Sliding patchbox end

[Dennis Glazener]

I just finished making a brass end for a sliding patchbox lid. It took me 4.5 hrs to make and fit it! I still have to fit the release spring.

The only brass I had that was thick enough was a 1.75 diameter brass cylinder so I had had to cut a .250 thick piece off of that but I did that on my metal cutting band saw. The rest I did by hand with hack saw and files (did use a coarse grinding wheel for some of the rough work).

There must be a faster easier way! The lid and dovetails were easier than the brass end (dove tail cutter and mill ) This is only the second one I have made and the other one was just as bad.
Dennis

[George F.]

Dennis, I too just finished a wooden patchbox for my Berlin smoothie. I  thought making the dovetails was going to be a pain. But was alot less time consuming than I thought. I took my two safe sided triangular file, and put a 60 degree angle on it.and after I removed most of the material with a chisel, I cleaned up the dovetail on the stock with this file, went very fast, minutes only. Did the same to the lid. The brass was alittle more time consuming. I used some thick brass scrap I had, I tried to fit the brass close without screwing it to the lid. Had to leave extra on the bottom so the angle of the lid/buttplate was fitted.But I didn't think it was a real pain.For me, fitting a buttplate is a time consuming adventure., for others it's the entry pipe, we all have trouble somewhere, unless you've built 100 or so.  ...Geo.

[cheyenne]

How 'bout a picture Dennis?  I'm still in the contemplating stage on my build, but want to do a wood PB......like to see what others have done and techniques.

[projeeper]

dennis watch the thickness of your release spring and butplate and the depth of the screw that holds the spring in. have you looked at the first pix of the g washington beck rifle? i was wondering if he used a glue in addition to the 2 pins to hold the brass tight to the wood as when i used only 2 it worked its way loose after playing with it so i added 2 more pins and a dab of gorrila glue.this may not be correct but i did see 1 orginal rifle with 5 pins, i just know that i,m not going to lose it while hunting   

[J Shingler]

I file the wood of the lid flush with the end of the butplate. Then anneal a 1/16" thick sheet and attach to the end of the lid.Even a compound curve can be worked into the soft brass. Attach with two small screws and a bit of glue if you prefer. So what you have is a nice fitting lid with the brass end sticking out past the butplate the 1/16". So now go to the front end and with your safe triangle file remove 1/16" of the wood dovetail part of the lid till the brass fits perfect. Works like a charm and that 1/16" brass is much easier to work than a big hunk of brass. Then install a catch as usual.

[Ron Scott]

The best description of the entire process, is John Bivins article from Rifle Magazine.  He covers the topic in concise detail from beginning to end with comments on potential pitfalls. I think the bound series of articles is still available for purchase. I think Brownells carries it. If not, someone jump in with the source.

[Don Getz]

Dennis.....there has to be an easier way to do it that the way you did it....surely you have some 1/16" brass sheet laying
around.  I like the way Jeff does it, similar to what I do.   As for the spring, I merely sharpen the thin end and drive it into
the wood, or sometimes will burn it in.   Have found that the wood tends to want to split out when you just drive it in.
After it is fit and works fine, and I have all the parts finished or colored, I will dril a small hole about an inch from the rear
of the spring and drive in a taperd nail....this will keep the spring from sliding out of the inlet...simple.   You don't really need a screw in it to hold it in place..................Don

[Stophel]

I file the wood of the lid flush with the end of the butplate. Then anneal a 1/16" thick sheet and attach to the end of the lid.Even a compound curve can be worked into the soft brass. Attach with two small screws and a bit of glue if you prefer. So what you have is a nice fitting lid with the brass end sticking out past the butplate the 1/16". So now go to the front end and with your safe triangle file remove 1/16" of the wood dovetail part of the lid till the brass fits perfect. Works like a charm and that 1/16" brass is much easier to work than a big hunk of brass. Then install a catch as usual.

You beat me to it!  That's exactly how I make mine now.  MUCH easier to do it this way than to try to cut off the rear end of the lid and fit the brass and fit it to the buttplate.   

[Dennis Glazener]

I file the wood of the lid flush with the end of the butplate.

DUH! You would have thought after the first one that I would have thought about this! But one track mind me both times I fit the wooded slide flush with the wood butt (without the buttplate on) then Had to use a piece of brass thick enough to file in where the dovetail had been cut out in the buttplate. In my case I needed a piece a little over 3/16" thick and that means filing that thick piece of brass down to about 1/16" at the to in order to match up with the contour of the buttplate. Never occurred to me to use the wood to make up the difference Oh well next time I will remember!
Dennis

[J Shingler]

Hey Dennis much easier to shape wood than that a big hunk of brass!   
Don't fret though, want to see my very first sliding lid .... with he big hunk of brass on it?   

[Dennis Glazener]

Hey Dennis much easier to shape wood than that a big hunk of brass!   Grin
Don't fret though, want to see my very first sliding lid .... with he big hunk of brass on it?   Roll Eyes

Yes lets see yours. I will post photos of mine in a few minutes. Will title it "how not to do it!"
Dennis

Ok here are my photo's

How NOT to make a brass end for sliding lid

Here you can see the difference in the thickness of the brass at the edge of the lid versus the bottom of the dove tail in the bp. Look at all the brass removal you must do it you make your lid stop at the end of the wood (butt).


I can assure you it is very hard to make a good fit filing on the thick brass. The brass on the bp at the bottom dovetail is a little over 3/16" thick and the top edge is around 1/16" thick. It would have been much easier if I had cut the lid flush with the BP brass and faced it with 1/6" brass then let the lid forward the 1/16" until flush with the BP. In my case I started with close to 1/4 inch thick brass and filed the top edge down to the 1/16 inch.



Close to finished product. Screws need to be replaced with new ones and spring release installed.