How hard would it be

[wheelockhunter]

To find someone like a machinest to make certain parts for a gun? I see many post that people wait up to a year for parts from certain vendors.

How hard would it be to find a local person to make such a part instead? Would it be more of a quality issue? Thanks for any thoughts

BTW not asking anyone to find me a local person, just wondering if it sould be feasible to even try?

 

[rich pierce]

Usually "one-off's"- a machinist making one of something- are very expensive. It takes time thinking, planning and setting up a job. So normally the cost would be prohibitive.

If someone were machining a single lock from stock- all the parts, plus heat treating- it would probably cost several thousand dollars for the "first item".

 

[CrackStock]

It would be pretty rough. First you need pretty exact specifications on the parts and then you need someone willing to do the work at a reasonable rate. Maybe some high school shop teacher looking for something interesting for a class to make...

CS

 

[Mike Brooks]

depends on what you want made.
There's very litle when dealing with muzzleloaders that can't be made with a hack saw and a file.

 

[mikelange]

Mike pretty much asked the question that occurred to me -- what do you want made?

If lock parts, Dixie and Track Of The Wolf both sell castings of hammers, frizzens, pans, etc that can be re-worked to pretty much any shape you like. Of course this only applies to flintlock and percussion -- very early flintlocks like the snaphance, miquelet, etc, wheellocks, or matchlocks would be a totally different thing. Some of Dixie's castings, in particular, are pricey, but nothing compared to paying a machinist to "one-off" a complicated shape (such as a frizzen or hammer). As for lock internals, Track sells replacement parts for nearly every lock currently produced by Davis, Siler, Chambers, or L&R. I'd think something could be found that worked for you.

As far as the various pieces of brass, steel, or silver hardware go, the variety of styles available is almost endless; and, again, if what's available isn't exactly what you want, you can re-work something that's close to the precise shape you're looking for.

 

[mikelange]

I noticed your comment about people waiting for up to a year on certain parts, and realize that's why you're asking about just making it yourself. I presume you're talking about items not found in "standard" catalogs?

 

[wheelockhunter]

-- very early flintlocks like the snaphance, miquelet, etc, wheellocks, or matchlocks would be a totally different thing. .

That's more along the lines I was thinking of, some of the early desisgns that no onw seems to make.

Thanks for the information everyone.

 

[CrackStock]

Mike,

I think that having and communicating the specs is the limiting factor. Even then the guy has to be capable of making it work -- likely with no exerience.

The question was not if you could do it, but...

CS

 

[flashpanner]

As a former machinist, almost anything is possible. Big problem with makign something like BP parts is communicating what you want the finished part to look like. Alot of the parts are "artsy" and unless the machinist has a feel for the flavor of what you are wanting, i tmay come out looking too rigid or industrial looking. If you could find a guy that had a BP interest that would help. Also keep in mind you are paying for his time and expertise on knowing how to turn the cranks and cut the metal. He also has to make it profitable to cover his costs on running his business, paying off the capital equipment, etc. (shop rates vary from $40-$60/hr) To him it is a business, to you it is your pet project. I make alot of my own parts, I got access to machine tools to make some stuff. However, these tools were not available 200+ years ago and they made very nice firearms without them. Just points to ponder.

 

[wheelockhunter]

This is how a gentleman on another forum put it to me.

"Wheellock. Most of the parts except for the "gears" and spring are simple flat pieces of steel that could be done with a file and a drill. The wheel and gears would be cut to shape and diameter on a lathe and then the teeth would be milled in using a dividing head to space the teeth properly. Other than the lathe and mill work you don't "need" a machinist."

Makes it sound easier than what it is? I know he's never put one together. But am I wrong in thinking I need some one to make the parts for me?

 

[WRussell]

I'm with Flashpanner in that most machinists would have a different idea of how it was supposed to look than you do, so the specs would be a real problem. If you had one for him to copy, that would make it better, but...

Can you make the parts yourself? You might be surprised. Just start whackin' and smackin' and filin' and you'll probably get the hang of it. You can do a lot with mild steel and a big hammer. Cold forging is fun. And case hardening is easy and works really well - has advantages over using tool steel. Hardware stores have mild steel in bars, rods and strips. Nails are a good source.

You'll have something that's more PC, too, since originals were made of soft wrought iron and case hardened. The only carbon steel was the springs.