Howdy, Foax!
A question about ramrod “seasoning,” if you please. I’ve long been given to understand that submerging a fresh hickory ramrod in coal oil for 12 months produces a rod that is unusually strong, highly flexible, and virtually impossible to break by bending. More than this, a rod (or rods) placed into a PVC tube filled with coal oil, capped at both ends, and placed under pressure, can be ready in as little as a few days. Assuming this is all true (and yep, I’m durnsure old enough to understand all that “assume” means), my question is, how exactly do you rig the PVC tube for pressurizing? My guess is that you simply cut a Schrader valve off a bike tire, leaving a skirt of about 3/4 inch at the valve base, then drill a hole in the PVC cap just large enough to allow the valve to pass through, and then epoxy the whole shebang in place. Next, the PVC cap with valve would be cemented to the PVC tube (already capped at its opposite end, of course) containing the rod(s) and coal oil, and after drying overnight, 5 ”“ 15 lbs. of pressure would be applied using a small compressor or bike pump. A week or two later, the PVC tube would be tapped and drained, the cap cut off, and the ramrod(s) removed.
Now, this is my best guess, but I’d sure like to hear from someone who’s actually installed such a pressure fitting, or anyone who might have a better technique. Any takers?
Thanks & best regards, Walt
A question about ramrod “seasoning,” if you please. I’ve long been given to understand that submerging a fresh hickory ramrod in coal oil for 12 months produces a rod that is unusually strong, highly flexible, and virtually impossible to break by bending. More than this, a rod (or rods) placed into a PVC tube filled with coal oil, capped at both ends, and placed under pressure, can be ready in as little as a few days. Assuming this is all true (and yep, I’m durnsure old enough to understand all that “assume” means), my question is, how exactly do you rig the PVC tube for pressurizing? My guess is that you simply cut a Schrader valve off a bike tire, leaving a skirt of about 3/4 inch at the valve base, then drill a hole in the PVC cap just large enough to allow the valve to pass through, and then epoxy the whole shebang in place. Next, the PVC cap with valve would be cemented to the PVC tube (already capped at its opposite end, of course) containing the rod(s) and coal oil, and after drying overnight, 5 ”“ 15 lbs. of pressure would be applied using a small compressor or bike pump. A week or two later, the PVC tube would be tapped and drained, the cap cut off, and the ramrod(s) removed.
Now, this is my best guess, but I’d sure like to hear from someone who’s actually installed such a pressure fitting, or anyone who might have a better technique. Any takers?
Thanks & best regards, Walt