Picture of my 14 hour screw!

[Whaleman]

I am still trying to upgrade my L&R Bedford lock. My sear screw was loose letting the sear to wiggle way more than I wanted. Also it had to be left loose or the sear was bound tight. I know you guys with more experience this is run of the mill. I started with a lock bolt and started filing and sanding while held in a drill press. I ordered a die from Ebay. I polished the sear hole and the shaft until I had .001 clearance. I filed the head back until the screw could be tightened and not lock up the sear. It is now smooth as silk. I have 14 hours in this one screw as the first one did not tap correctly. Learned a lot. Fun! Dan

[KLMoors]

Nope......I'm not going to say it.


Nice job.

[Long Ears]

At $75 an hour shop time....$1050. need anymore? 

[Whaleman]

If I felt confidant charging $75.00/hour I better get a lot quicker. Dan

[Habu]

Whaleman, as I recall, it took me 25-30 hours to make my first frizzen, another 15-20 hours to make the second, and 8 hours to make the third (which actually fit the lock).  The fourth--another 8 hours--not only fit, but sparked.   Fourteen hours to make a screw sounds downright expeditious! 

[Whaleman]

Some things I learned:

1. The sear hole was rough as a cob and is hard to polish to a mirror finish with 600 and 1000 grit rolled up.
2. When using a die you must have a bunch extra length to get the die started and cutting correctly.
3. I attempted to make the area to be threaded the exact size the charts say and could not get the die started. More searching and I found I had to undersize this and have a good taper at the end. My threads still seem very sharp my fear was they would be flat because of this undersizing.
4. It is very hard to take off .002 with 1000 grit.
5. It is hard to keep the shaft all the same size. Takes a lot of measuring.

Thanks for listening. Dan

[Acer Saccharum]

A great tool is a lathe. Put that on your list of things to get.

You can turn brass laps to fit inside the sear hole, charge it with diamond compound, and bore out the sear hole pretty quickly.  Split the lap with a jeweler's saw, so that you can spread it slightly, so it will maintain good contact with the hole. Use a light oil while honing.
Brass is soft enuff so that the grit embeds itself in the brass. The sear is hard enuff so that the grit won't embed in the steel. Bore the hole with coarse grit, then polish with fine. Wash the abrasives out, then make the screw to fit.

A lathe will help tremendously for making screws and getting threads started straight.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Funny that this topic comes up today. I spent yesterday making replacement screws for my brothers 1851 Colt replica pistol which I bought him in 1969. The brand is no longer in business nor are there any parts for it. The screw size is 3.5 mm X .6 pitch. Material is O-1 drill rod and the screws have been hardened and tempered so as to resist marring. Original screws are in the background.

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[WadePatton]

I know the time-frame. 

I'll be you can make a spare in two or three hours now...   rocketspeed!

[Mark Elliott]

Does anyone here actually get $75 a hour?   I am tickled pink with $18.

[Whaleman]

Wade, you are correct sir. I think I could make one in 4 hours now. Dan

[Mark Elliott]

Just so you know, in the 18th century,  lock screws where made with easily made mill cutters.   You needed two for each machine screw.   One cuts the shaft and one cuts the head.   The forged rods from which the screws where cut, were held in a brace and turned into the cutters.     As a completely handmade lock is on my todo list,  a set of cutters for all the locks screws is part of it.    I will also need to make a screw plate.   If you look at the photos I recently posted of the Williamsburg gunshop,  you will see all these cutters sitting on a shelf.   

[John A. Stein]

If you can get a copy of "The Gunsmith's Manual" by Stelle & Harrison you will find out how to make quite a lot of lock parts and the tools to make them, such as screw-making tools, tumbler mills, etc. Unfortunately I don't know if it is still in print. I got my copy (a reprint) from Samworth in 1946. The original work was copyrighted in 1883.

[Elnathan]

If you can get a copy of "The Gunsmith's Manual" by Stelle & Harrison you will find out how to make quite a lot of lock parts and the tools to make them, such as screw-making tools, tumbler mills, etc. Unfortunately I don't know if it is still in print. I got my copy (a reprint) from Samworth in 1946. The original work was copyrighted in 1883.

Reprinted this year, apparently.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Gunsmiths-Manual-Practical-Branches/dp/1620877201/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379965474&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Gunsmith%27s+Manual%22+by+Stelle+%26+Harrison

[Whaleman]

Thanks for the link. I just ordered it. Dan

[Mark Elliott]

I just ordered a copy also.  Looking forward to it.

[frogwalking]

Oh!  When I read your title, "Picture of my 14 hour screw" I misunderstood!!!!

[Whaleman]

Just what were you hoping for Frog?

[JB2]

a video perhaps?   

Back to topic, I bet sales of that reprint are surprising Amazon.  Just put me order in as well.

[John A. Stein]

Elnathan--Thanks for the link. I didn't know about the recent reprint. I just ordered a copy, so I can enshrine my old hardback copy. John