Thimble making question

[Steeltrap]

In my prior builds I've just bought thimbles. But I'm moving up (up?) to making parts\furniture now.

I've made a few that I will solder to a half-stock under rib. So, I don't need the tab on them that's used to pin them to the stock.

My "problem" is I can't get the ends of the thimbles to stay together. They spring back. If I clamped the gap closed, and then heated the thimble with either propane or map gas, would the gap then stay closed?

It's not a big deal as the seam will be hidden when soldered to the under rib, but I think it would look better without the gap.

[bluenoser]

Are you annealing your brass?

[Blacksmoke]

Use a very small C clamp to hold the tab together whilst soldering.  Make sure to heat the clamp as well as the tab then soft solder.  Thats the way I do it.  Hugh Toenjes

[Steeltrap]

I did not anneal the brass as it wasn’t difficult to form. But the small c clamp seems easy enough

[Hungry Horse]

 I use needle nosed vice-grips to hold the tab shut while I solder it. Get the cheap ones from the bargain bin at the parts house, or lumber yard, heck, you’re gonna burn them up, so no need to buy top shelf tools.

 I also use stay-brite solder, because it’s a lot stronger than the garden variety plumber solder.

Hungry Horse

[bluenoser]

  Perhaps I misunderstood.  I thought you were making thimbles without tabs.  I believe you will find annealing significantly reduces springback.  If they still spring back, I would raise one edge just high enough to clear the other side and then gently squeeze the sides until the edges just overlap.  Now, open it slightly and bend the edge back so that it lines up with the other edge.  The edges should now butt together under slight compression.

[Jim Kibler]

Yes, you are correct.  If you hold the tabs shut with pliers and heat to a dull red, they will stay closed.  Soldering tabs is a modern thing.  I can't say it was never done in the period, but I don't recall seeing it ever.  With this said, I have soldered them.

[StevenV]

If your making 5/16" your forming around a .313" metal rod. Anneal and wrap around , then clamp tabs in vice and hammer an over sized metal rod (.324" thru the newly formed pipe. Open the vice, that pipe will NEVER separate/come apart. Tabs will be stuck next to each other for life. For 3/8" pipes anneal and form around .375 metal rod, then push/hammer a .391 metal rod thru , it will be stuck together for life. Where do you live, any where close to Kempton PA? I give a demonstration/talk ever year on making pipes and nose caps. Yes, I agree there is no comparison between "production "pipes and hand made ones. Hand made ones filed up nice  add lots of positive vibes to the gun. I like the holding tabs together and heating to a dull red idea, I'll have to try that. Steve

[hawkeye]

Maybe a stupid question, but how make the tail of a entry timble?

[Steeltrap]

Maybe a stupid question, but how make the tail of a entry timble?

There's a tutorial on this website. https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=15962.0

BTW....no such thing as a stupid question.

[J Shingler]

I was just going to say what Steve described above.  Once the oversized pin is pressed or driven through the tabs slams shut if pried open. Saw this demo at Dixons Gun Fair years ago.
Jeff

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

If you are soldering the pipes to an underrib, you should file a flat on the joint section to correspond to the flat you file in the underrib.  If there is a gap between the edges, it doesn't matter.  this way,, the pipe will lay flat against the rib so that the concave flute of the underrib and the pipe are continuous.

[Steeltrap]

If you are soldering the pipes to an underrib, you should file a flat on the joint section to correspond to the flat you file in the underrib.  If there is a gap between the edges, it doesn't matter.  this way,, the pipe will lay flat against the rib so that the concave flute of the underrib and the pipe are continuous.

Thanks. That's in "the plan"!!