Making wheellock

[Andrey22]

Previously, I made flintlocks: French type
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...fy-malfunctions-and-their-elimination.123882/Caucasian flintlock miquelet of the Circassian type
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/making-circassian-or-caucasian-flintlock-miquelet.118934/Now I want to try to make a wheellock.
As a sample, I took a photo from one of the European sites.

 

[Andrey22]

I had a lot of questions and I have been collecting information about these weapon locks for a long time.
The main question was how to make a slot for a wheel in a powder shelf?
I decided to make a special cutter from tool steel, the profile of which was the same as the profile of the wheel.

 

[Andrey22]

Gradually began to make blanks for the future wheel lock

 

[Sam squanch]

You must have a lot of time on your hands..

 

[Andrey22]

You must have a lot of time on your hands..

A hobby sometimes takes a lot of time, but if you get results and pleasure, then you don’t mind the time

 

[tallpine]

Andrey, I always enjoy seeing your projects, thanks for posting

 

[dave_person]

Hi Andrey,
In 1995 there was a paper published in the journal Scientific American by a professor of the history of technology. He provided pretty compelling evidence that Leonardo Da Vinci likely invented the first wheelock mechanism. He also noted that in the Da Vinci notebook showing the first wheelock design were drawings showing that the wheel of the lock was used as a milling cutter to cut the slots into the bottom of the pan (powder shelf). The wheels typically have grooves going around the edge but also grooves going across. Those cross wise grooves formed cutting teeth allowing the wheel to cut its way into the pan. So the wheel was made of high carbon steel, finished, polished, hardened and then tempered, and then used as the cutter to make the slots in the pan. Consequently, the opening is precisely fitted to the wheel, which would prevent priming powder from leaking through the opening.

dave

 

[Andrey22]

Those cross wise grooves formed cutting teeth allowing the wheel to cut its way into the pan. So the wheel was made of high carbon steel, finished, polished, hardened and then tempered, and then used as the cutter to make the slots in the pan.

Thank you, this is great news.

 

[LawrenceA]

@Rudyard might be able to help.
I believe he has made a few

 

[Andrey22]

@Rudyard might be able to help.

Thank you, I have collected a lot of information. I also closely follow the works of Boleslav Maciaszczyk from Poland and sometimes consult with him.

 

[Andrey22]

Did a little work on the hammer.
Started making the bottom jaw of the hammer.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I am interested in your work as I have wanted to make a wheel lock for several years as I am knapping impaired, and caps are going out of sight in price.

 

[Patch]

I also enjoy reading about projects like this, you get to learn something new and it just goes to show that there is no end to the the rabbit hole. Thank you for posting.

 

[C Joscelyn]

Your parts are looking good!
Do you have a set of drawings, if so, where are they available?

 

[dave_person]

Thank you, I have collected a lot of information. I also closely follow the works of Boleslav Maciaszczyk from Poland and sometimes consult with him.

Hi Andrey,
Good, you are consulting with Bolek, perhaps the best wheellock maker anywhere.

dave

 

[Andrey22]

Do you have a set of drawings, if so, where are they available?

I have drawings that I found on the net. If you need them write me a private message. However, I make this castle only from photographs and use scaling.

 

[Andrey22]

Good, you are consulting with Bolek, perhaps the best wheellock maker anywhere.

Boleslav is the best master of wheel locks.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/90460842974/user/100001438015344I try to learn from him. I will make keys for a wheel lock based on his samples.

 

[Andrey22]

A lot of work has been done...
One of these days I will start the first assembly

 

[Andrey22]

The first assembly has encountered an error...
It is necessary to shorten the plate that presses the wheel axle.

 

[C Joscelyn]

Nice work!