Underlug tutorial by D. Taylor question

[Jerry V Lape]

Do you secure the underlug by just a friction fit, staking or soldering?  I am making lugs from .031 brass and will silver solder the web joint as per your tutorial.  If I were to next solder the lug in the dovetail, is there a way to keep the solder  in the web?   

[Dave Waters]

I'd use hi-temp silver solder to do the under lug by it's self and then use low temp "swift 95" to solder it in the dovetail

[Dphariss]

Do you secure the underlug by just a friction fit, staking or soldering?  I am making lugs from .031 brass and will silver solder the web joint as per your tutorial.  If I were to next solder the lug in the dovetail, is there a way to keep the solder  in the web?   

Just stake it, if the fit is good I cannot see needing solder.

Dan

[Dave Waters]

I sure agree with the staking as far as mounting them. 

[Jerry V Lape]

Thanks for the responses.  In the past I just staked the lugs in place but was using a heavier gauge steel lug.  Looking at brass only .032 thick, I thought it might be wiser to solder as well.  Turns out the .032 isn't enough to fill the dovetail flush with the barrel flat so I have to go to the thicker gauge lug anyway. 

[Jim Kibler]

With a decent fit, staking in place isn't necessary.  Friction alone will hold fine.  If the dovetails are created with a chisel, the raised material can be clenched down on the dovetail to secure it in place.  If dovetails are created just by filing, a good fit will hold it in place.

[Don Getz]

I agree with Jim, no need to stake them in place.    If it isn't real tight when you drive the underlug in, remove it and peen
the edges of the dovetail down slightly, go easy here, doesn't take much, but this will tighten it up.   Then drive it back
into place.   This will work UNLESS you have made the dovetail much too big, then you have another problem to deal with...........................Don

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Jerry, I think your question was answered well.  I personally never solder them into a dovetail, but I confess to having staked a thin underllug.  I have a punch with a slightly rounded tip a little over 1/16" in dia.  I stake the barrel and lug at the same time, upsetting the metal from both into each other.  But usually, the mechanical friction of a tight fit is all that is needed.