Entry thimble making tool

[P.Bigham]

Anyone remember someone that was making a forming tool for entry thimbles?   Maybe at the CLA a few years ago thanks.

[sdilts]

David Keck makes one.

http://knobmountainmuzzleloading.com/partspage2.html

[bluenoser]

The instructions for making that tool are in Buchelle's book "Recreating the American Longrifle".  I believe the instructions in Alexander's book are flawed.  If the two diameters are concentric, either the radius of the tail will be too small or the offset will be too great.

[P.Bigham]

I have Bucheles book must be a older copy. As it doesn't cover this tool. It describes a 2 piece entry thimble. Thanks

[oldtravler61]

 I have David's set for entry pipes. I believe he has it in 3/8 and 5/16. It works very well. Give him a call.

[Jerry V Lape]

I have a similar forming tool plus I have a couple pound block of lead in which I form a female hollow.  Helps me a lot to use both. 

[Tim Crosby]

I have David's set for entry pipes. I believe he has it in 3/8 and 5/16. It works very well. Give him a call.

 He will also make you what you want with the offset you need.

   Tim

[bluenoser]

Page 100 in the fourth edition of Recreating.  I made a small improvement (in my opinion) when I made mine.  For each of the 5/16" and 3/8" sizes I drilled a longitudinal clearance hole in a piece of round stock such that it would slip over the smaller diameter part of the tool.  I would have to check, but believe I used 7/16" stock for the 3/8" tool and 3/8" stock for the 5/16" tool.  The piece acts as a driver when forcing the tang back over the larger diameter.

[RAT]

Does anyone make a female swage for entry pipes? I've made several mandrels. What I'm really in need of is a swage block into which I can hammer steel to make the tail of entry pipes. As it stands now, it takes me forever to make an iron entry pipe... and I end up averaging 3 before I get 1 that is half way decent. I form the pipe portion, slip it onto a mandrel, but have a lot of problems with distortion when trying to form the tail. I heat the steel while forming, but something that thin doesn't hold the heat well enough. By the time I get everything straightened out, some of them end up cracking.

[flehto]

All my BC LR  builds have an elongated finial on the entry pipe but sold the forms years ago. Started making them one piece but found 2 pieces easier to make.  Shpwn below is a set of BC  RR pipes....Fred

[Crow Creek]

I made mine from 5/16 and 3/8 all thread nuts a few years ago.  Works great with annealed brass or GS.

[Curtis]

These were made in George Suiter's tool-making class a few years back at the NMLRA seminar at Bowling Green KY.



This thimble was made using the tools, will try to look for more pics of others....



Curtis