Handmade ramrod pipes

[Juniata]

I posted last week about the nose cap, and this week I made the entry pipe.
Clay Smith has an awesome how to video on making ramrod pipes. It definitely played a huge part in making them myself.
One thing I found myself wishing I had access to was sizes or template dimensions for 5/16 and 7/16 pipes.
Clay gave dimensions for a 3/8" pipe made with .032" sheet brass in his video.
I think it was 2" wide, with 3/8" tabs, wrapped around a piece of 3/8" steel rod will meet correctly.

I made one last evening and I messed it up, I am making 5/16" pipes for my kids gun. I did find that with .032" brass, at 1.5" wide, with a 3/16" tabs bent over, leaves an inch for the brass to wrap the 5/16" rod.

I want to figure what the right width will be to wrap a 7/16" pipe.
If I do the math right the difference from 5/16 to 3/8 is 1/4" wider. So a 7/16 pipes should be 1.5" from tab fold to tab fold. Don't hold me to that.

I will test this and make a post so maybe it will help someone else down the road make sheet brass pipes and know what size to cut their brass to before forming.

I really enjoy making these parts, very satisfying.

 

[PathfinderNC]

They look very good!

 

[Phil Coffins]

Very nice. A long time ago I made some pipes and to figure out what length of material needed and where to bent it I used a playing card. It was easy to bend to my mandrel then transferred the shape to the brass.

 

[Rob M.]

Beautiful pipes !

 

[tallPercshooter]

I used cutoff .45-70 brass with a tab soldered on the underside to replace missing forward thimbles. My 3/8 inch ramrod fits perfectly. Prob other large caliber brass would work also.

 

[Juniata]

Very nice. A long time ago I made some pipes and to figure out what length of material needed and where to bent it I used a playing card. It was easy to bend to my mandrel then transferred the shape to the brass.

I thought of that, but I thought the thickness of the brass may come into play...
Maybe it's close enough from thin card stock to the brass. Thanks!

 

[longcruise]

Beautiful pipes !

I got in trouble once saying that.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

I was told to get the circumference take the inside diameter of your pipe and multiply times Pi. so 7/16 x 3.14159 would equal 1.374.Then whatever you need for tabs. Haven't used this yet but it was taught to me in a class for figuring the ramrod pipes. Hope this helps. I have a diagram for 7/16 pipes and it is 1 5/8 long by 1 7/8 wide, each tab being 3/16.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

I posted last week about the nose cap, and this week I made the entry pipe.
Clay Smith has an awesome how to video on making ramrod pipes. It definitely played a huge part in making them myself.
One thing I found myself wishing I had access to was sizes or template dimensions for 5/16 and 7/16 pipes.
Clay gave dimensions for a 3/8" pipe made with .032" sheet brass in his video.
I think it was 2" wide, with 3/8" tabs, wrapped around a piece of 3/8" steel rod will meet correctly.

I made one last evening and I messed it up, I am making 5/16" pipes for my kids gun. I did find that with .032" brass, at 1.5" wide, with a 3/16" tabs bent over, leaves an inch for the brass to wrap the 5/16" rod.

I want to figure what the right width will be to wrap a 7/16" pipe.
If I do the math right the difference from 5/16 to 3/8 is 1/4" wider. So a 7/16 pipes should be 1.5" from tab fold to tab fold. Don't hold me to that.

I will test this and make a post so maybe it will help someone else down the road make sheet brass pipes and know what size to cut their brass to before forming.

I really enjoy making these parts, very satisfying.View attachment 289930View attachment 289928View attachment 289929

Really look good!

 

[Salty Cracker]

I posted last week about the nose cap, and this week I made the entry pipe.
Clay Smith has an awesome how to video on making ramrod pipes. It definitely played a huge part in making them myself.
One thing I found myself wishing I had access to was sizes or template dimensions for 5/16 and 7/16 pipes.
Clay gave dimensions for a 3/8" pipe made with .032" sheet brass in his video.
I think it was 2" wide, with 3/8" tabs, wrapped around a piece of 3/8" steel rod will meet correctly.

I made one last evening and I messed it up, I am making 5/16" pipes for my kids gun. I did find that with .032" brass, at 1.5" wide, with a 3/16" tabs bent over, leaves an inch for the brass to wrap the 5/16" rod.

I want to figure what the right width will be to wrap a 7/16" pipe.
If I do the math right the difference from 5/16 to 3/8 is 1/4" wider. So a 7/16 pipes should be 1.5" from tab fold to tab fold. Don't hold me to that.

I will test this and make a post so maybe it will help someone else down the road make sheet brass pipes and know what size to cut their brass to before forming.

I really enjoy making these parts, very satisfying.View attachment 289930View attachment 289928View attachment 289929

Really nice job. Congrats. Now file up those wedding bands and flats n you're in business.