So here I am; not satisfied with the bedding I had done on part of my .500 A-Sq, I decide to grind out
enought of the old bedding so I can redo it stem to stern then a bit of touch up.

That done I find a place I think needs a reinforcement. I have two #4-40 T.P.I screws prepared to fit into slots
I have ground with the Dremel. I have spent the better part of my spare time over the past
five days fitting, looking, grinding and filing to get everything to where I think it should be so I
can bed this.

Everything went well, I am satisfyingly admiring my handiwork when I look down and...ARRRGGH!
I left out one of the *&^$^ screws!!!

I guess about 7 p.m. tonight when it is good and hard I'll gently pull it apart and mix a small touch of the epoxy,
grind that area out again and put this screw in like I should have done this morning. Uggh.

Some pros I know tell me one difference between pros and hobbiests is the ability to cover and remedy mistakes.

Roger,

The short answer is No.

Of course we do. However, by the time you go pro and invest everything you and your bank owns into equipment and supplies, you are pretty much resigned to the fact that mistakes can and will eat you alive, destroy your business, or, they can kill you or someone else.

Little unfortunate ommissions like forgetting screws, release agent etc, probably won't kill anything other than your time, your income and possibly your reputation. When your money is on the line, you learn to examine and re-examine every aspect of your work before letting it leave the shop. You learn to think several moves ahead, preparing for unforseen trouble while thinking of how to best avoid placing yourself in a situation that can lead to a mistake, and doing this on every job.

You have to make certain that everything is perfect before placing it in epoxy, before your customer places his finger against the trigger etc... You cannot afford mistakes. Well, not big ones anyway... Having said that, let me say this. The road to professional gunsmithing is paved with mistakes. I doubt anyone could make a mistake that hasn't been made by someone, somewhere at sometime in the past including me. Some mistakes are responsible for improvements to products and have spawned improved ways of doing things. So while you are carefully navigating your way through projects, carefully thinking your next step to avoid further mistakes, don't go too fast or you might miss an opportunity to improve something, or learn from the mistake. In the mean time let me say, been there, done that, got the shirt!


Regards,

Malm

Roger,

How loud was the "ah shit"?

jim

I have learned too often among competitors that a High Master with a Dremel tool does not a gunsmith make...

Target shooters get used to keeping finicky equipment running and some mistakenly believe that they should do this to other people's rifles too! Some of the better smiths are indeed accomplished competitors, however nowadays I spend the money and let someone better at it than me fix whatever's loose.

Just my nickelsworth. Even the good ones occasionally have an awshit. The best ones know how to deal with it. And me.

Redial

Experience......

Recognizing a mistake when you do it again.

Len Brownell used to say, "No matter what you do, make it look like it was done or purpose."

Ok then...well...that screw didn't really need to be there...NOT!

I had everything laid out, all nice and neat, even had fancy tweezers to hold the screws while I gooped them with the Acra-Glas so there wouldn't be any air bubbles. I know what happened as I look back. I placed the one and put epoxy over that and then a nice sized glob. I started on the other one by putting a small glob in the slot and mashing it so it'd get a good grip on the wood. I put more over it then started to fill the area around the receiver and...so there we are.

I took it apart, had it under a couple of heat lamp. Epoxy harder than a witches heart. I will clean everything up nice and neat then wait 'till tomorrow since I am pooped.

Redial, would love to farm it out but don't trust anyone here in Fairbanks and am short on cash.
Hunter Jim...aha...pretty loud, accompanied by much eye-rolling.

I was sweating a little since this was the first time I have done anything remotely this expensive. I am now satisfied with the carnauba wax treatment on the metal. It really works well. The electrical tape I had making space on the front, bottom and sides of the recoil lugs apparently melted and got really sticky for some reason. I think it may be the solvent for the wax. I need to wipe everything down with mineral spirits now to get off the wax. Then I can oil the metal. It looks really messy now since the wax is all over.

Alls well tat ends well...

Just what in the hell useful purpose did these screws play anyway? And 4-40 to boot?

Jim

Jim,

The following is the progression. This time I had removed the varnish that was protecting the wood on the part right behind the front recoil bolt under the receiver flat. Noticed hairline crack there. Inletted screw for inside the mag well and one right under the receiver flat, behind the recoil lug, midway 'tween the lug and well. I use #4's since they are very stiff when only 0.600" long, 40 T.P.I. allows lots of area for the epoxy to bond and grip.
I believe on of the reasons I had these small cracks is due to the recoil lugs on the barrel and the receiver have rounded edges and on the P-14 Enfield receiver, there are shapely radiuses at the rear of the receiver. If the metal moves even an iota under recoil, these would add to begin a wedging action. The tang is inletted far enough to the rear to remove that from suspicion.
http://www.serveroptions.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=004029#000000

http://www.serveroptions.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=004087#000000

http://www.serveroptions.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=004201#000000

http://www.serveroptions.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=004264#000000

Roger, I understand completely.

Unfortunately, I arrived at my realization that I'm a better driver than mechanic by mangling my share of rifles! I learned that my peers are no better at it than I am the hard way too!

Sorry if it sounded like I was slamming you - inflection is hard to convey via the written word. Like you, I'm awful selective about entrusting my rifles to ANYbody.

Cheers!

Redial