Drilling lock screws in 1820

[Nhgrants]

Just curious. In the late 18 century and early 19 century, how woul the builder
Drill through the lock plate, stock an then the breech lug?
Did they heat and punch the hole thru the lug? Could they drill thick iron during
That time?

[Eric Krewson]

They made drill bits that would do the job, their metalworking skills were pretty good.

This video shows it all, just like it was done back in the day.

Video removed due to copyright laws. This video is illegally posted on you tube, Colonial Williamsburg still sells this video and it is copyright protected. Dennis

[Mark Elliott]

There are metal cutting drill bits for a brace.    I will get a photo of mine and post it.    You can drill through a lock plate in about 20 minutes using a brace with a sharp metal cutting bit.    The taps are very similar to modern taps. 

Below are photo of a brace,  a lantern stock chuck, and a metal cutting drill bit that fits the lantern stock chuck.   The chuck goes in the brace.   i have also included a period tap that you screw in with a hand vise.  In the 18th and early 19th century, taps and dies(screw plates) swage threads as opposed to cut them like a modern tap and die.

[vanu]

This is a great question.

To pick up on Mark and Eric's posts, Wallace Gusler, the fellow in the movie; does not own any power tools, all the guns, tomahawks, clubs etc he is still producing are made exclusively with hand tools. Wallace has mentioned numerous times that he feels like he has much more control when using non-power tools, especially drills and saws. I believe that quite a few of the makers on this site will agree that this is an effective way to approach many aspects of building period items.

In pre-industrial revolution eras, monumental objects were made in quantity using a wide variety of tools, drilling a 1/4"-3/8" hole through a 1/2" iron breechplug would never have been problem pre-1820. Further if one keeps the work surface in perspective to the vice, hand drilling to mount locks/furniture is very easy.

Bruce

[fahnenschmied]

You wouldn't punch a breechplug lug, because of the distortion - plus, its hard to be really accurate when punching hot.  Wrought iron is easier to drill than most modern steel alloys in use.  When drilling an accurate hole, a drill press was likely used - as simple as a long brace that is positioned under a lever that presses down and holds it in alignment.  One must just turn the crank - releasing the pressure on the arm slowly as you turn, to keep from shearing off your drill bit.