Track of the wolf cast pineapple cap box

[Chevythunderman]

Doe's anyone have any pictures or sketches of how to install the spring on the track of the wolf cast pineapple cap box? I'm too simple I guess to figure out how it goes in the gun.... :surrender:

 

[FishDFly]

Why not ask TOW, seems simple to me.

 

[Chevythunderman]

See that's what I'm talking about. I didn't even think to email them and ask them. Just thought a forum was a place for others to help others.....Thought maybe someone would think outside the box and come up with something different or ingenious.

 

[FishDFly]

Nope, I think in the box and ask the manufacturer when I need information, too much bad information here at times.

Got a problem with an L&R lock, ask the manufacturer, not some home gunsmith.

 

[Chevythunderman]

I'll agree with that to some degree but on the other hand sometimes a "home gunsmith" will have some ideas that will work that the manufacturer has not seen. Sometimes new eyes will help you see something a very skilled person can't. Its up to the other to interpret those ideas and tips and tricks to see if they will work. If you use them and they were a bad idea....well....I guess natural selection has its way of finding those individuals. If your not smart enough to figure those out then you prolly shouldn't be in the gunsmithing business!!

 

[Pete G]

Show us what it looks like. Nobody can figure out something that they can't even see.

Incidentally most of the springs that come with patchbox kits are junk and in no way resemble anything that was ever on an old rifle.

 

[longcruise]

Nothing wrong with your question. There are people on this forum who can give lessons to the folks at Track. Not that the people at Track are not a good source, but the more advanced gun builders are uncanny in the way they come up with ideas.

 

[Chevythunderman]

I totally agree!!! Sometimes manufacturers are narrow minded in the fact that they can only see the one way that they designed there product. And someone had to design it in the first place and what makes that person so much more of a gunsmith than the next person. If there was only one way of doing things then why do we sell so many different items to put on a gun!!

So back to the original question? Anyone with any pictures????? Im assuming that the spring lays flat in the opening and the up part of the spring sits underneath the dog on the lip.....

 

[frogwalking]

From Track's on-line catalog; "This complete kit includes precision wax castings that require some fitting, assembly, and polishing, plus the springs and screws needed to mount the patchbox. The patchbox door spring is mounted vertically to the bottom of the cavity. The dog leg bend applies pressure to a cam lobe on the center hinge of the door, holding it open and closed."

 

[Chevythunderman]

What I guess I don't understand is when they say vertically does that mean you lay it down inside the cap box or mount it to the side that the dog leg is on? If its to the side do you have to cut the spring to make it fit? I know this is a simple thing that I'm just making difficult in my head but for the life of me I just cant wrap my head around it.....

 

[frogwalking]

I have installed springs on a number of cap boxes and patch poxes in the past, but not on one with the hinge running fore-and-aft, so to speak. I think they intend to lay the spring flat on the bottom of the cap box recess, aligned vertically, or transverse to the stock direction, The bent end will be down, and will bear on the cam cast into the bottom of the door. The spring will therefore keep the door shut, but also will hold it open. This is a function of the shape of the cam on the door. Play with it for a while so you understand how it is supposed to work before installing it. If you still can't figure it out, bore a big hole in a piece of pine, screw the cap box down over the hole, inletting for the door cam, and practice with the spring until you understand how it works. It is not particularly intuitive.

 

[Chevythunderman]

I think I know what your talking about there! That's how I imagined it in my head but I've been playing around with it and I haven't had any luck with it working the way I think it should. I will try your idea with the board to try it many different ways. That's a great idea. I don't know why I never thought of that. Sometimes I try to overcomplicate things and lose sight of the most simple way of doing things. Thank you!

 

[frogwalking]

at is a nice cap box. It will be nice on your rifle. I have been making these mls for almost 50 years as a hobby, and continue to improve, as I also take longer on each build. I now take however long is required to make a jig or mold to do it right.

 

[Herb]

Is this the one you are talking about? This is on a .58 fullstock Hawken flintlock I built.

The catch spring is screwed to the floor of the box. The lid lifter spring is a piece of hacksaw blade fitted under the rim of the box.

 

[Herb]

Here is with the spring showing.

 

[frogwalking]

No. That is not it. The one TOW sells has a single spring that both holds the door open and closed. Yours appears to have separate springs.

 

[Chevythunderman]

I think I got it figured out this weekend. My work computer won't show pictures so I'll have to check out the pictures tonight when I get home. I appreciate all the help. I just mounted it down on the floor of the opening with the spring up against the cam of the door. The capbox is a beautiful piece but I think this may be the last one I ever put in. To get the spring to hold the door shut its too tight to get the door open. Back it off enough to get it open and it falls open just a little bit. Good thing the owner of this rifle told me that he just wanted it on there for decoration and not function. As soon as I figure out how to post pics on here I'll post some pics of it.

 

[Chevythunderman]

I finally received a response back from TOW on the cap box. They said that they have a picture of a "nifty" catch spring design for their cap box. They are looking for the picture and as soon as they do they will send it to me. So it sounds to me like they don't even use the spring they sell with the cap box. As soon as they find the picture and email it to me I will post it. It seems to me that I'm not the only one with this problem after doing some research.

 

[Zonie]

I think the spring they sent you is intended to open the lid.

The "catch" is a different part that holds the spring loaded lid shut (until it is moved).

 

[frogwalking]

If you decide to use the "nifty" catch spring they are talking about, it will work like the photos Herb posted. The provided spring will have to be modified to only open the cap box then. You can do it either way you want.