another lock kit question

[schloss]

Those of you that have put together lock kits, how do you deal with the sprue or gate on the frizzen? Is it a sprue or is it a gate? I'm still ignorant on that.

I have a Siler kit, my first, and the sprue or gate is on the face of the frizzen, and I can't think of a good way to get it down flush and smooth. I have it close, but how do you go about getting it planed out with the area around it?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Are you asking about the small extension that makes contact with the frizzen spring? If so, its the cam, or "heel".( If you set the frizzen up on a flat surface, it is similar in shape to the human leg and foot, or boot, with the cam looking like a tall, western-style boot heel.)

 

[schloss]

No, I'm talking about the face of the frizzen, where the flint contacts it to create sparks.

 

[Zonie]

The "gate" is usually considered to the passageway in the sand or metal tooling that serves to direct the molten metal into (and out of) the cavity that forms the part.

If the metal is poured into a hole in the sand to reach the cavity (in a sand casting) that hole is called the sprue and it is connected to the cavity with the gate.

On small parts there is often only one gate however on larger castings there will be a gate that leads to the "riser". The riser gives the air in the cavity a place to escape as the metal is being poured thru the sprue. When the molten metal rises up in this opening the person(s) pouring the metal know the cavity is full.
Both the sprue and the riser serves to supply extra molten metal to the cavity thru the gate(s) as the metal there chills.

OH! You didn't want to know all of that. You wanted to know how to get rid of the gate(s).

Use a file and file them flush with the surrounding material. Usually removing a little of the surrounding material will cause no harm and in fact, often leaving it untouched also can leave small defects on the surface that will be noticeable later when the part is finished.

You can use a Dremel with a grinding wheel but it has been my experiance that these work so well that it is very easy to get carried away and remove more material than you wanted to.

OH, the term gate and sprue are often used interchangeably by many to describe the same feature on the casting and although technically they are not correct the misuse of the words are generally accepted by everyone.

 

[Roy]

I use a large grinding wheel... :thumbsup:

 

[schloss]

I was going to go the grinding wheel route, but all the wheels I have are a little too large in diameter. Today, I was thinking about turning down a block of wood in the lathe to get the diameter I need, and then attaching some sandpaper, but I'm not so sure yet. Maybe I'll try a die grinder.

 

[Roy]

Before I got the smaller wheel I used files, just take your time..

 

[Vaino]

If the gate remnant is fairly high, I use a jeweler's saw so it's nearly flush, then a half round file and finish w/ 220 grit paper. To resurface a frizzen, a bench grinding wheel of a suitable dia. is used w/ plenty of water cooling.....Fred

 

[54mountain]

I have found that the drum on the end of my 4" belt sander works great and the radius is close to the curve of the frizzen. Use a fine belt and a light touch.

Galen

 

[bioprof]

I don't trust myself with a grinder, so I use Flehto's method - but with a hacksaw and files.

 

[rich pierce]

All those methods work great! Use what you have and are comfortable with. Numerous hacksaw cuts down into it then taking the little "walls" off with a cold chisel works too for getting the bulk of it off (like some do dovetail mortises).