Got promoted at work - doing about 50+ hours each week.
Tutoring my daughter for school - took more time.
But I fit in some work on Saturday.
Thimbles and entry pipe are in. They are evenly spaced, even if the pics don't show it. The tip needs about an inch taken off, and then I need to place a foreend cap. The first pipe will be back about 3" from the finished end.
contoured the foreend. The tabs either side of the ramrod need to come down a little, and need to shave more off the sides, but I like it.
Here's the custom two piece entry. It's a speed bump with a thimble. going to round over the bottom edges of the forearm and then cut off and file the brass to fit the contour; then blend in the wood to match the foreend contouring.
This weekend, I hope to start browning the barrel.
As far as the stock goes, despite some of captchee's writings circa 2009, I went with a water based tinted stain.
I used a stain preconditioner and "wet sanded" the stock using it.
It does not appear the water based stain raised any grain when it was applied, given that treatment. It's as smooth now as it was after my last once over at 400.
I may add another coat this evening, and will probably cover with a firm application of beeswax, just because of preference.
So many different methods for "home brew" browning, I'm not sure which way I want to do it, but I'm sure something will hit me by this evening.
I'm going with a buckhorn rear sight, a long one, and plan on making sure the sight has some "spring" in it, so the sliding elevator will get some decent steps.
I'll make a front sight from either brass or steel or both, something along a sourdough type.
Very cool! I've been following this thread all along and can't wait to see the finished rifle.
I wish I had your talent and skill!
Ed
"Not in an open forum, where truth has less value than opinions, where all opinions are equally welcome regardless of their origins, rationale, inanity, or truth, where opinions are neither of equal value nor decisive." Ken Howell
Well, I couldn't stand the texture on the previous finish on the barrel, so I did it again.
It almost looked like it was going for a nice bronze color, but the last overnight turned out to be more humid than I was led to believe by the mediocre meteorologist, so it took on another fine layer of oxide, and left me with a nice chocolate brown.
Finding a suitable front sight was a little difficult as well, so I went to making the RWE version of a Redfield patridge. Need to thin up the plate, and cut the dovetails and the front miter, then when I get it on, file the blade height, and put in a nice brass insert.