ENTRY PIPES

[hortonstn]

i'm fairley new to this interesting hobby, i've built several in the past years
my question is when installing a entry pipe i seem to never have any wood left  in the tang by the time i get the pipe flat in the stock. is this normal or what am i doing wrong? also does german silver when heated bent like brass?
thank you for your time

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

First, welcome to the ALR site!  You'll likely find that this site becomes as much an addiction as the muzzleloading hobby itself.

It sounds to me as if you may not have quite enough of a step up to the pipe's tang.  You do not want more than 1/8" of wood between the rod hole and the bottom of the forend, and as little as 1/16" is fine.  In the latter case, you will find that you break through into the rod hole when you inlet the tang of the entry pipe, and that's fine.  What you want to avoid is a forend that is too deep vertically...too much wood in the web, too large a rod hole, and too much wood under it.

[Swampwalker]

It's also possible the tail of the pipe is not parallel to the hole in the pipe section - insert a snug ramrot while the pipe is out of the stock and make sure the alignment of the tail is correct.  Also make sure that you're inletting the pipe section parallel to the groove.

[bama]

Like Taylor said if you have everything right there will not be much wood here between the tail of the pipe and the RR hole.

German Silver is nickled brass and will anneal and bend like brass.

[Roger Fisher]

You will notice the key words here (re: the stock) are skinny, slim, thin etc. etc.

But keep in mind also that the lower forestock needs 'some' wood tween the hole and the lowerbottom side of the stock or you will end up imitating some of the originals that had a 'wear plate' set in the bottom.

[hortonstn]

thanks for all your answers, i do appreciate your help
paul

[Dphariss]

You can make a wooden form and punch the tang into it as part of the manufacturing process.
But a lot of "rise" is not needed.
Inserting a rod in the completed pipe should show no more than 1/8" clearance under the tail. With .040" thick material this will leave almost 3/16 of wood and thats marginally too much.
1/16" will still leave .100"
Dan

[gregg]

Last time I made a entry pipe it was  German Silver I had to anneal then bend and anneal many times. One time I tried to go just a little farther in a bend and it cracked and had to start over. Is that normal or did I have a goofy piece of German Silver?

[Dphariss]

Last time I made a entry pipe it was  German Silver I had to anneal then bend and anneal many times. One time I tried to go just a little farther in a bend and it cracked and had to start over. Is that normal or did I have a goofy piece of German Silver?

In my experience German Silver is not as easy to work as Brass. I don't especially like the stuff.


Dan

[gregg]

Last time I made a entry pipe it was German Silver I had to anneal then bend and anneal many times. One time I tried to go just a little farther in a bend and it cracked and had to start over. Is that normal or did I have a goofy piece of German Silver?

In my experience German Silver is not as easy to work as Brass. I don't especially like the stuff.


Dan

That says allot Dan. I know it was nothing like brass. But then only one I ever made . I just knew it had taken allot of attention.