[THE GITS]

Now we can cut the recess that has been discussed by yourselves. An interesting concept, we shall see how it works as the gun nears completion.

This procedure requires the use of a router. This is a simple enough tool to use but I recommend that you have a little training before playing with one of these. With the cutter whirring around at 22,000 RPM accidents can happen very very quickly. Of course if the tool was dangerous no one would use them, they are safe when used correctly. Eye, ear and respiratory protection is mandatory at all times. For those who have not met these tools before I shall present a quick description. They are very basically a high speed motor with a chuck/collet to hold a cutter held in a vertically adjustable cradle. There is also an adjustable side guide of fence to allow us to cut parallel to an outside edge.

I have taken the liberty of assuming that the maximum sided bands that will be used on this gun will be 20mm. So using a 16mm half round cutter cutting 8mm deep and with a distance across the recess of 40mm will give us a snug groove. I will be happy to widen this if need be, please discuss. First from the previously marked centre line mark from the datum edge with a marking guage two lines 20mm either side of the line. Now carefully fit the cutter into the collet with as much of the shank inside the collet to reduce vibration. Place the router on the bench surfave and lower the cutter until it just makes contact with the bench surface, lock it right there. Using the depth adjustment guage on the side, set the depth of cut to 8mm, lock the gauge. Place the router on top of the gun blank with the guide fence fitted. Align the edge of the cutter with one of the marked lines and lock the guide fence. Starting at the end of the blank lower the cutter about 2mm and switch the router on, slowly guide it up the blank until you reach the far end, switch off and do the same again untill you reach the 8mm depth. Move the guide fence so that we can cut to the other line. Repeat the above procedure, you should now have two half round grooves running along the blank. I recomend that you you use pre machined scraps of wood to support the router at each end of the cut to prevent it falling off the end and damaging your masterpiece.

Now it is a simple matter of using a flat bottomed cutter to remove the hill along the centre line of the gun. If you have used sharp cutters and done all this with care you should be left with a surface that needs very little further attention.