cylinder hone, with a drum sander attached. This allows me to apply pressure on the drum, so that it doesn't crawl out of the channel and make unsightly gouges.

I also have a couple of coarse rat tail files, half inch and three quarter inch, which I've bent up the front end, using a torch, to attach a golf ball handle, then done the same to the rear tang.

The rat tail files allow me to maintain the profile of the channel. When I'm satisfied with the result, I use appropriate sand paper to finish the job. If the channel is profiled, I don't use a dowel. If it's straight, I use a dowel.
 
double gun said:
I recently bought a set of these ones sold by brownells, I have only used them a couple times, but I sure like them.
I have also made a sureform like tiriaq described and it’s okay, but I don’t see myself using it much now that I have the new ones.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...tting-tools/barrel-bedding-tool-prod6796.aspx
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I had one of those, lent it to someone who never returned it, and can't remember who it was. Getting old is interesting, for sure. :rolleyes:

gaff said:
these are fairly easy to make, piece of ready rod, a dozen nuts to fit, dozen washers ground to the right diameter.
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Thank you, gaff. I'm not too old to try that!

Ted
 
Maybe an FYI on making your own - the genuine store bought ones are actually a rubber spacer between the cutters, so they wiggle around just a little as you use the tool - they are not fixed or solid to the shaft - plan out some "wiggle" in there, somehow... The end cutters are held with a roll pin, right through the centre of the shaft.
 
Correct, the rubber allows the scrapers to tilt to the proper cutting angle. I would imagine thick small diameter o-rings would work or cut slices off a rubber hose with the proper ID. I believe they sell just the hardened disks and spacers for reasonable money - then just make the holder.
 
I used a piece of relatively strait bicycle handlebar to inlet the barrel channel of the applewood forearm I was making for a shotgun to inline muzzle loader conversion. I ground a nice crisp squared off end on it and it worked beautifully as a push scraper.
I am pretty thrifty and "materials at hand" play a large role in my tool design.
 
gaff said:
these are fairly easy to make, piece of ready rod, a dozen nuts to fit, dozen washers ground to the right diameter.
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That's a great idea. The washers would need sharp edges though. The Brownelle's inletting tools allow the round blades to tilt, so that the edges will cut smoother.
 
The Gunline inletting tools are simply ganged scrapers and I have never regretted purchasing a set over, as I recall, 30 years ago. The edges do need to be sharp, and I think it would be best if the cutters were better than common washer material. There are rubber spacers between the cutter discs. In addition to providing a space for the shavings to accumulate, the spacers will compress - allowing the cutters to tip slightly, which creates a better cutting action.
 
Dragon-Rifles said:
The Gunline ones Brownells sell are worth every penny. They stay sharp and are easy to un-clog.
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B_noser said:
The Gunline inletting tools are simply ganged scrapers and I have never regretted purchasing a set over, as I recall, 30 years ago. The edges do need to be sharp, and I think it would be best if the cutters were better than common washer material. There are rubber spacers between the cutter discs. In addition to providing a space for the shavings to accumulate, the spacers will compress - allowing the cutters to tip slightly, which creates a better cutting action.
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These are among the most useful inletting tools you can buy.
 
7ECA said:
Deep socket(s) and sandpaper works as well. Not near as fancy, though.
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One wrap of duck tape sticky side out with a slight overlap on a deep socket.
One wrap of sandpaper slightly less than the diameter of the socket as you don't want to have a loose flap.
Long socket extension and go slow with an electric drill.
 
I never though of the socket idea. That sounds like a decent home tool because you could find the right size for the job among all the socket sizes. I used coarse sandpaper around a broken piece of shop broom handle but I didn't have much material to remove. Then I graduated to finer sandpaper as I went along. The long handle allowed me to get more sandpaper in contact with the wood and also more stroke. If I have very much material to remove I use a Dremel Tool because I have a lot of different bits etc.
 
the best tool for barrel channels is a wood router. You can also build a jig that holds the stock or blank . to cut the right contours and depths.
youtube Tikka router jig for DIY rifle bedding project. This is very close to what I make.
 
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bearhunter said:
That's a great idea. The washers would need sharp edges though. The Brownelle's inletting tools allow the round blades to tilt, so that the edges will cut smoother.
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that's the reason you want to grind the washers to the right size, to leave a sharp edge on them to cut the wood.
 
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