Elephant Ivory sight warning

[Erzulis boat]

My latest pistol has an elephant ivory front bead.

I purchased the bead from NECG (Brownells). The catalog states that the sight shank is a slightly undersize 6-40 that requires an adhesive to positively secure.

I put my barrel into the Bridgeport and drilled and tapped the hole, having a great time.

THEN- just for a laugh, measured to see just how undersize it was. A couple of thousands?

Nope, that mofrack was an anorexic 5-40!

You know the really sad part of my tale? I will make this same mistake again sometime.

:shake:

 

Measure twice - cut once...

Are you going to plug it or something else?

 

[Erzulis boat]

Even though The bead would easily be retained with epoxy, I simply cannot bring myself to rely on an adhesive bond alone. I absolutely insist on mechanical bonds in conjunction with adhesives.

I will probably machine a small dovetail brass front sight in conjunction with a brass rear.

It is just as well, sometimes mistakes happen for a reason.

After I complete this belt-hooked traveling pistol, I am going to build an ebony stocked snaphaunce, and the ivory bead will be perfect, it will match the ivory tipped ramrod.


:hmm:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Measure twice - cut once...

As Stumps says, then cuss repeatedly. Works for me while I find a new way to screw up.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Even though The bead would easily be retained with epoxy, I simply cannot bring myself to rely on an adhesive bond alone. I absolutely insist on mechanical bonds in conjunction with adhesives.

I will probably machine a small dovetail brass front sight in conjunction with a brass rear.

It is just as well, sometimes mistakes happen for a reason.

After I complete this belt-hooked traveling pistol, I am going to build an ebony stocked snaphaunce, and the ivory bead will be perfect, it will match the ivory tipped ramrod.


:hmm:

If you have never used the standard JB Weld, you might want to check it out. Over the years I have been amazed at it's capabilities.

 

[AeroE]

Incidences like this and Schimmelsmith's are the reason airplane builders keep a crying chair in the shop.

 

[Zonie]

If you used a #33 tap drill (.1055 dia) you could run the #5-40 tap thru the hole tapping just the material that's left.

The #5-40 thread is .125 diameter which would be enough engagement to secure a front sight insert.
That coupled with some of the wonder epoxies would make a glued/mechanical joint that would never come undone. ::

 

[Erzulis boat]

The remaining metal tap idea would definitely work, even now you actually have to rotate the bead to insert it, albeit loose.

I have now started to machine a custom set as I usually do. The sights will be dovetailed front and rear, and be made from brass.

I will machine a finial on the rear sight base matching the flared and sculpted tang.

The front will be a semicircle on a relatively narrow dovetail extending past the flat for windage adjustment. I will also mimic the finial left and right, but only penetrate the dovetail about a third down, allowing the drift to contact a flat for adjustment.

I will post some pictures.

 

[kentucky bucky]

JB weld , baby....JB Weld!!!!!!