Chambers brass

[bob in the woods]

Installed the butt on my N.E. Fowler, and was very surprised at the soft,workability of the brass. When I first saw it, I thought it would be a pain, since it looks to be investment cast. I usually work with sand cast brass, avoiding investment stuff if at all possible. If this stuff is so good, why is the other lost wax stuff I've had the displeasure of working with, seem to be the norm. It can't make that much of a difference in price, since all of the investment stuff is way more $ than sand cast in my experience.
The last fowler butt plate I worked with was awfull to work, and would not anneal at all. I ended up cracking it, and had to buy another one. I actually swaged a fowler plate because it seemed all the ones I could find were investment castings and I didn't want to go there again.
Based on this plate, I may have found my source for fowler brass.

[B Shipman]

The stuff usually used for investment casting is brittle and will really shed a file. My understanding is that it is simply easier to cast that formula. Chambers is closer to the sand cast stuff. I have yet to try Dave Keck's hardware but plan to.

[George F.]

Okay... I give up Who's Dave Keck. and what does he have

[Rolf]

George, Dave Keck owns WWW.knobmountainmuzzleloading.com
He casts is own brass parts. I bougth a Beck triggergard and buttplate from him.
Beautiful parts and great customer service.

Best regards

Rolfkt

[George F.]

Thanks Allot...Geo.

[B Shipman]

The greybeards may remember Paul Taran who did investment cast Beck parts in soft yellow brass. Dave bought all his equipment and has expanded the line.

The Beck stuff is ready and It's dead on perfect. Shrinkage is taken into account. Also an upper Susuehanna set.  Some mundane Lancaster stuff but at least the filing and cleanup is minimal.

I know a M. Fordney set is planed. I bought the last set of Fordney pipes from Reaves Goering and gave them to Dave. Verrrrry cool. Really long.  With a thumbnail and flats.

He also wants to do a Henry Mauger set.

[George F.]

Okay Bill You have my attention. I want to do a Beck for my Son. And I want to give him a nice Beck, but the castings from Track I fear are Bronze and not brass. How can we get it touch with Paul Taran.  ...Thanks again for your time...Geo.

[B Shipman]

Dave Keck bought Paul Taran's stuff. See rolfk's post.

[Rolf]

George, if you want to build a Beck, contact Dave Keck  at www.knobmountainmuzzleloading.com . Dave casts Beck brass from patterns he got from Paul Taran. He also has pre-carved stocks,  pattern from the same Beck rifle that brass was copied from. If youre lucky, he migth have copies of Paul Taran's Beck blue print. I've got the blue print and it's a big help when shaping the stock. It shows several cross sections through the stock.

Best regards

Rolf

[Bioprof]

Reaves Goehring also has some very nice castings made from very soft brass.   He has a large selection, but unfortunately doesn't have a web site.

[flintriflesmith]

The stuff usually used for investment casting is brittle and will really shed a file. My understanding is that it is simply easier to cast that formula. ...

Bill,
I think the reason so many foundries switched from yellow brass to bronze has to do with the OSHA laws/regulations regarding zinc fumes. At least that's what I was told several years ago.

Enforcement seems to vary with location so some folks can case real brass while others say they would need a huge investment in equipment to trap all the zinc that boils off during brass casting.
Gary

[Stophel]

Years ago, I took one of the Chambers "Marshall" buttplates and pounded the $#@* out of it, making it into one of the heavily cupped german type buttplates (still haven't gotten around to using it though).  I'm not sure that I even bothered to anneal the thing...they're pretty malleable, much more so than any other investment cast parts I have seen.

[don getz]

I think the stuff Dave Keck is doing is real brass.  When Paul Taran did them, he was living on top of a mountain and had
this great foundry set up in the bottom of an old barn, it was done real well I might add.  Very few people knew it existed,
therefore he was basically hiding from the authorities, kind of  like a moonshiner.  Just saw some of Dave's stuff last week when I visited Fred Miller.....Dave was there visiting also.  He is doing the complete set of Beck hardware, and has
some John Dreisbach, or stuff that you could use on many Snyder/Union county guns......Don

[George F.]

Thank you for the update on the sources of good castings...  Geo.

[Knob Mountain]

Thanks for the kind words.

  I don't have the castings posted on my website yet but anyone who is interested can call or email me ( snowfly@ptd.net) and I can send you some pics  of the items your interested in.

 Send me your snail mail address and I'll gladly mail you a color brochure of my casting.

Thanks

D Keck

[Frank]

Dave,

I would like one of your brochures.

Email sent with contact information.

Thanks

[Jim Chambers]

I used some of Paul Taran's stuff years ago, and recently saw some of Dave's castings.  They are absolutely fantastic.
Flintriflesmith is correct, most foundries will not pour good yellow brass, only the bronze stuff because of all the gov. regulations.  About 20 years ago I received a quote for buttplates and guards in good brass from a foundry that complied with all the rules.  At that time castings were going to cost $37 each (my cost).  Can't imagine what they would be today.  To get good brass castings today you must find a small operation that "flies under the radar" of the feds.