Hilarious

Thanks

Pvt. Long,

Thanks for the feedback.

I wish to add one thing. I am one of those guys who takes the nipples out everytime I clean the pistol and I clean the pistol everytime I shoot it. I don't over-tighten the nipples when I put them back in the cylinder. I think this is just part of proper maintenance.

I never rounded off a nipple wrench on any pistol that has been properly maintained.

I believe that failing to clean a pistol properly is "abuse". If nipples get stuck my guess is that in most cases (in every case with which I am personally familiar) the reason is that the pistol was abused. Cutting corners produces junk.

The maintenance of our pistols has to be fun. (To me it is.) Any sailor knows that you spend about five times as much time maintaining a sailboat as you spend sailing the sailboat. It is the same with our pistols.

I have some pre-owned pistols in which the nipples were hard to get out but once I cleaned them up this problem went away. I also have one in which the nipples simply will not come out (which is what prompted me to make my Impact Wrench Nipple Extraction Bit (IWNEB) which was a resounding failure.)

I have not yet tried boiling the cylinder but I think that is probably next.

Okay....I am off the soapbox.
 
Doc, have you checked out the Yahoo user groups for the Chinese machines? Lot of good info on little improvements that you can make that well make a major improvement on the usability of the machines.

I made new brass ways for the lathe that removed all the play, same for the milling machine. Adding 3 axis DRO to the mill was the best thing of all.
 
MCB

Yes.... got hooked up with a couple of users groups. One is for firearms specifically and the other is for (of all things) live steam.

Those forums are every bit is good as this one.

I am still working on a decision to add digital read outs. I bought myself a digital caliper from Harbor Freight for twenty bucks and I really like the thing.

The lathe is brand new and still pretty tight. I just got done cutting a MT3 taper with it using only the compound. (I am too cheap to buy a taper attachment.) It really fits sweet.

The mill is about ten years old but in very good condition. I traded a guy two rifles (Hawken and Kentuckian) and four hundred bucks for the mill plus a raft of tooling and accessories.

Anyway thanks for the "heads-up"
 
I am still working on a decision to add digital read outs.
Click to expand...

I used to inexpensive ones from Shar's. Bought a cheap readout and made the mounting hardware. It was about $350 for a complete three axis RO and it has made the machine much easier and faster to use. The DRO compensates for the slope in the screws so you can change direction of the bed and not have to remeasure every time you do. I have blue prints for the mounting hardware, PM me if you want a copy.

Belt drive is another big plus. I wired in a reversing switch from a Sieg lathe, makes tapping faster. Next project is a mount for the head that well hold a high speed grinder, sort of a industrial Dremel.
 
MCB

I just bought some 5C collets from Shar. Price was right and the quality seems just fine. They sent a catalog in the box. So they might be a good place for me to start.

Thanks for the heads up.

(I know this thread will eentually get back to black powder shooting....Or else I will get snagged for leading the discussion astray.)
 
Hello Doc

I am brand new to this forum, and to black powder as well. Matter of fact, today, the UPS truck brought me my first black powder pistol. It is an 1858 New Army Target 44 cal revolver which I purchased from Cabellas a week ago, and I can't wait to take it to the range. (going to need to figure out where to buy powder and caps first)

It's funny, I came to this forum looking to learn a few things about BP pistols, and in reading your post and I thought perhaps i can help you. Hopefully, you won't mind a few suggestions.

You already have a lathe and mill, and your idea of of using a socket as a drive is also sound. You just need to select the right material to make your wrench from.

If i was to do build one using the methods you tried, I would buy some round Oil or Air hardening drill rod (the only difference is on how they harden. I like the Oil hardening better, as I have better control over how hard i want it, but either will do) Its not expensive, and you can order it directly from McMaster Carr. Here's a link: http://www.mcmaster.com/#drill-rods/=6a09eq

You could continue with your method, cutting off a small piece and lathing it to fit the socket, then milling the slot, but then you would need to harden it prior to brazing it into the socket. Brazing would tend to anneal the metal some what more than what you would want, so welding would be a better choice. (If you have to braze, I would quench it immediately)

Or, you could simply mill a hex on the other end of the drill rod to fit an existing socket. This is easy to do, with a 5-C collet and a hexagonal collet block clamped in a mill vise. (doing it this way, you would not need to braze or weld the tool after hardening, just anneal it a little...... it would be very strong and last darn near forever!

I am hoping this helps some, and just for the record, I plan on taking out my nipples to clean as well, so I may end up making my own tool.
 
Mikee

First of all, Welcome to the forum. You are gonna love it.

Thanks for the tip on material.

I have some harder stuff. I don't know why I didn't use it.

As the hammer was in downward travel ready to contact the impact wrench I was saying to myself..."This isn't going to work.....That danged steel is soft as butter after the braising operation.....I am going to have a pile of mush went I am finished hitting the wrench....How much time did I spend making this thing"....60 minutes? 90 minutes?"

It was like my life of the last four hours passing before my eyes in a tenth of a second.

The last thing I heard sounded like it was uttered by Redd Foxx growling it into my ear, "You big dummy!"
 
I would also go with the O1 tool steel. For the stock piece you are working with you can probably get a 1" length for $20-30. You can harden it in the back yard with a campfire and a MAPP torch. Peanut oil works very well for the quench. You may want to harden it a couple times before you temper it but it's an easy process. You won't have much luck with 1018 steel, even if you try to harden it you won't get very far.

I also agree with milling a hex on the other end of the wrench. Seems like the simplest approach to me, and if you harden the whole wrench it will hold up to the socket well, without stripping.
 
Swamp Yankee

Yes....The tool came with some extra bits and the steel is quite hard.

I have not yet checked the size of the bits to make sure I will wind up with enough metal to stand the stress after I do the machining.

I am having fun in the process and hopefully I am learning from the mistakes I am making.

I have completed one career and am now in the middle of my second. It would not be right to start a third but if I were at an earlier point in my life, I know I would enjoy metalworking. There is a lot to learn and I am not foolish enough to think I can learn it all on the side.

So my primary teachers are, a) the mistakes I make, and b) the pointers I am getting from you guys.

I do appreciate it.
 
I have completed one career and am now in the middle of my second. It would not be right to start a third but if I were at an earlier point in my life, I know I would enjoy metalworking.
Click to expand...
Wow does that story sound familiar. For me, it's not that it would be wrong to start a new career, but would it be practical. I could take out loans and go back to school but the question is, could I pay them back quickly enough that my young wife is not stuck paying after I am gone.
 
old mikee.... yor're going to love the 1858 piettas you got from cabela's. i have three and wouldn't trade them for the other six 1851 & 1860's i have. only bp that is a little better is roa's.. get a few extra cylinders and a cylinder loading stand ( good one like pietta or deer creek) and shoot to your hearts content.
 
Hi Herb

That is really good news, thanks. I did some research and almost all of Cabella's pistols had great reviews. I picked the 1858 because I really liked the physical appearance, the length of the barrel, and have bought from them in the past (clothing, at least and have always been satisfied with their quality).

I went to a local range yesterday and found out they sell black powder, caps and supplies. Need to do some more reading on how to fire this thing, and I am not sure I fully understand your reference to "roa powder". I will take your advice on getting a cylinder reloading stand.

There is lots I need to learn, and I have plenty of questions including getting some advice on buying a bp rifle, but I do not want to hack this mans thread.

Thanks again for your assuring comments.

mike
 
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