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Installing Patch Box Assembly:

Using the Golden Rule of "3 to 5", I shortened the finial to make the patch box lid to the correct it's appearance.  I marked out the length and then matched the end of the finial to match up with the patch box lid. This was done with a paper pattern of the lid.

Once this was done, then the lid was positioned onto the stock. The lid was centered with the butt plate and then almost parallel with the comb of the stock.

The hinge was inletted first. Two screws used to hold the finial in place to allow the knife to cut the perimeter of the patch box assembly. With this done, the box was inletted in.

A boring bit was used to remove excess wood from the cavity area. Then a chisel was used to finish up the cavity. 

The patch box lid catch was made from a no. 8 square masonry nail. The nail was heated up to take out the temper and then filed down. The length was shortened so it would not pass thru the stock. In this case I shortened it to 7/8" long. The head was rounded. I used a square engraving blade to make barbs on the end of the nail to hold it in the stock. 

For the patch box spring I made a spring out of some spring stock I had. The stock was heated to take the temper out of the spring. I cut it out, shaped it and then inlet this under the finial. Prior to tempering I adjusted the spring to force the lid up when opened. Then I heated the spring cherry red and quenched it in oil to cool. Then I put it in a sardine can with just enough oil to cover the spring and then I torched the oil and forced it to boil. At this point I left it burning till the fire when out. This tempers the spring at 600 degrees. The spring is done. 

I located where the catch will catch the edge of the lid and then drilled a 1/16" of a hole 7/8" deep. Used a larger bit I drilled down 1/2". This allows enough area for the spring to move to release the lid when pushed.