Brescian Wheelock Progress Report

[Leonredbeard]

AQ
I'll see if I can find the copies of the drawings that were done for me. They would be most helpful.
volatpluvia

 

[Owen]

I also can send/email the sheets I got copys of as well as well if needed

 

[arquebusiers]

I have a machine screws, I have a little workshop with some machinery and in a few weeks I would have access to a tower. My problem is that I have no plans mounting, I did not even have a photo of the original pistol. All informations are welcome, sheets, plans and photos. :surrender:

 

[arquebusiers]

Have you an original pic of the Brescian pistol?

 

[bioprof]

Completed a new milestone for myself today. I just finished drilling the ramrod hole to full depth without breaking out the bottom of the stock or into the barrel channel. I had a local machine shop weld a regular twist drill bit onto a 4 foot steel rod. It cost me a total of about $20 for the drill bit. My cordless drill didn't quite have enough power to do the job though. I could only get about 3" of drilling to the charge. I also had to lube the drill bit with some paste wax to keep it from binding. It feels good to get it done. I cut off the bottom of the stock to nearly it's finished depth, so I didn't have much leeway.

I used a a chisel and a home made scorp to make the ramrod channel.

 

[bioprof]

The pre-flintlock category has been kind of quiet for a while, so I thought I'd show the work that I've done this week. I finished inletting the ramrod pipes yesterday and got them pinned today. They are kind of spindle shaped, so inletting was slow going. Took me about 6 hours to inlet them both. Came out pretty well for a amateur I think. The forward ramrod pipe looks crooked in the picture, but I think it's just an optical illusion from the camera.

Next on the agenda is to inlet the lock.

 

[Leonredbeard]

Bioprof,
Hey, great to have someone start something here. I was going into the shakes withdrawing. I just haven't got anything done to my lock and didn't have anything to report.
I like the look of that grain on your forstock. It should look real nice finished. Your inletting work looks good. I have found it is easier to inlet the tailpipe if you take the wood down a little closer to where it will be.
I am glad to see you are making progress.
volatpluvia

 

[arquebusiers]

Germanic Wheellock Pistol (623)
I just received my parcel from TRS, it is very good indeed, impressive, I wish you aware of the progress of work :hatsoff:

For my wheellock of Blackley, I still lack the parts they don't sent to me, they are really slow!

 

[widget350]

:thumbsup: Please post up a picture or 2 when you get a chance.

 

[ChrisPer]

Thats great Arquebusier, I am very pleased for you. Did you have any questions from the customs officers?

 

[PitchyPine]

Very nice. :thumbsup:

 

[bioprof]

I finally got back to working on my lock after setting it aside for several weeks. I fitted my spare wheel to the pan and cut notches in the edge of the wheel with a jewelers saw. I used a small cold chisel and upset the notches a little bit to give a little more aggressive bite on the pyrite. I then hardened the wheel by heating it with a MAP gas torch and quenching it in oil, and then baked it for 5 minutes in Kasenite and quenched in water.

On about the third try with FFFFG powder in the pan, I finally got ignition!!!!! :grin: By that time however, the edge on my pyrite was worn out and I couldn't get enough spark for another ignition. I think I need some larger pieces of pyrite. The cubes that I have are only about 7/16" square, so it doesn't take much to wear them off to the point where they are too short. I am happy that I got it to work at least once though.

It seems like the powder is down in the pan below the edge of the wheel, and the sparks occur on the top of the wheel above the powder. If I load up the pan with powder so it is above the wheel, I don't get very good spark. Any hints? Does FFFFG work the best for priming?

 

[Leonredbeard]

Bioprof,
Definately 4fg. Pyrite sparks are not very hot. Pile the powder up between the back of the wheel and the shield on the pan. Make sure the spot the where you set the pyrite down is clear of powder. Upsetting your cuts may have been a mistake. Pyrite crumbles easily. The knife edge of the ridge heats a spot on the pyrite and then the cut knocks it off into the powder. The aggressive bite just breaks too big pieces off your pyrite and they are not hot enough. You need have your wheel only break very small bits off for the best heat. Heat is what lights the powder. I hope this helps.
volatpluvia

 

[bioprof]

Volatpluvia,

What you say makes a lot of sense, but it does seem to spark better now than it did before. I just barely tapped the notches, so I don't think it will eat the pyrite too badly. If it does, I can always go back to the first wheel that I tried.