Author Topic: Lock Kit Assembly instructions.  (Read 880 times)

Offline okawbow

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Lock Kit Assembly instructions.
« on: April 23, 2023, 09:50:12 PM »
Could someone send me pictures of lock assembly instructions? I have an old percussion lock kit,(Bedford) that I want to try and assemble. I don’t have any instructions for assembly or heat treating and it would help to see how other locks are put together. I have a lathe, drill press, and taps and dies for small screws, as well as case hardening compound.

Any advice is welcome. I think the steel is 8620.
As in life; it’s the journey, not the destination. How you get there matters most.

Offline Clint

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Re: Lock Kit Assembly instructions.
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2023, 03:14:52 AM »
Figure out exactly where the tumbler screw will fit through the hammer and drill a hole just big enough for the screw to fit through, then locate the hammer on the plate. you will need to be sure that the hammer will land on the nipple. A careful look at a bunch of similar locks will help to find the right location. Drill the same small hole through the plate. and mount the hammer on the plate with a nut and screw If the hammer is in the wrong place, there is a good chance to move it by enlarging the lock plate hole with a needle file in the desired direction. If the tumbler needs to be drilled and tapped do that now. The hole in the lock plate needs to be enlarged to carry the tumbler. The tumbler needs to fit rather perfectly so go slow and get it right. If your drill set doesn't  want to play nicely with the tumbler diameter, you may use a reamer. No reamer?, carefully file the hole bigger and use valve grinding compound to get a nice fit.  Now you can screw the hammer to the face of the tumbler shaft , it will stick out from  the plate but they should swing together. Look at multiple locks until the 'hammer down" position of the tumbler is burned into your brain. The angle of the top or slide of the tumbler should be around 45 degrees below horizontal, mark the position with a scribe.  Drill the sear for clearence and lay the sear on the lock plate with the tumbler at half cock. You can hold the sear with a pointed end tap and roll the tumbler to full cock. Go between half cock and full cock until you are sure that the sear catches both notches and no part of the sear dips below the lock plate edge. When you are ready... drill the plate and thread the hole.  Drilling the bridle starts with the tumbler pivot and is a lot like shooting with iron sights. When the bridle fits over the tumbler, it can be rotated and marked with a pointed tap, run through the lock plate from the out side. The hole for the bridle mount can be drilled with a thread size drill  with the sear screw in place then  removed and drilled for clearence. I use sharpie markers to color the plate so I can see all of my little scratches and point marks. This is getting long so when it's time to put the springs in, let me know and I will tell you how I do it.CSW

Offline TDM

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Re: Lock Kit Assembly instructions.
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2023, 04:05:47 AM »
You can visit the websites of the various lock makers. They should all have diagrams and disassembly and assembly instructions. Look at several and you should get the information you need. And with minor exceptions all locks are similar.

Offline Curtis

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Re: Lock Kit Assembly instructions.
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2023, 08:50:44 AM »
I would recommend Section 9 in Gunsmithing Tips & Projects, lost of articles by John Bivens and others.  This book is full of a wide range of great info as well!
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/302/1/BOOK-GTP
You may find a used copy for less, it is well worth the new book price.

Curtis

Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Hank01

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Re: Lock Kit Assembly instructions.
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2023, 01:45:59 PM »
This is from a vintage Siler large flint kit. Hope it helps

Hank




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Offline okawbow

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Re: Lock Kit Assembly instructions.
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2023, 03:01:12 PM »
Thanks everyone! Very helpful.
As in life; it’s the journey, not the destination. How you get there matters most.