Use of Dopping Wax in Assembling Lock Casting Sets

[Rich Jakowski]

I was told by some not to attempt assembling a set of lock castings like those offered by TRS unless I had previous machinist experience. But I can honestly say after working on an 1803 HF lock for the past several months I am enjoying the process a lot. One advantage has been the purchase of a new toy - a Harbor Freight 7 X 10 minilathe which makes fabricating screws a lot of fun. This tool is also useful in facing and drilling the tumbler. A few weeks ago someone on this forum posted Steve Wardlaw’s website

http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/mantonlock/mantonlock.html


I found the information there to be immensely helpful and strongly recommend this website to anyone assembling a set of rough lock castings for the first time. The use of dopping wax, used by gemstone grinders, was especially helpfull information. This wax, which apparently is some kind of shellac?, melts at relatively low temperature (~170 degrees) and can be used to hold the fitted frizzen to the pan/lock plate while drilling the pivot screw hole.  It can also be used to hold the tumbler to a piece of brass stock while trueing up on the lathe for facing, axle turning and drilling the hammer screw – very useful information.

I’ve heard some members of this forum talk about using quick setting epoxy to do this, but the dopping wax seems to be superior in that it requires relative low melting temperature and sets really fast. Has anyone on this forum ever used dopping wax? I’d be interested to learn what some of the experts on this site have to say about this stuff.

[jerrywh]

I have used dopping wax . I have also had it release at some very inconvienient times. I just solder stuff like that with swiff95.  That is one good idea the old so called masters had. Soldering studs -etc. 

[sydney]

Hi-- I am doing a lock from TRS now and have used dopping wax while assembling
       But i think i prefer to use solder or body filler in some places
             Sydney

[Dphariss]

If you have a mill or drill press with a good vise the dopping wax is really not needed. My worry is getting the part warm enough or applying enough pressure that it breaks the bond.
I use quick set epoxy if I need such a thing. Its good to about 400 degrees.
Dan

[Stophel]

I wouldn't know what to do with a milling machine or a lathe...

I solder the frizzen to the pan with TIX solder.  Quick and easy.  Low temperature solder.  A lot quicker than fooling with epoxy.  Breaks loose easy with a bit of heat.

[Bill Baldock]

I've had good luck with ACC / Alphacyanoacrylate / Crazy Glue.  I use one called Zap a Gap, which you can puddle and build fillets with.  Sets instantly with a spray-on kicker into something similar to acrylic plastic, chips off cleanly leaving basically just a very clean spot (unlike solder).  Heat sensitive, but not as bad as wax, more in the ballpark of epoxy.  Hobby shop item.

- Bill B

[Rich Jakowski]

When I wrote the first post on this subject a few days ago I had not had a chance to use dopping wax since I was waiting for my order to arrive. Yesterday it showed up and I quickly took it to the shop for a quick trial. I used a small alcohol lamp to attach a bridle to a piece of 1/4 inch brass flat stock to true up the base with a diamond abrasive wheel. The stuff melts and sets very quickly at a low enough temperature to minimize burning fingers.  After cooling in water the wax is very hard and held the parts firmly for the light grinding operation. Removing the bridle was easily done with minimal heat and any residual wax was easily scrapped of the part.

All in all I found dopping wax very easy to work with.

I was wondering if soldering small lock parts to hold them might result in prematurely harding of the steel for fileing and drilling?

[Stophel]

Nah, you shouldn't get them anywhere near hot enough.  If you do, you just anneal them back down.

Really the only thing I can think of that needs to be held in place while drilling is the frizzen...and maybe the pan to the plate. 

[jerrywh]

Swiff 95 solder melts at 430F.    The hardening temp for steel is 1550F.  Soldering doesn't make steel harder it makes it softer.