What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?

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flconch53 said:
As I understand it you are trying ti make clearance for a ram rod. If so just use a round file and file away the metal that is in the way of the ram rod. Mark your screw so you put it in the same each time
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If you have to turn the whole screw I guess a small belt sander to spin it on. It is going to be pretty difficult to thread a 5/40 thread in a vice
You will need a new sharp die so you don't wring it off
 
Winterhawk said:
I would try chucking it in the drill press and run it against your file, carborundum stone or whatever you are using to work it down. If you don't have enough for a good bite, try running a nut up to the head, tighten securely and hold that in the chuck. Or, can you get a longer (2 1/4" or 2 1/2") 8-32 bolt?
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I've ordered a 3 1/2" 8-32" zinc plated screw, slotted with pan head, plus a 1/4" OD Aluminum tube to use as a sleeve once the tube is drilled and lightly tapped or just drilled to let the screw just barely drop in. Thank you. Damn the torpedoes; full steam ahead.
 
flconch53 said:
If you have to turn the whole screw I guess a small belt sander to spin it on. It is going to be pretty difficult to thread a 5/40 thread in a vice
You will need a new sharp die so you don't wring it off
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That reminds me of once cracking a die in a vise. And come to think of it, it would be a shame to snap off a newly made "rod" that thin a diameter, because I didn't support it, by not gradually running it up a supporting Aluminum sleeve (held in a vise) as the die is going the opposite direction close to the top of the vise. I will be using such a sleeve to protect the drill press chuck jaws. I have a 1/4" diameter Al tube coming...all 12 inches of it. Will have to drill a section so that rod will just pass through.
 
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Did some clean up after the tempering was done. Tomorrow I’ll start putting and edge on the blade but I won’t clean it up anymore, I want to keep a primitive look to it. And I’ll start putting the handle on the screwdriver. Using Walnut for this.
 

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Well, today I did a first run for my new casting set-up. Only did about 30 (had to be sure my hotplate could get the job done and all). I will say casting with a spoon is a lot more of an art than casting with a bottom pour pot...but I quickly got the hang of it.

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I'll probably wait to cast more until I get some more lead...was double dipping toward the end and had a lot more rejects. Nice to know everything works, though :)

And....I also got a 5th thinned coat of Tung oil on the stock...next two coats will be straight oil and then (I think) it'll be time to let it cure.
 
Well, I guess I need to show my failures as well as my successes. Spent the day making the little screwdriver and I wanted to try my hand at pouring a pewter cap for it. I had never done this before, even though I bought a pewter bowl last year to use for that purpose. I’ve seen it done before and prepped the handle as I thought it should be done. I started having doubts on my “pewter” as it took a long time to melt and it didn’t pour well at all. I re-tried a couple of pours, but none worked. I was able to remove the charred wood and salvage the screwdriver. Kinda think what I was using wasn’t pewter. But glad I tried it on this instead of messing up a knife. Don’t think I’ll make anymore screwdrivers anytime soon. Got to see how this one holds up.

Edit: the photos may be out of sync.
 

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TDM said:
Well, I guess I need to show my failures as well as my successes. Spent the day making the little screwdriver and I wanted to try my hand at pouring a pewter cap for it. I had never done this before, even though I bought a pewter bowl last year to use for that purpose. I’ve seen it done before and prepped the handle as I thought it should be done. I started having doubts on my “pewter” as it took a long time to melt and it didn’t pour well at all. I re-tried a couple of pours, but none worked. I was able to remove the charred wood and salvage the screwdriver. Kinda think what I was using wasn’t pewter. But glad I tried it on this instead of messing up a knife. Don’t think I’ll make anymore screwdrivers anytime soon. Got to see how this one holds up.
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At least you gave it a try. I'm interested in learning how to do that. But what an awesome little screw driver. You did a heck of a job on that thing, Nice work.
 
TDM said:
Thanks @Frontstuffer070

I’m going to find some real pewter before I try again!
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I cast pewter on knives quite frequently. I mostly use lead free pewter. For me it is important to have a path to flow around what ever you are casting
 

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TDM said:
Thanks @Frontstuffer070

I’m going to find some real pewter before I try again!
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I was just reading about Pewter on wikipedia. Seems the newer pewter alloy does not have lead in it. The new stuff has Tin, antimony, copper, bismuth, and sometimes silver. The old stuff was just lead and tin. Maybe you can get a bar from roto metals or something. If you continue the journey please post a thread on it. There are videos on YT of people pouring them, but they do nothing to explain how to make the dam and stuff. The prep work is the important stuff. When I shorten the Traditions Kentucky rifle it may just get a poured pewter nose cap.
 
Frontstuffer070 said:
I was just reading about Pewter on wikipedia. Seems the newer pewter alloy does not have lead in it. The new stuff has Tin, antimony, copper, bismuth, and sometimes silver. The old stuff was just lead and tin. Maybe you can get a bar from roto metals or something. If you continue the journey please post a thread on it. There are videos on YT of people pouring them, but they do nothing to explain how to make the dam and stuff. The prep work is the important stuff. When I shorten the Traditions Kentucky rifle it may just get a poured pewter nose cap.
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Makes sense, the bowl I bought was cheap, but definitely not an old one.
 
flconch53 said:
I cast pewter on knives quite frequently. I mostly use lead free pewter. For me it is important to have a path to flow around what ever you are casting
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Certainly thought I had a nice, open path. But this stuff didn’t flow when I poured. I’m not giving up on it, I’ll try again on another knife project.

Nice knives by the way.
 

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