Brass Patch Box ?'s

[Old Salt]

I am working on inletting my first brass patch box. I have the finial and the lid in place and I am ready to start inletting the upper patch box side plate.

What is a recommended spacing between the lid and the side plate? Do you use a feeler gage to set that clearance?

I will be using a TOTW push button catch release installed through the butt plate on the comb of the stock. I'm thinking it's best to install the release mechanism before actually making the patch cavity. My thoughts are to ensure there is enough wood to fit the spring and retaining screw. Does that make sense?

Are there any other stumbling blocks I should be aware of?

Thanks,

Salt

 

[Steve Boyleston]

Salt that is old- Indian talk- I would make an inlet the whole box then the release. As for the space no need for gauges at all just fit them as close as you can, remember when the early rifles were made those guys just did a tight fit and went on. I have made them so tight I had to file the edge of the door down for clearance. TGP

 

[Birddog6]

Inlet it with the other parts on & it right against the lid. Otherwise you will end up with a noticable gap. You can always file the piece or lid just a tad to get the clearance.

On the latch. I take it you mean a button in the comb of the buttplate ? & then a rod down thru to push against a spring or latch. For me, it has worked best to keep this rod & rod hole as vertical as possible, As when the rod starts hitting the latch or spring at angles, it tends to make the rod bind in the rod hole, etc. Also spring should be stout enough to push the rod back up. I take a pipecleaner & coat it with RIG & lubricate the rod hole. Keeps it lubed & also from rusting.

I get the patchbox finale & lid on & latched in & adjusted, then I inlet the top & bottom sides of the patchbox. Don't know if it makes a dif, I just do it that way as I want the lid fitted to the buttplate, not get the lid on & sides on & then have to mod anything to make the latch work.
Then I cut in the patchbox main hole.
I don't like the latch part to be in the patchbox hole. I like them latch mechanism hole to be alone by itself.

:thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

On a related note, do pieces of patch box brass...for example, a brass cover...come already smooth or do they have to be sanded/steel wooled, etc?

 

[Birddog6]

If it is made of sheet brass, it will be slick/smooth as a sheet of new brass, with exception to possibly the cut edge. Sometimes those have some lil jags from the saw or punch, depending on how they were cut.

If is is a sand cast patchbox, it depends on where it came from. Some come sanded on the face (showing) some are rough cast just ike they came out of the casting mold.

 

[Old Salt]

Lyle,

Yes that is the release mechanism I'll be using.

I like the idea of installing the latch and then moving on to the side plates. Thanks for the advice.

Roundball,

The brass on the patch box I'm using is machine finished but will still need more sanding to bring out the best appearance.

Speaking from my experience, there are some areas of the finial for example that I chose to file the brass down flush to the wood instead of going deeper with the inlet. That naturally adds more work with fine files and sand paper to get back to the factory finish.

Salt

 

[JOHN ZUREKI]

Birddog6, that is a great tip on lubing the push rod hole with Rig. Sometimes I'm a wanting to drill that hole a little to big so as the rod will not bind. Thanks,....JZ

 

[Birddog6]

Well, it does need clearance, but not allot of clearance, and I find allot of guys don't lube it. End result is rust a couple years later & binding. If you lube the hole with RIG on a pipe cleaner, and just a smear a coat of it on the rod, it will be fine for many years.......

 

[Old Salt]

I got around to installing the latch mechanism over the weekend.

On the first try the push rod was too long so the latch didn't catch.

After I ground the push rod to the proper length the catch spring was so stiff I could only operate the push rod with the aid of a hardwood shim to press on the button.

I thinned the spring and opend up the inlet to allow more room for the spring. Then the catch was too loose. So I shimmed it back up with a few layers of paper glued in place.

Now the latch works well and the fit on the butt plate is very good. It still takes firm pressure to push the button.

How hard or how easy are these push rod latch mechanisms to operate when done by the experts?

Salt

 

[Birddog6]

I am by far not a pro, but IMHO, the spring/latch must have wood clearance over most of it's length except the hock part rretaining it, or it will be too stiff. And the pushrod must hit about 1/2 to 2/3 way towards the latch or it is hard to push in.

I like my button tension stiff enough that you don't accidentally rub over it & it unlatch. I want to have to Push it. Also like the button edges on top slghtly rounded so it don't snag ya & not sticking up much, maybe 1/32" min. to 1/16" at the most, so when I push it down it is about flush..

 

[Old Salt]

Birddog6,

I've always valued and appreciated your expert advice. :thumbsup:

On the second attempt I did see a problem with the spring/latch rubbing on the wood.

I followed the instructions and drilled straight through the middle of the butt. That put the push rod closer to the retaining screw area on the spring than the latch side. I could see that gave poor leverages so I moved the spring as far down in the butt as I see reasonable without getting too close to the edge of the stock.

I can open it with firm thumb pressure now. And it is secure when latched. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to seal all the wood under the butt plate now to avoid any changes caused by variation in humidity.

I'll move on to the side plates now.

Thanks again for your generous help.

Salt

 

[Birddog6]

Sounds like you have it right. FYI, I always seal under the buttplate, toeplate, lock inlet, trigger inlet, entrypipe, RR hole, RR pipes, barrel channel, anything exposed that or hidden is sealed with Tru-Oil or Permalyn.