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How hard is it to make caps?

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I use a fired and cleaned out small rifle primer to measure the charges and the duco acetone mix to fix the charge in place. Using this formula my caps are noticeably hotter than rem or cci. In fact I think that for those who wish to use 777 these are a much better ignition option.

The pop can really needs to be doubled over. Its very appealing to the frugality bone but somewhat of a PITA. I ordered a sheet of .05 alluminum and copper fro Amazon and definitely prefer both over pop cans although the copper is a little slower to work with.

one misfire out of several hundred used. That was in the first batch using only acetone to set the compound. The compound had fallen out.

That's a great idea for sizing down to #10. Gonna try that :thumb:
So do you think .005 shim stock would work or go .010 which would be about the same as a doubled over can. Either in brass, copper, aluminum or bronze
 
So I was staying away and not looking at percussion guns because caps are non existent or cost an arm and a leg, but I just now found out about the kit you can get for making caps, but I couldn't find any in depth details on how it works nor how reliable said caps are or what is used to keep the prime all compound in, if the caps made are decent I'll order a percussion gun right now along with the kit, I also have a 3d printer so I'm sure I could design something that would greatly speed up the process of making them
A number of guys posted about that; I bet u-tube has lots, too.
 
Catboy
The copper or brass would do ok I was to cheap to buy it, I wanted to use what I had on hand! The alum. flairs out on firing that is because it is folded together in forming. Even the factory caps bust out when fired.
 
It seems the aluminum from 16oz tall cans is better than 12oz cans. I use single layer from these larger cans and it works well.
 
It seems the aluminum from 16oz tall cans is better than 12oz cans. I use single layer from these larger cans and it works well.
Do you happen to know how thick it is? I'm ordering stuff now to make caps, and need to know so i can get the correct thickness shim stock, 6x100 inch brass roll should make at least a couple hundred caps I'd imagine. My family doesn't drink enough soda to have cans I can use and so it's easier for me to just buy correct thickness shim stock
 
Do you happen to know how thick it is? I'm ordering stuff now to make caps, and need to know so i can get the correct thickness shim stock, 6x100 inch brass roll should make at least a couple hundred caps I'd imagine. My family doesn't drink enough soda to have cans I can use and so it's easier for me to just buy correct thickness shim stock
I don’t have any on hand to measure right now. Our son will occasionally buy the 24oz cans of Arizona ice tea. Those have worked out well.
 
Pie plates and big alum. Bake pans work, but still have to dbbl up on thickness I have pilfered many from the better-halfs stock pile…hehehe. Then I got caught ooooops! And watch the edges they are sharp more than you think too!
 
So do you think .005 shim stock would work or go .010 which would be about the same as a doubled over can. Either in brass, copper, aluminum or bronze
I think the .005 would work. My stock measures .005. When I measured pop cans they were .0025 single and .005 double so that's why I ordered .005. Not sure if .010 would work but you might try it.
 
This is the stuff I use. The aluminum is a little faster to work with but I like both.

20231206_080450_copy_600x800.jpg
 
I’ve made caps several different ways. I like using duco cement mixed with acetone. I never measured how much cement to acetone, but anywhere from 6 to 1 to 10 to 1 ratio acetone/ cement should be fine. Another thing I do is after adding the acetone/ cement mixture is I add a Legends of the west paper cap or nitrated coffee filter I punch out with a star shaped paper punch over the top to hold things in place. It adds a bit more punch to the cap also. Also the duco cement is nitrocellulose based which is a powerful propellant also. You can punch out round caps instead of star shaped, it works fine also. A word of warning about punching paper caps. Every once in awhile you will set one off when you punch them, so keep punched caps away when you are punching! If you set one off, when you finish punching, clean your punch or next time you go to use it it will be a rusted up mess!
 
Do you have your own special recipe? I see some people use acetone, some hair spray, some use superglue do you have experience about which is best for keeping the powder in the cap?
I have used a 50/50 mix of acetone and model airplane glue, the type used for wooden models. I have had great success with tamping the prime all into the bottom of the cap and adding a drop of the mixture. It locks it all in.
 
Once you get the hang of punching them out, you can make 100s in an hour.
I have a good supply of pop can sides that Ive cut into one inch striped.
Its puttin the goo into them that takes a NY Minute.

I tired using the brass I make gas checks from. Too thick for the cap maker to feed.
Can sides worked better for me.
 
On that note, here is a tip...

A lot of times I can't find what I'm looking for by using the search function. So, I go to Google and type in the search. Usually toward the top of the results list you will find this forum with the discussions listed below it!
Yeah? And you landed back here for a reason,, right?
I know, the search function here sucks, the software changed, items have been lost, you really have too dig,, but it's here.
 

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