Just somethin I been working on ~ Yes, I am still alive!!
- Thread starter sean69
- Start date
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Yup, I'll be watching this too. I always love threads like this but they only pop up so often.
If that's what you guys want ~ I'll be happy to oblige!
I have a Jaeger flintlock in the (early stages) works as well. May start a separate thread for that one.
Until then: hit the lumber place today looking for Ebony.... discovered that Blackwood and any kind of Rosewood are now on the "banned to import" list for some silly reason.... still no ebony
but walked out of there with this stuff: 
so if anyone wants a stock out of this stuf ~ will be first come/first serve!
~sometime~ next week he is getting in some "instrument grade" birdseye maple .... gonna hit up on that as well!
Has it really been 3 weeks??!!
Real world work seems too have gotten in the way, but managed to spend a full day on Opcx6's No.3 .......
Got the fore end carved out for all the little bits attached to the barrel
That little ledge is funny and causes 'tipping' issues if not ~just right~ so a template was in order...
Starting to get some good contact now
Looks good! Time to drill the hole for the fore end lug/scutcheon/bolt
The lug looks tricky as the bolt is on a 45 degree angle to the barrel/bore. It does actually rotate a little so the angle is more forgiving if you bork it, anywhere between 42 and 47 degrees - not a great design as it can let the fore end move around a bit.
Best to spend a little extra time on the drill setup:
Note the little step cut into the bottom of the fore end - just making sure that bit enters the work nice and square so it does not wander!
drilling the large diameter hole for the scutcheon/lug without re-positioning the work.
Looks like the extra time paid off - now to test fit:
Success!!
Opcx6 wanted the fore end fully bedded, time to do that (before we install the bipod lug) - turns out to be a VERY good call, the way that single bolt secures the fore end just allows for a lot of movement - probably why there is that piece of white sponge tape at the front of the original foe end. Bedding it will eliminate that completely.
So more prep to keep the epoxy from sticking, yes, that is packing tape! (and a healthy dose of mold release in the receiver)
Epoxy won't stick to it & a couple layers gives enough thickness....
The fit is already VERY tight - so not a lot of epoxy is needed. I expect most of the Epoxy to be pushed down into the barrel channel by the sides of the barrel so I keep the epoxy in the bottom to a very thin layer.
I'm using G2 24 hour cure with a (very) healthy dose of West System colloidal silica. Gives me a great working consistency & makes the G2 very-very hard. Also cuts down on air bubbles. (one of these days I'll have to invest in a vacuum chamber for degassing)
Good squeeze out in all the right places!
Need some light clamping - LIGHT clamping, probably not with this barrel, but you can actually bend lighter barrels by clamping too hard! Use lots of cauls & only enough pressure to get some squeeze out.
So not much more to do with the fore end for another 24 hours - I could start on the stock bolt hole for the butt - but has been a long day & I'd rather tackle that tricky bit when fresh
So instead, I cut some blanks for another CGN'r here & something really special (for me!) cut some blanks from a spectacular piece of birdseye maple - I have another M.92 SRC that needs wood. (I gave the walnut one to my dad this past fathers day - so now I need another gun!)
Toasted Birdseye from Nova Scotia, it was supposed to go to Fender (or Gibson? I forget) for high end guitars but got rejected because a couple of pieces had a couple of flecks in it!
He got 3 pallets of the stuff (1000bf or so) and only had 2 pieces that are thick enough for me to work with... but WOW!
I also picked up some walnut (20bf or so) on the next trip that makes the material on the walnut .44-40 look like fire wood!
Real world work seems too have gotten in the way, but managed to spend a full day on Opcx6's No.3 .......
Got the fore end carved out for all the little bits attached to the barrel
That little ledge is funny and causes 'tipping' issues if not ~just right~ so a template was in order...
Starting to get some good contact now
Looks good! Time to drill the hole for the fore end lug/scutcheon/bolt
The lug looks tricky as the bolt is on a 45 degree angle to the barrel/bore. It does actually rotate a little so the angle is more forgiving if you bork it, anywhere between 42 and 47 degrees - not a great design as it can let the fore end move around a bit.
Best to spend a little extra time on the drill setup:
Note the little step cut into the bottom of the fore end - just making sure that bit enters the work nice and square so it does not wander!
drilling the large diameter hole for the scutcheon/lug without re-positioning the work.
Looks like the extra time paid off - now to test fit:
Success!!
Opcx6 wanted the fore end fully bedded, time to do that (before we install the bipod lug) - turns out to be a VERY good call, the way that single bolt secures the fore end just allows for a lot of movement - probably why there is that piece of white sponge tape at the front of the original foe end. Bedding it will eliminate that completely.
So more prep to keep the epoxy from sticking, yes, that is packing tape! (and a healthy dose of mold release in the receiver)
Epoxy won't stick to it & a couple layers gives enough thickness....
The fit is already VERY tight - so not a lot of epoxy is needed. I expect most of the Epoxy to be pushed down into the barrel channel by the sides of the barrel so I keep the epoxy in the bottom to a very thin layer.
I'm using G2 24 hour cure with a (very) healthy dose of West System colloidal silica. Gives me a great working consistency & makes the G2 very-very hard. Also cuts down on air bubbles. (one of these days I'll have to invest in a vacuum chamber for degassing)
Good squeeze out in all the right places!
Need some light clamping - LIGHT clamping, probably not with this barrel, but you can actually bend lighter barrels by clamping too hard! Use lots of cauls & only enough pressure to get some squeeze out.
So not much more to do with the fore end for another 24 hours - I could start on the stock bolt hole for the butt - but has been a long day & I'd rather tackle that tricky bit when fresh
So instead, I cut some blanks for another CGN'r here & something really special (for me!) cut some blanks from a spectacular piece of birdseye maple - I have another M.92 SRC that needs wood. (I gave the walnut one to my dad this past fathers day - so now I need another gun!)
Toasted Birdseye from Nova Scotia, it was supposed to go to Fender (or Gibson? I forget) for high end guitars but got rejected because a couple of pieces had a couple of flecks in it!
He got 3 pallets of the stuff (1000bf or so) and only had 2 pieces that are thick enough for me to work with... but WOW!
I also picked up some walnut (20bf or so) on the next trip that makes the material on the walnut .44-40 look like fire wood!
freddyfour
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
That is some outstanding work you do. Is this a hobby for you or an occupation?
Super nice work, I use to do some of this , couple sidelock shot guns and marlin/ballards, steven target guns.
Great looking work.
I find that only about 5% of the people know how much work this is to do RIGHT, and are willing to pay what it is worth.
Marshall
Great looking work.
I find that only about 5% of the people know how much work this is to do RIGHT, and are willing to pay what it is worth.
Marshall
Thanks
yea - I am used to it though, being a programmer (for web apps) most clients are under the impression that they can built a DIY godaddy site for $50 or so - Truthfully "you get what you pay for"
At least it's interesting - every gun is a little different, this No.3 has thrown a few curve balls & problems to solve
-sean
Tru oil right now - everything else takes way too long. I tried some of the lee valley poly tungs - too plastic looking.... I will do oil finishes if some one wants that, but it's usually better for me to do the first/second treatments then leave it up to the customer to oil-wait-3-months-oil-wait-3-months-oil....etc. there was one up here somewhere that was done with a dark brown aniline, tung & Clapham's wax ... wow it came out nice
here it is...
the only thing with the wax is you have to polish it up once in a while...
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
#### right off!!! That is ridiculous! Outstanding!
Sadly the No3 forend developed a stress crack along the side ~ had to start a new one luckily I was able to salvage the ebony (it is VERY hard to get right now!) Got a couple new projects in as well - so I spent a good part of the week working on a couple of jigs to make life easier & the weekend actually working!
Magazine hole drilling jig - basically a maple fence with salvaged hard drive magnets epoxied to it & a bore sighting laser.
I don't have any way to index the pitch on my drill press table so I do it by lining up the laser to be sure the table is parallel to the spindle bore. The magnets on the back of the jig make it WAY easier to align then messing around with clamps.
The fore end blank is squared up, planed true & marked for the magazine location then mounted on the 'fence' and aligned with the laser.
as long as it lines up in the same spot along it's pathh of travel, barring any 'wandering' during drilling - the hole should be accurate.
Since the magazine hole is nearly 8" deep, I have to drill about 3" drop the bit a little, drill another inch or so then flip the work end for end & repeat drilling from the other side. Notice all the clamps & stop blocks now? You can actually apply a couple hundred pounds of force with a drill press!
If all the setup (about 20 minutes worth) is done accurately the hole will be perfectly aligned on both ends. I use a 5/8 brad point bit for these, you'll know if your hole is good before you take your work off the press because a little wooden 'button' should fall out of the hole when you finish drilling the other side....
I have to finish up using an adjustable reamer, the magazine tube is about 0.030" larger than the 5/8 bit - also magazines are rarely straight, round or dent free. So you need a bit of wiggle room.
this is "Barrel Routing Jig Mk.I" - created so that I could hog out gross material with a router. I can cant the work and set the fences on angles to follow a barrels taper. In 'theory' I should need very little chisel work & rely more on scrapers to finish a barrel channel. In "theory" - Jig Mk.II is already in the concept phase, work holding is very fidgety with Mk.I
A Mod.94 carbine barrel channel
Gross material removal on the No.3 butt stock.
This jig is a bit faster than using a table, especially for tool changes... much more versatile, way-way-way-WAY! safer and less setup time.
So I managed to get a Mod.94 & Mod.92 carbine fore ends, the No.3 fore end & rough butt stock inlet all done in about 6 hours .... pretty decent days work.
The No.3 will get it's stock bolt hole tonight. Those are always entertaining!
luckily I was able to salvage the ebony (it is VERY hard to get right now!) Got a couple new projects in as well - so I spent a good part of the week working on a couple of jigs to make life easier & the weekend actually working! Magazine hole drilling jig - basically a maple fence with salvaged hard drive magnets epoxied to it & a bore sighting laser.
I don't have any way to index the pitch on my drill press table so I do it by lining up the laser to be sure the table is parallel to the spindle bore. The magnets on the back of the jig make it WAY easier to align then messing around with clamps.
The fore end blank is squared up, planed true & marked for the magazine location then mounted on the 'fence' and aligned with the laser.
as long as it lines up in the same spot along it's pathh of travel, barring any 'wandering' during drilling - the hole should be accurate.
Since the magazine hole is nearly 8" deep, I have to drill about 3" drop the bit a little, drill another inch or so then flip the work end for end & repeat drilling from the other side. Notice all the clamps & stop blocks now? You can actually apply a couple hundred pounds of force with a drill press!
If all the setup (about 20 minutes worth) is done accurately the hole will be perfectly aligned on both ends. I use a 5/8 brad point bit for these, you'll know if your hole is good before you take your work off the press because a little wooden 'button' should fall out of the hole when you finish drilling the other side....
I have to finish up using an adjustable reamer, the magazine tube is about 0.030" larger than the 5/8 bit - also magazines are rarely straight, round or dent free. So you need a bit of wiggle room.
this is "Barrel Routing Jig Mk.I" - created so that I could hog out gross material with a router. I can cant the work and set the fences on angles to follow a barrels taper. In 'theory' I should need very little chisel work & rely more on scrapers to finish a barrel channel. In "theory" - Jig Mk.II is already in the concept phase, work holding is very fidgety with Mk.I
A Mod.94 carbine barrel channel
Gross material removal on the No.3 butt stock.
This jig is a bit faster than using a table, especially for tool changes... much more versatile, way-way-way-WAY! safer and less setup time.
So I managed to get a Mod.94 & Mod.92 carbine fore ends, the No.3 fore end & rough butt stock inlet all done in about 6 hours .... pretty decent days work.
The No.3 will get it's stock bolt hole tonight. Those are always entertaining!
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
This thread would get my vote for "best of the year" if there were such a thing...Your attention to detail equals quality to the n'th degree and I commend you.
...and I bet it was 6 hrs to do the stock pieces ...plus 2 days to build the jigs, "been there done that". I think every "home shop manufacturer" has discovered that building one jig is vastly superior to re-doing a part multiple times freehand to get it "just right".
...and I bet it was 6 hrs to do the stock pieces ...plus 2 days to build the jigs, "been there done that". I think every "home shop manufacturer" has discovered that building one jig is vastly superior to re-doing a part multiple times freehand to get it "just right".
the drilling jig is Mk.3 actually
I really want to replace my drill press with something that has an extended stroke of 6" or more. The problem with most presses though is that the tables are not super accurate and need a fair amount of fiddling to get them 'just right'
Mine (pictured) for example ~has~ a scale on the column to show the angle, but invariably moves a few degrees when you tighten down the lock nut ... grrr,
I'm thinking on a milling/drilling machine .... but they have their own problems as well.
thanks!
yes - 2 days is probably pretty accurate... I'm going on day 2 of my new saw sled:
will have that set up so I can remove the fence and attach different miter fixtures (there is a particular one needed for winchester butt stocks). Will probably add a 3rd t-slot so I can make an adjustable miter fence as well.
OBTW - don't buy the aluminum hold downs from BusyBee .... they are total crap. bite the bullet & go Lee Valley....
Now I just really need to learn not to screw AND glue the prototypes, without glue I could recover more materials for Mk.II and beyond! (or maybe stop using expensive glue....?)
