toe plate

[yip]

 what is the correct thickness of the toe plate on Lancaster rifles?  i been using 1/8" on previous rifles, but was told 1/16" is what i should use.  just wondering.............yip

[jerrywh]

.061345"  to .060143" sometimes. Depends on how much they are polished.

[okieboy]

 That's funny Jerry!
 1/16" doesn't leave much for the screw countersinks. I'd split it to 3/32". This is not an expert suggestion, just an ordinary opinion.

[Mark Elliott]

I like Jerry's answer  ; but for those guns with toe plates,  I use 16 GA sheet, silver, brass or iron.  That is a little less than 1/16".   1/8" would be way too thick.  Early rifles don't have toe plates.   

[jerrywh]

 Seriously. I use 1/16th or 16 ga. Whatever I can find.  I have had trouble finding brass sheet so I ended up buying a door kick plate from the hardware store that was 1/16th. That is also good for patch boxes.

[Mark Elliott]

Jerry,

I buy all my brass, mild steel and drill rod from Online Metals http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=86&step=2&top_cat=79 now.   I get my tool steel from Admiral Steel http://www.admiralsteel.com/shop/.   Try them, the service is great with both.  

I also use the same thing for patchboxes as toe plates.

[yip]

  my sons restaurant changed all  their door kick panels from brass to stainless steel, to make a long story short i got all the brass panels, their 1/16" thick, so i guess i did good. i been making r/r thimbles and nose caps from these. thanks fellows for all your replies .............yip

[Mark Elliott]

Door kicks and toe plates do basically the same thing.     I had a brass door kick that I used for a lot of toe plates and patch boxes as well as for engraving practice.   It is all gone now.  I wouldn't want to have to bend 1/16" brass into a thimble or nose piece, but there is no reason not to use it except for the extra filing.    It would also be about perfect for making butt pieces.   You can make brass and silver butt pieces the same way you do for iron.    However, sand casting is more fun, and we all do this for fun don't we? 

[yip]

  after measuring with my dial caliper  my brass is .050 a little to thin, so i gotta do more  homework............yip

[BJH]

.050 is just fine for toe plates or nearly anything else. You are only looking at 12 thousandths of a inch difference. That's just the thickness of three hairs. BJH

[Mark Elliott]

.050" is 16ga, and I also think it is just fine for a toe plate as well as a patchbox.    Actually,  16ga weldable steel sheet is what I used for toe plates and patchboxes on my iron mounted rifles. 

[grabenkater]

Here's a project that a friend of mine completed from discarded bronze door kick plates.

Sorry for the off topic.

[yip]

  ok i'll buy that .050 will be good for toe plates, i'll give it a try. you guys are the best! thanks............yip