Author Topic: Holding odd parts with solder...  (Read 8256 times)

Offline Acer Saccharum

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    • Thomas  A Curran
Holding odd parts with solder...
« on: September 17, 2012, 10:44:41 PM »
In this tutorial, I'm in the process of shaping a large flat faced lock into a round-faced. There is a LOT of material to come off the cock, in particular. It's also very hard to hold with my fingers and file effectively without ripping off an equal amount of flesh along with the metal.

So here's the plan:

Soft solder a block on the flat side of the workpiece. Then you can flip, turn, file your workpiece any which way, by clamping the block in the vise. I can bring extraordinary pressure to bear on the file with no damage to my fingers, yet I have exquisite control over the shape. No chatter, no tipping of the part while filing, and I can bring lots of pressure to bear in exactly the right spot.
When done, heat and wipe solder off.

This works for any odd shaped part you can't hold conventionally that will accept solder. Trigger guards, lockplates, etc.





« Last Edit: February 26, 2013, 09:36:18 PM by rich pierce »
Tom Curran's web site : http://monstermachineshop.net
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Offline PPatch

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Re: Holding odd parts with solder...
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2012, 03:28:10 AM »
Acer; Neat! Soon enough I will be needing to file lock parts and this trick will come in handy. Thank you.

dp
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Offline Old Ford2

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Re: Holding odd parts with solder...
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2012, 02:46:54 PM »
Great tip!
Thank you.
Something so simple.......................and I never thought of it!
And I am usually god at simple things.
Fred
Never surrender, always take a few with you.
Let the Lord pick the good from the bad!

Offline Hungry Horse

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Re: Holding odd parts with solder...
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2012, 08:03:49 PM »
Years ago I converted a flintlock Hawken to percussion, for a friend. It used a big Siler lock, and I took the flintlock as part of the payment for the conversion. When I looked the lock over closely I found that the pan had been tinned, and I assumed it was to keep it from eroding. But when I puzzled over how the builder got the pan to fit so tight, I looked at the bottom of the pan cover, and discovered he had soldered it down tight, and then bored , and tapped, for the frizzen screw. Pretty clever.  This is the first time I have heard the method mentioned since then. Great idea.

                        Hungry Horse

Offline KNeilson

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Re: Holding odd parts with solder...
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2012, 01:49:07 AM »
I`m on my first attempt an English styled rifle with a hooked breech c/w a bar lock and drip rail. As I am looking at the drip rail trying to think how I will work on it I remember this post, and Voila, problem solved...  Thx to Acer for the great tip....    regards    Kerry