lock plate repair

[omark]

i know most of you will never need this, and many allready know how to do it,,,, but..  i drilled a lockplate wrong (imagine that). so i drilled it with a 5/16 tap drill, got a piece of 5/16 mild steel rod and threaded the end of it. tapped the hole in the plate and screwed the rod in until tight. then cut the rod off leaving a little bit extending from each side. then peened (mechanic talk for beat the $#@* out of it ) which swelled the rod to a tight fit in the plate, then filed smooth and retapped.  hope this may help someone.   mark

[Don Getz]

Sounds like a good repair to me, although I have never done such a foolish thing in my life....ha.................Don

[smylee grouch]

Boy does that bring back memories.    Gary

[J.D.]

I have never had to do that....not since I misdrilled a hole for the frizzen spring mounting pin on the last lock I worked on. 

If you want the insert to disappear, either lightly countersink each side of the threaded hole, or better yet, countersink one side and counterbore the other side  for the same dia as the unthreaded shank of the screw. Screw the plug down tight, cut 'em off, just as you did, and peen 'em until the hole is filled.  When done this way, there is no tell tail ring around the insert to reveal the mistake.

So, Omark, what this says about your ability is that you are as creative as the best of the membership of the forum, 'cause there are two kinds of gunbuilders; those who have had to fill a misdrilled hole, and those who are about too. 

God bless



 

[Rolf]

Lets say you want to "move" the hole 1/16". When placing the new hole in the lock plate, what happens if you have to drill away part of the repair?

Best regards
Rolfkt

[DutchGramps]

When I have to fill a hole, I clamp a piece of brass or alloy under the lock plate, and fill the hole with my MIG welder, moving in small circles around in the hole. Now when I have to drill the new hole overlapping the old one, you won't have the problem of drilling in partly peened material loosening.

[Acer Saccharum]

If you want to move  1/16, then make your plug big enough to contain the new location as well as filling the old.

[Long John]

Mark,

I've been there, done that, more than once, as a matter of fact!

Best Regards,

JMC

[Swampwalker]

Rolfkt - if like me you don't have a MIG;
Don't thread either the hole or the plug
Taper the plug, and drive in from the ouside (visible) side of the plate
Braize the back side of the plug (which has a slight bevel)
Cut off the plug and file flush.  The new drilled hole will be stable.

[Dphariss]

When I have to fill a hole, I clamp a piece of brass or alloy under the lock plate, and fill the hole with my MIG welder, moving in small circles around in the hole. Now when I have to drill the new hole overlapping the old one, you won't have the problem of drilling in partly peened material loosening.

A carbon "brush" from an electric motor works very well for this too.


Hole drilled at an angle buy the maker. Messes up everything, sear engagement etc.




Fixed. Drilled and reamed the hole then turned the tumbler to fit.

I have used the thread/plug/pean/redrill on lock plates in the past with good results too.
Just make sure the plug will leave adequate metal around the hole to be redrilled.
If the hole in not taped full depth of the threads, the tap not run in far enough, the partial thread depth will lock things tight when the plug is screwed in. Cut off about 1/8" high on each side an pean. Its not going to move no matter what once the plug is upset in the hole.
Though for casehardened parts I would rather weld the hole shut though with care brazed parts can be casehardened.

Low end MIGS like the Hobart  "Handler" 135 I have are not that expensive and can serve many useful purposes and with some practice will make very nice welds. Faster than the other methods too.

Dan

[omark]

Lets say you want to "move" the hole 1/16". When placing the new hole in the lock plate, what happens if you have to drill away part of the repair?

Best regards
Rolfkt

  i have overlapped the new and old holes this with success. just make sure it is peened well. the other ideas are very good, also, but i dont have a mig,  "poor folk got poor ways".  mark