Making wood ramrod questions

[lewinskics]

I've ordered everything I need to make up a couple of new hickory ramrods for my GPR's but have a few questions before I start. First question- when I read about soaking the unfinished ramrods in lamp oil- is this referring to the oil you refill the old "wick-style" table lamps? Is there something else I could substitute? I've also heard kerosene or white gas works- could I use Coleman lantern fuel? Another question is what is the preferred method for tapering/fitting the hickory rod ends to the brass fittings? Lastly, any suggestions for straightening the rod material? 2 of the 4 are actually pretty decent, 1 is not so good, and 1 is plain terrible. I have a fair amount of experience working with wood arrow shafting, and have tried using those methods to straighten, but this hickory does not want to cooperate. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Birddog6]

I've ordered everything I need to make up a couple of new hickory ramrods for my GPR's but have a few questions before I start. First question- when I read about soaking the unfinished ramrods in lamp oil- is this referring to the oil you refill the old "wick-style" table lamps?

IMHO, This is total B.S. and a total waste of time. Turner Kirkland started that B.S. 40 years ago & is still laughing his butt off about it. All that will do is make the RR smell like whatever you soak them in & keep any stain from penetrating them. A good straight grained RR doesn't need anything on it, unless you want to change color or apply a oil finish.

Another question is what is the preferred method for tapering/fitting the hickory rod ends to the brass fittings?

Take a countersink bit & countersink the hole the rod will go in. Measure the depth of wood needed to fit into the hole. File/rasp off the wood while turning it, or chuck it in a lathe & turn it if you have one. Slip the tip on & check fit. If the tip has a hole clear thru it, cuts a small circle of cardboard & out in hole to block off the threads for a jag. Put some Accraglass or Devcon 2000 epoxy in the hole & smear around the rod, them press it in & squeeze all the excess epoxy out. Set it aside in a Vertical position with the tip on the bottom. Leave it set 24 hrs. Now drill a 1/16" cross-pin hole thru the tip & take a countersink & barely countersink the hole on each side. Put a #3 finish nail in the hole & cut off excess, leaving the head on one side & about 1/32" of the shaft exposed on the other side. Go to the back of the vice & lay rod so nail head is against vice & peen the shaft on the other side til it is down almost flush. Turn it over & file some of the head down & peen it as well. Now draw file both places wehere the nail went thru til it is even with the RR tip. This WILL NOT come off.

Lastly, any suggestions for straightening the rod material? 2 of the 4 are actually pretty decent, 1 is not so good, and 1 is plain terrible. I have a fair amount of experience working with wood arrow shafting, and have tried using those methods to straighten, but this hickory does not want to cooperate.

Ramrods are not supposed to be straight. A straight one will not stay put & constantly sliding forward. However, you can usually bow one the opposite way you want it to go & apply a heat gun & straighten them. Then seal them with Tru-Oil or Permalyn. If they get moisture in them, they will revert to the original crooks.

Keith Lisle

 

[lewinskics]

Great info, Keith. Thanks for the help- looks like you may have saved me a step with the lamp oil.

Chris

 

[MSW]

ayup - what Kieth said ... that "lamp oil" old wives' tale is just that - an old wives' tale ... i tried it and all i got fot my troubles was a stinky ramrod

 

[Shifty]

I split mine from straight grain hickory they don't need any straightening I sometimes have to induce a bend to make them stay in the tubes,if you have really crooked hickory use a heat gun as already stated if that don't work use steam,I have used this method for yrs in building premitive bows,have fun, oh yea I just put a metal end on one end most of the time and make my own.

 

[M. De Land]

Wonder how bamboo would work for a loading rod? I know split bamboo used to make very good fly rods and it is strong as can be. MD

 

[Claude Mathis]

Wonder how bamboo would work for a loading rod?

Bamboo can be very abrasive.

 

[ohio ramrod]

To straighten a ram rod, Wait for a full moon, point ramrod at full moon and chant:" ong gotcha way la " three times. Oh wait, my bad! That is for boomerangs that won't come back! :rotf:

 

[necchi]

I thought it had to be done by a blind man standing in a creek that runs north/south on a full moon.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Out here the chant is, "Owa tagoo siam."

 

[M. De Land]

Thanks, didn't know that. More so than hickory I wonder? Sure is light, tough and almost impossible to break by pushing on it length wise.
I used to use it in my junior high years for pole vaulting before we got fiberglass. MD

 

[Jaeger]

Here's a little trick I use to get a nice even fit between the brass tip on a ramrod and the wooden "shoulder" where the tip ends. I measure the space inside the tip, then take that dimension and mark it on the rod, but I subtract an eighth inch or so. File or carve the rod end so that the tip fits over it nicely. Then I put the tip in a vise and, using an angular needle file, cut about 4 tiny angled, SHALLOW "teeth" into the end of the brass tip...kind of like saw teeth. Slide the tip onto the tapered end of the wooden rod and rotate it by hand so that it cuts a nice, even shoulder. Then use a file to carefully file down the end of the brass tip and make the "teeth disappear. I find that it gives me a neat, even joint between the tip and the rod. I usually drill one hole through the tip and the rod and pin the tip to the rod with some heavy copper wire, peened and filed flush. This in addition to glue, of course.

 

[lewinskics]

Great tip, Jaeger. Thanks- looking to try this out over the weekend.

Chris

 

[F.G. Ford]

I make all my ramrods from hickory purchased from a local wood provider.
If I get a piece 1" X 4" X 60", I will cut strips 1/2", 7/16", and 3/8"
Then I remove corners off the varied strips, with a home made shaving tool that has 1/2", 7/16",3/8" and 5/16" holes that have been drilled on the outer edge of the tool.
With a hack saw I have cut half of the metal away, leaving u shaped configuration.
I have hardened and sharpened the tool, leaving a handy spoke shave, which I hold in a vise and pull each square piece of hickory through to make my ram rods.
It take about 15 minutes to make a 48" ramrod.
It is easy to make a shotgun type of ramrod, which is quite large at the tip and tapers quickly to the first thimble.
Fred