Low tech patch making tool.

[TANSTAAFL]

Moderator, as there is no "shop tools/how to" category, posted here, feel free to move as you see fit.

I was making some round ball patches today and took pics of a little tool came up with sometime back.

It is low tech and easy to make. The one here I made from short length of chain link fence top rail tubing. (1 1/4" I.D,) Cut it off with hack saw, squared up the ends with file and small machinists square. I took cupped retainer from an old truck shock and centered up the tubing in it. Used low temp silver solder to join, the hole in retainer was OK for piece of 3/8" all thread, used internal jam nut. Chucked up in drill press, indexed to minimum run out, and tightened external nut. Sharpened the opening to a knife edge, and it has been cutting out patches ever since. I have made up three different sized ones for various calibers.

With this tool it takes about 2 seconds to make a patch. Sure beats the hardened valve stem guides off large industrial engines I used batter them out with.

 

[Swampman]

I use scissors and make them square. It's fast and easy. Nice tool though. I've used conduit to make felt shotgun wads out of old felt hat blank trimmings. You have to sharpen them after 10 wads but it is a cheap trick and it works.

 

[Slamfire]

My wife lets me use her hi-tech rotary fabric slicer. It'll reduce a yard of pillow tickin' to strips in just a couple of passes. After that, I cut 'em to size at the loadin' block. :thumbsup:

 

[jethro224]

I've been just rippin' a strip off the edge of the pillow ticking. Takes about 2 seconds. Then just jam 'em in yer pouch or pocket and cut at the muzzle with a sharp knife.
Perfectly round and centered every time. :thumbsup:
Nice tool tho if you like 'em pre-cut. :hatsoff:
Have you tried layering your cloth and cuttin' a whole stack at once? :hmm:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

"Have you tried layering your cloth and cuttin' a whole stack at once?"

Nope, haven't tried that, sounds like a good idea though. One at a time cuts so easy, I just got into the habit of spreading the cloth a bit with forefinger and thumb on either side of tool and go down the single layer of cloth.

 

[Swampman]

If you cut those strips into squares, you can throw your patch knife away. Patch knives, priming horns, and short starters are stuff we should leave at home.

 

[sniper68]

I made a similar set up years ago, out of hole saws. I cut strips of ticking in about 6" strips, soaked in my melted, secret :rotf: patch lube. On a hard surface I squeegee all the excess out using a 6" plastic wallpaper squeegee from the paint store. I made a top board with a hole or holes, slightly larger than the patch cutter. I fold the cloth to make 3 layers.you can easly stack several layers, I usualy do 3 layers at once(9 patches per cut). I place the top board over the material and hold firmly and drill through. The top board compacts the layers together enough that the cutter goes through w/no fraying. Don't see why it wouldn't work on unlubed patches to..

 

[Russianblood]

If you cut those strips into squares, you can throw your patch knife away. Patch knives, priming horns, and short starters are stuff we should leave at home.

But I love my patch knife, priming horn and short starter . . . :grin:

 

[Halftail]

. Patch knives, priming horns, and short starters are stuff we should leave at home.

Swampman,
It's no fun to play if you don't have all the toys. :blah:

 

[Halftail]

Patch knives, priming horns, and short starters are stuff we should leave at home.

Swampman,
I wasen't going to ask you ,But what make you say that?

 

[J.D.]

I'm not Swampman, but I share his opinion that those items are totally unecessary, and more of a PITA than a help.
J.D.

 

[Swampman]

Why carry something you don't need? It's just extra weight.

 

[trent/OH]

"It's just extra weight."

I carry extra weight all the time.(VBG) Two extra pounds would be nothing. That said, I don't own any of the three items under discussion.

 

[Slamfire]

I've been just rippin' a strip off the edge of the pillow ticking. Takes about 2 seconds. Then just jam 'em in yer pouch or pocket and cut at the muzzle with a sharp knife.
Perfectly round and centered every time. :thumbsup:
Nice tool tho if you like 'em pre-cut. :hatsoff:
Have you tried layering your cloth and cuttin' a whole stack at once? :hmm:

Yessir, I fold up the whole yard into one stack and cut it 1 1/2" wide. Very seldom do I have to go back over a cut. :winking: I do keep both hands on top of the frame though. :shocked2:

 

[Bolink654]

I made a wad cutter for reloading .410 shells out of a 7.62x54r case. Cut it off just below the neck, cut off the bottom/primer end as well. Then I stuffed one of them rubber expanding drums that the sandpaper rings go on from a dremel tool, tighten the screw down from the other end. For easy removal of cut wads, I used a hacksaw down the length of it until I hit the sanding drum, now just use a hooked peice of wire to get the wads out, instead of removing the drum everytime. I cut wads out of cork, paper, cardboard and plastic with it chucked in a drill.

I been meanin to do the same thing and cut felt wads for the .50... not sure what shell to use though? .50-70 maybe? Or perhaps the hardware store has something with an ID of .50 or a bit tighter.

 

[marwat06]

Nice Tool! I am not that handy ... I just cut square patches. One thing my wife showed me ... if you use pinking shears (sawtooth scissors) than the patches don't fray as much. Helps having a wife who sews ... knows alot about fabrics. Matter of fact more and more of her sew stuffs been ending up in my den.

 

[Halftail]

Patch knives, priming horns, and short starters are stuff we should leave at home.

Extra weight.....What maybe a Pound?I think I can handle it. :hmm:

 

[Swampman]

I'd rather carry extra food, water, powder, or lead. Useless junk in your hunting pouch will cost you a shot sooner or later.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Wasn't that hard to make, and as others have pointed out they have made several variations of same.

When a perceived need arises for a tool, I generally just cobble up something from whatever I have lying around in the scrap pile.

 

[SilverBear]

I've been just rippin' a strip off the edge of the pillow ticking. Takes about 2 seconds. Then just jam 'em in yer pouch or pocket and cut at the muzzle with a sharp knife.
Perfectly round and centered every time.

I got to agree with old Jethro there, that's the the way I do it. In my book that's one of those "it don't need fixing so why break it" deals.

Tony