Making Homemade Fiber Wads

[musketman]

They're easy enough to make, just drill the proper size holes in a plank, fill with compressed wet (watered down glue) material and let dry...

What material would you use to mass produce homemade wad material?

News paper.
Fodder.
Toilet paper.
Wood punk.
Old Christmas cards.
Dryer lint.
Other???

What is the buzz on homemade wad material?

 

[Rebel]

Well to MASS produce why not get a few pieces of pipe with an inside diameter the size you need and about a foot or so long. Cap one end and fill with wet newspaper and keep tamping it in with a wood dowel just under the inside pipe diameter. Then let dry and push out and cut to thickness with sharp knife or razor?

 

[musketman]

That would work too... :redthumb:

 

[RussB]

Well to MASS produce why not get a few pieces of pipe with an inside diameter the size you need and about a foot or so long. Cap one end and fill with wet newspaper and keep tamping it in with a wood dowel just under the inside pipe diameter. Then let dry and push out and cut to thickness with sharp knife or razor?

Hmmmmm..... :hmm:...."I will be back! :crackup:

Gotta work on this a bit. Would adding a water / flour paste,(very watery) help any, ya think?

I can do this, I betcha!

Russ

 

[Dave K]

I am too lazy to make them. Heck for something like $7.50 I get a 1000 of them and these I cut in 1/2 because they pattern better that way.

 

[RussB]

I am too lazy to make them. Heck for something like $7.50 I get a 1000 of them and these I cut in 1/2 because they pattern better that way.

Dave, I would be interested in hearing more about this. :what:


Where, what size, any particulars.....I've paid that much for 50! :boohoo:

I can be lazy. I can be real lazy, And, I betcha on that too!


Russ

 

[Rebel]

Russ, on your way through Springfield you should stop in at The Gun Works. They have wads in all bore sizes. It is about $7.50 a thousand for over powder and over shot wads, and about the same for 500 cushion wads. They also have about everything else a person need for a muzzleloader.

 

[RussB]

Russ, on your way through Springfield you should stop in at The Gun Works. They have wads in all bore sizes. It is about $7.50 a thousand for over powder and over shot wads, and about the same for 500 cushion wads. They also have about everything else a person need for a muzzleloader.

Rebel....I have plenty of "shotgun wads" for my smooth bore, it's the felt wads for rifle that is so darn expensive. I get my wads from Circle Fly, or BPI for the smoothie. But it's that "other" wad that I would like to get.

BTW; I started using a "Fiber Cushion Wad" .671, tearing it in half with my finger nails, and use that for my wad when shooting roundball in the smoothie...works like a dream!
I need .54, and .58 felt wads.
I cut the 50's with a $2 punch from Harbor Freight. The only "good punch" I've got is a .459 for my 45-70 shooting BP cartridges. That punch runs about $30.00 w/shipping from Buffalo Arms. They have other punches, but I don't have the 30 bucks for all the punches I would like to have.

Maybe she who must be obeyed will hear me whinning and come to my rescue....but I ain't going to hold my breath.

Russ

 

[Rebel]

Russ, you may still want to check out the Gun Works as they may have the wads you are looking for. Joe stocks a lot of stuff that nobody else around here has. Might be worth a try.

 

Fibre wads you purchase are usually "donacona", fiberboard building material, available in 8X4 foot sheets from building suply stores. You can use a 3/4" arch punch to punch your own wads out, but the arch punch, held in a drill press chuck, with it running at low sped, will give better results. The wads are made as quickly as you operate the lever and push a piece of donacona along. Arch punches are available in sizes close enough to most bore sizes of smoothbores.
: Card overshot wads are merely punched out with the same punch, of tablet backing, or monopoly boards for overpowder wads. As well, those thicker wads can be split into two or three pieces fro overshot wads. Cornflakes or other cerial boxes make good overshot wads.

 

[strongarm]

Got a 100% wool coat that is too small or too worn. Works great, just try to keep away from the lining or a lot of thread that could be synthetic, not cotton. :imo:

 

[musketman]

Got a 100% wool coat that is too small or too worn. Works great,

I have one too, but them I would be worried about wad moths... :haha:

 

[RussB]

Got a 100% wool coat that is too small or too worn. Works great,

I have one too, but them I would be worried about wad moths... :haha:

Wad Moths??? Hmmm :hmm: :redface:

Russ

 

RussB - I make punches out of
electrical conduit. You can get a lot of sizes. Sharpen the outside edge. Buy all the felt hats you want at second-hand stores, garage sales/fleamkts, etc. Use the end of a 4x4 block and start punching. Lube 'em with your favorite potion. I've made about 200 felt wads for my 18ga sxs and only re-sharpened it once.