...inlet a tapered barrel channel? Properly...assume I do not want a floated barrel, but I DO want a flawless fit of wood and steel.

Alvin Linden’s book on stockmaking covers this in pretty great detail. He marked the top of the stock in numbered longitudinal sections, spilt by the centerline of the stock, that corresponded in width to measurements he had taken off the same measured points down the barreled action with a set of dividers. Example: at such and such a distance from point A point B will have an OD of such and such.

This is my favorite tool:

Cranked (Dog Leg) In-Cannel Gouge.

I think you'll find the half inch model perfect.

It takes a while to master, but once you learn control, you can cut those beautiful skinny long curls.

I also like the Gunline scrapers that look like two handles and a lot of washers. LOL.

I learned a lot from the Wesbrook book--"Professional Stockmaking"--and generous advice from Bill Soverns.

Oh, and I almost forgot, lots of that messy black, and many, many fittings.

flaco

You'll also need lots and lots of patience and an eye for detail.

The chisels that Flaco refered to are my favorite for the brunt of the wood removal. You'll need a good set of gouge slips to keep them sharp though. The gunline barrel channel tool is good for the intermediate fitting. I made my own scrapers for final inletting out of some sheet stock of a few different thickness' depending on how agressive I need to get.

Glass bedded barrel won't cut it for ya eh?

quote:

Originally posted by Rick 0311:
Alvin Linden’s book on stockmaking covers this in pretty great detail. He marked the top of the stock in numbered longitudinal sections, spilt by the centerline of the stock, that corresponded in width to measurements he had taken off the same measured points down the barreled action with a set of dividers. Example: at such and such a distance from point A point B will have an OD of such and such.

IIRC Linden then used a very thin “hooked gouge†to score the barrel outline before he went to work on the stock with his axe.

The cuts were made to keep chips from possibly running out and into the wood that was to remain next to the barrel as they were removed.

An old round file heated with a propane torch, bent into a “hook†on one end, flattened and sharpened works for me......

Jim

Dan, I use gouges and flat chisels for the rough work and a barrel channel scraper for the fine work. YOu can get the barrel channel tool from Brownells and I use the one with a handle on each end in various sizes. They have a number of hardened washer like round cutters separated by discs of rubber. I use prussian blue inletting black on the barrel to mark what wood is touching and then get it out.

Chic,

Where do you buy the blacking??

Best regards;
Brett

Barring using a mill or gantry router, it's actually easier to pull off a flawless tapered channel than a parallel one, or rather better stated, a long parralel channel will make mistakes more pronounced than a tapered channel.

The other thing is, the difference between a pro and a beginner is the pro can get down to 95-98% quickly, and then spend his time on the finish work rather than the beginner who gets to 80%, get's worried he's moving too fast, then get's frustrated at the slow rate, and resorts back to the fast removal methods, and gets to 103% in spots and starts cussing up a storm

Great help here fellas, I do appreciate the information! Vapo... ...you're a bad dog!

The truth is I like floated barrels like the next guy, they just don't work on classic muzzle loaders...thinkin' swamped barrels in specific terms. Also, I've noticed that even barrels with straight tapers generally have a radius somewhat forward of the chamber that has to be dealt with. Even if a barrel is bedded/floated the contour for the barrel channel still needs uniformity and...something a little smoother than I can do with chainsaw or broken whiskey bottle.

Thanks again guys, excellent replies!