I just don't know how much of my machinist thinking transfers to gun building. I am used to working with datums and projections... metal is my thing... not so much wood.
well most all of it . just look at the wood as a soft metal . Use the knowledge you have and how its applied so as to make the parts you do .
The only real difference is that your going to have to learn to trust your eye to tell your hands what to do . You can use all your other tools to check your work/ tolerances . Just like if you were turning a part . You are now the mill or lathe
as to the last part . that’s not uncommon . allot of folks are better at their bright work or better at the wood work .. very few , to include myself ,are good at both aspects
IMO good choice in books . Shumways writings are what I learned on many years ago .
It also is better to read all of the book before you start . That way you understand how and why shummay is doing what he is .
If you don’t and try to do things a chapter at a time , your never going to understand why he has done a given thing because it relates to something a few chap peters away .
don’t get me wrong here , you still have to follow the order of build . But it helps a lot to understand the WHY of that order before you start .
Where the book does fall short is that it doesn’t provide a lot of photos .
While it can leave a first time person with questions . IMO this is good because it makes you think . You have to take your time and work through the lack of understanding .
Thus down the road you will have the mind set to figure out how something’s were done . Basically its training you to be self reliant and how to analyze the situation . This is one of the biggest things , if I look back , that shumways book taught me .
I can tell its working on you to because your asking why Does this need to be done ? .
soon you will be able to backwards plan and answer that question . to the point when you see a photo of a gun you will be able to it as small projects . realizing just how each project relates to eachother and the order in which they were done .
Today people want photos to show them why . Thus when asked why something needs to be done , they say ; ahhh because .
See they don’t know . They just followed what someone else did .
They look at a photo of a finished work and wonder . But few have the natural ability to figure it out .
Case in point . The LaPage im working on had an adjustable rear sight . All its working are hidden under the standing breech . I found no photos showing these workings .
But after many long hours of setting there starring at the photos , it finally dawned on me . My mind finally clicked and I realized just how overly simple it was . Along with that came the process needed to complete the working adjustable sight .
Im 99% sure if someday I do run across a photo of an original , im going to be dead on in my assessment.
IMO being able to do that is one of the things shummway was trying to teach from the very start . It maynot have been intentional . But it happened never the less
Right now your probably looking at a drawing of your finished shock on the side of your plank and wondering ;Why do I need to plane this top squire when im just going to remove it ?
Well because what you did was that you didn’t cut your plank ¼ to ½ over size of your drawing . If you had , you wouldn’t be cutting off what you squared up . The process of squaring brings the top of the comb down to very close to the final finished top edge of the comb .
See shumway doesn’t cover drawing out the stock on paper . He is drawing the stock out on the wood . Thus that big plank he starting with is all trued up so he can do his reference lines . Thus he has enough wood to allow for drop , cast and such .
But if you have you stock outline already drawn onto the plank . Then your ahead of what he is doing at this step .
So you should have a stock blank cut to approx ¼ larger then what your finished project should be . Then that is all squared up so as to start placing your reference lines.
Does that make since or am I confusing you ?
your squaring things up is to ensure that you start with parallel surfaces. Just like when you put a part in your mill.
this helps you draw your center line is drawn . From that line all your measurements are taken and drawn at 90 deg . It also ensures that when you clamp the stock so as to drill a hole , your doing so with a true base .
Its also going to help you with your depth measurement for the barrel inlet .
When it comes to the comb area , having the top edge square and the sides parallel, allows you to take proper measurements for the butt plate placement as well as the cheek piece placement. It also ensures that if the stock has any twist , cant or offset , its there because the builder put it there . It gives you a proper base for all your measurements, just like it does on the forestock .
If you don’t do this then your going to have to remember to compensate .
The other thing I would remind you is to not forget about your files and rasps .
Use these tools to bring things down . Then use your plane to do the finish truing
My copy of shumways work may be different then yours . But on page 32 or close to it ,is a picture of the beginning steps your going through .
Myself I start with the stock looking like #2. I then square the sides and the barrel area and the top and bottom edge ..
I then draw my centerline all the way around the stock . I then draw in my cast line ..
I then come off that center line 90 deg and mark the placment of each side of the barrel ,my lock mortices , entry thimble , nose of the comb , begining of the cheek plate .............
Keep in mind all this is being done to provide references . The stock should at this point still be way to thick in all its demission’s . the only part that’s going to not change , or change very little , is along the barrel . This area will then only be changed as you do the final shaping .
Again all this work shumway is showing is all setup for the next steps in the actual inletting and layout of the parts . Once you get a few stocks under your belt , your going to be able to do a lot of this by eye . Thus you will need less references to go by .
but tell then its best you use as many refrances as you can .
So here is my advise to you . If you think you can remember to compensate in your layout for the commb being out of square on the top edge . Then go for it . Carry your lines across just as your thinking . Just make sure that you sides are parallel to start and that the plank is way wider then what you need .
Always remember that just like with your mill work . What you want is fully hidden inside that plank of wood . Its up to you to remove all the surrounding material leaving only the item left .
the important part is to follow the order of build so as to ensure that each part relates properly to the next part . IE the barrel placement dictates the lock placement by its breech location . Which in turn dictates the side plate and trigger placement and final position of the lock panels . Triggers dictate the butt plate and trigger guard ………..
its like a tree growing from a seed . It all starts off with that seed and no mater how big the tree grows or how many branches it makes , it all starts and relates to its base .
Right now your base for all the above is the placement of your references. The base of those references is in truing your plank .
i also want to say this . Im not very good a writing . The longer my posts get , the more they wonder . As such im going to send you a PM with my #
If I have confused you or your still unsure , then step back and give me a call .
I can line you out real quick over the phone . No issue
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