brazing brass

[jim m]

I have a brass but plate off of a rifle circa 1800-1835 that the hole for the screw on the top is quite wollowed out. it is thin metal and was wondering if it could be brazed and redrilled. thinking of doing a build using the original furniture and duplicating the stock but I am not nearly as skilled as some on here and looking for advice.
thanks
Jim

[P.W.Berkuta]

Brazing brass is not an easy task especially if it is thin. If it was me I leave it alone and use modern reproductions or else you will have a lump of old brass . Just my 2 cents .

[Steve Bookout]

Hi Jim!  Your plate can be brazed back into shape if you are very cautious, have a deft hand, and a proper sized tip in regards to the thickness of the plate.  If you are going to do this yourself, I'd really like to suggest that you employ Brownell's heat sink goop to restrict the heat spreading out too far.  Have used it several times on old gun furniture and the stuff works great.  Cheers,  Bookie

[Roger Fisher]

Is it possible that a butt tang screw with a larger head would work??  Sometimes a slight bit of filing on the bottom slope of the head will help fill in the wallowed out part if it is not toooooo bad!

Just a thought !

[doug]

     You need to make an insulated support so that the butt plate does not collapse while you are brazing.  You might want to think about making one out of insulbrick which is a sort of artificial pumice stone made into bricks for lining kilns.  Plus wrap the parts that you don't want too hot, with wet rags.  You might find it easier to make up a brass plug and fasten that in place with 45%Ag silver solder instead.  It melts at 1140F but does not flow for another couple of hundred degrees but it would fill the hole in quickly and be a trifle less risky.

cheers Doug

[albert]

 Hi, Jim if you are not in a big hurry,I can  get it and do it for you the next time in come down  to my daughter's house.

[Steve Bookout]

Albert, that was a wonderful offer you made him.  I tip my hat to a Gentleman.  Cheers,  Bookie

[jim m]

 thanks Albert, looking forward to seeing you again. I met Albert about 2 weeks ago. we spent an afternoon talking black powder and touring a civil war museum and battle ground near my home. had a great time. saw an original full stock percusion gun that was supose to have been made in Springfield,Mo. the museum called it a Jake Painter gun. had very good southern/tennesse architecture and about a 42" barrel.

[Jerry V Lape]

Would the risk of damaging this original buttplate be reduced if instead of brazing the brass you silver soldered an additional plate of brass on the back side of the hole? 

[albert]

that's kinda what I had in mind,I thought I'd turn a piece of brass in my lathe to fit,then silver solder in place