Wood Patchbox spring attachment

[Tom Currie]

Guys, Need some help on attaching a wood box release spring to the underside a a wood box lid. Peter Alexander's book has a screw holding it down and I have done this before but wonder if that's a traditional method. RCA vol 2 page 467 has a pic with what appears to be screw maybe coming from inside the lid, maybe put im pace before the 2 halves were glued ?,  or a short nail of some type. There are very few pics in my library of books on this subject. Driving a barbed spring into a slim patchbox lid doesn't seek like a great idea to me either.

Thanks

[J.Cundiff]

Jim Chambers told me to just file down the end to a nice thin point, then heat the point up with the propane torch until it's red hot and burn it into the end of the channel. Worked great, and was pretty easy to do.

[Tom Currie]

How far do you think it went into the wood ? I'm certainly not doubting Jim but my thought would be how is it expected to stay in what would be charred wood ? Interesting

[whitebear]

Yes Tom I was thinking the same thing.

[wattlebuster]

Tom I did mine the way Jim said and so far I've never had a bit of trouble with it. I will admit though that I too was hesitant but so far its ok and its been 4 yrs now and quite a few shots.

[Jim Kibler]

I like to drill a row of 1/16" holes prior to burning it it.  Usually this is three holes.  Makes the burn in process go a little easier.

[PPatch]

And that is a bit above a dull red, not cherry red. It should kind of melt in not burn and char in. Might try it on a bit of scrap first.

dave

[Tom Currie]

Jim, I picturing a rectanguler shallow slot for the spring and then pushing the spring forward , past the end of my slot ( towards he muzzle ). Can you expand on the 3 holes and where they would go ?  I am assuming they are sort of pilot holes to allow the burn in to go farther. Maybe I have it pictured wrong in my mind.  Thanks everyone.

[bob in the woods]

I installed mine the same way [ Jim Chamber's instructions]  on my Edward Marshall kit and it has worked fine through life in the woods and in the bottom of my canoe [ moose season] for the past 3 years.

[J.Cundiff]

Yes, I did not heat it to super-hot lava sunlight red, just a dull red. It's not in far... maybe a tad over 1/4" or so? I can pull it out and put it back in and it's snug enough it stays put, no problem.

[Jim Kibler]

Jim, I picturing a rectanguler shallow slot for the spring and then pushing the spring forward , past the end of my slot ( towards he muzzle ). Can you expand on the 3 holes and where they would go ?  I am assuming they are sort of pilot holes to allow the burn in to go farther. Maybe I have it pictured wrong in my mind.  Thanks everyone.

Yeah, I think you have the right picture in mind.  They're just to get rid of some of the wood prior to burning in.  Drilled from the end of the lid toward the tip.

[B.Habermehl]

The burn in method works just fine. I stop a bit short, and tap the spring 1/32" or so cold. I never had a spring work loose to my knowledge. Remember, most of the load on the spring tends to hold it into the mortise. BJH

[frogwalking]

I am trying to envision drilling a 1/16  inch hole in the end of a rectangular slot cut into a piece of wood.  How long of a 1/16 inch drill bit do  you have?  How do  you manage to drill the hole more or less parallel to the slot without a 6 inch long drill bit?  Just wondered ,as I need to do the same thing in a little while.

[PIKELAKE]

 I believe that the 3 holes, mentioned by Mr. Kibler, are an attempt to make driving the spring into the lid easier by removing some of the wood, lessening some of the resistance The 3 holes only need to be as long as that part of the spring that is captured by the lid; I/2 inch or so. Of coarse the thickness of the spring will determine the diameter of the 3 holes. I have never heated the spring but have polished it real well. For my final install, I usually cut a few teeth on the end to lock it in then drive the spring home. Never had one come loose or out for that matter. Have to try the burn in method, I,ve probably been doing it the hard way.

[bluenoser]

I am trying to envision drilling a 1/16  inch hole in the end of a rectangular slot cut into a piece of wood.  How long of a 1/16 inch drill bit do  you have?  How do  you manage to drill the hole more or less parallel to the slot without a 6 inch long drill bit?  Just wondered ,as I need to do the same thing in a little while.

I was thinking along the same lines.  If a jobber length bit is not long enough, an aircraft bit should provide plenty of length.  The extra length should address the problem of staying parallel with the slot.

Laurie

[Jim Kibler]

Yeah, a long drill works fine.  For a long time I just used a piece of piano wire that I ground square and then sharpened to a bit of a chisel point.  Works fine as well.  If you have trouble with the drill wanting to wander into previously drilled holes, take a long piece of piano wire and shove it in the already drilled hole.