Smokin' Joe's Isaac Haines build

[Smokin' Joe]

Newbie mistake...seems I got a little ahead of myself.  I didn't measure the breech plug threads which determine where the vent liner will be installed.  The vent liner needs to be drilled about 1/8" past the threads and dead center on the flash pan.  Now that I have done that measurement I found that my barrel needs to be moved back 1/4".  The "pre-carved" stocks need to be checked for this alignment before the inletting begins. 
The threads end after that red line you see on the barrel:
 

 

[Randy Johnson]

The boo boo I made at that stage was having the barrel too far back. Your mistake is a lot easier to fix.
I have at least two flintlocks (made by someone who knew what they were doing) that show signs of the drill bit that drilled the touch hole on the face o the breech plug. That 1/8 inch sounds a little too far forward to me. It's best, in my opinion anyway, to have it as far back as possible so you at least have a chance to push a little 4f in there in case of a dry-ball.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Randy, I guess I knew I would make "many" mistakes on this first one.  Each one will be burned into my memory banks so "hopefully" I'll can avoid them on the next one.

 

[Randy Johnson]

Even at point the you are now you are doing WAY better than I have when I tried building my own.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Update:  Well I accomplished a few things on my Issac Haines build.  I moved the barrel back 1/4" inch to better accommodate the white lightning vent liner I'm going to install.  I have inletted the barrel and the lock.  I'm needing a few supplies so while I'm waiting on that I inletted the buttplate and toeplate so I could feel a little sense of accomplishment.  Next I'll be working on installing the underlugs so I can get the barrel pinned.  Because I have a swamped B weight barrel I'll be soldering a couple of them rather than dovetailing.

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

Lookin' good! Keep it up!

 

[Smokin' Joe]

"Words of wisdom for flintlock building newbies:"
I purchased my Parts Set from another person off another forum and very naïve about asking questions.  If you purchase a Parts Set (kit) from a supplier buy all the parts from the same supplier.  In my case the pre-carved stock came from DunlapWoodcrafts.com and the hardware from track of the wolf.  The problem is TOTW hardware fits TOTW stocks not Dunlap stocks.  Close, but no cigar.  I ordered a trigger and trigger plate now from Dunlap because the inletting was just a little wide in spots for the TOTW trigger plate.  I'm noticing that contours are a little different on the first ramrod pipe.

I'm not complaining but it is more challenging to inlet hardware. :slaps:
I have signed up for a muzzleloader building class for this fall.  I'll be putting together a Pennsylvania Fowler Kit that I ordered from Jim Chambers Flintlocks so I'll learn a lot more on my second one with some hands-on training.

 

[patocazador]

"I'll be putting together a Pennsylvania Fowler Kit that I ordered from Jim Chambers Flintlocks so I'll learn a lot more on my second one with some hands-on training."

Good! I hope you post the stages on that one too. 

If or when you get tired of the fowler, send me a PM. Chambers' stuff is top-notch. If I were any good at gun building, I'd try to make one but I now fully realize my limitations.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

UPDATE:  I'm just about done inletting the trigger plate.  I started on a dove tail for a barrel pin under lug but got cold feet.  I was a little afraid of it because the barrel is swamped and tapered which is considerably thinner than a straight octagon.  So I ran it over to Track Of The Wolf to have a professional gunsmith install the 3 under lugs and both front and rear sights.  I know now it will be done right.

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

I have signed up for a muzzleloader building class for this fall.  .

Is that the one at Western Kentucky University?

And, I did not know TOTW would do piece meal gun building for you. 
That seems a nice escape hatch to know about.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

The class I'm going to is in Warrior, Alabama.  Long drive but it's part of the adventure.  TOTW will install under lugs, sights, and vent liners.  I don't know the full line of services they offer but muzzleloaders is their only business so I imagine they will do most requests for fee. 

Track of the Wolf, Inc.
18308 Joplin St NW
Elk River, MN 55330-1773
Tel: 763-633-2500 Fax: 763-633-2550
For your convenience you can contact us via our on-line form

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Received my barrel back from Track of the Wolf.  They installed the 3 underlugs and the sights.  I'm in the process of filing down the sides of the under lugs to match the barrel flats so they will fit the stock with out me inletting.

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

:cheers:

 

[exMember]

:Red tup: lots of work there!

 

[Hilljack1]

Let me ask a question....Are you using lamp black or an oil lamp to soot your parts and place them in position and only remove the blackened areas...repeat this and your furniture will grow out of the wood...With thimbles be mindful of how the ramrod fits through the thimble with little effort...If it doesn't you'll need to inlet deeper...Do this with any fitting parts...Many of the pre carved don't fit and need to be finalized or moved one way or another...I prefer the locks not to be pre carved to allow for precise alignment of the flash hole liner...Thanks for reading my thoughts and opinions...

YMHS
Hilljack

 

[Smokin' Joe]

I'm using Inlet-Black "sparing" because it tends to get all over my fingers and then on the stock.  I am removing wood only where the black transfers to the wood.  It's a slow process that is repeated quite a few times. big learning curve for me so everything is challenging. I mentioned this before but I was a very naïve on purchasing this "bunch of parts" because it certainly is not a kit.....stock from Dunlap and parts from Track of the wolf.  So factory inletting is for Dunlap parts. I had to buy extra parts and so forth.  I just ordered a "Center to Center" Drilling guide from R.E. Davis Co.  Waiting for it to arrive now. http://redaviscompany.com/0883.html   I want to drill my tang bolt hole as straight and perfect as possible.

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

I am enjoying all these posts on this, guys. Thanks.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

I put this project on hold until I got back from my gun building class. I now have the following tasks completed:
- Barrel installed and pinned
- Ramrod pipes inlet and pinned
- Trigger plate inlet, drilled & tapped for tang bolt
- Trigger guard inlet and pinned
- Lock bolts drilled and tapped
- tang drilled for bolt
- Filed off the square piece from forearm to match the rest of stock

Next task is to drill and tap the barrel for the "White Lightnin" vent liner.
No pictures yet.....computer is down at the moment. I'm updating the post with my cell phone.

 

[lighthorseman]

Joe......you've got the most difficult issues behind you (IMHO).......I was completely dependent on other builders for drill presses and such to get to the point where you are............the wood work for me was the easiest. Can't wait to see your progress! What are you using for stain and finish?

Doug

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Well...... I believe I will have to run over to "Track of the Wolf" to have them remove my breech plug.  I don't have the large bench vice and wrench needed to get the job done.  I did drill and tap for my vent liner, however, when I insert the vent liner I need to make sure that there aren't any threads sticking out inside the barrel.

For stain & finish I haven't thought that far ahead yet.  I have a lot of stock sanding/shaping and barrel prep to go before the finish and bluing gets started.  The Maple stock has a lot of tiger stripping in it so I'll want to bring that out for sure.