Author Topic: Double Hook Standing Breech made from an angle iron *Photos Fixed*  (Read 13474 times)

Offline Curtis

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This is not meant to be a tutorial, more of a "follow along" to help inspire folks who may need to make a similar breech themselves.  If I can do it, anyone can!  This is the first one of these I have made and I would do a few steps differently the next time around, but regardless it seems to have turned out alright so far.  I took my inspiration from the pages of the excellent book "Recreating the Double Barrel Muzzleloading Shotgun" by William R. Brockway.

I started with a 2x2 angle and cut off a piece a bit wider than the finished size will be.



I didn't get a picture but I welded an extension on one leg to give me enough length on that side for a finished size of 2-3/8"...  I welded on more than I needed but it will be cut off later.
Next I scribed the outlines of the the breech hooks on the barrels.  You must make the rectangles an eighth of an inch or so short at the top to allow for the hooks.  The top of the standing breech must be slightly taller than the top rib on the barrels when assembled.  I drilled a series of holes just inside the scribed lines.  At the top where the hooks are. I drilled the holes at an angle to match the hooks.



Next start cutting out the squares for the hooks.  You can see in the second photo that I wised up some and drilled more holes to make the sawing a bit easier.





Once the rectangles were cut I trimmed the top some with a cold chisel, then comes the filing.  Yes, in one of the photos I am using a round rasp in a square hole!  Not much good for corners, but it removes material very quickly.







The best scribe that I have is made from and old file.  It is easy to hang onto and it stays sharp longer on steel than any commercial ones I have.  I got plenty of use from it on this project.



A little back lighting helps to see how the filing is coming along.



Next I started chiseling out the angled holes I drilled for the hooks.





A square graver really helps clean out the corners.



Getting closer!



When you are getting close to final fitting, or you have a trouble spot you can't quite figure out, it is time to smoke the parts with a candle.  You can see the bright spots on both parts where the interference is.  Be careful not to remove too much material because the fit should be tight.  Below you can see a bright mark on the side of the hook... the corresponding spot in the rectangle was filed a few strokes.  The second picture I am chiseling out a bright spot where the top of the hook was hitting.





The hooks are almost fitted now...










Now time to start making it look like a standing breech.  I didn't do any shaping previous to fitting the hooks in case I messed that operation up and had to start over.  I did this with a hacksaw and files.










The "fingernail" shaped indention behind the rib was cut with a grinding attachment on a dremel tool.  Brockway recommends using a 1" drum sanding attachment on a drill, I don't have one so I improvised.  You can see my boo-boo but that is okay, I need to thin the top of my breech considerably, 3/32" at least.  I will use my belt sander for that operation.



Touching up the "fingernail"after thinning with the belt sander, you can also see where I started filing a radius on the edges of the breech:



Filing accents:



Well, this is as far as I go for now.  There is still a great deal of work to be done.  I will wait to bend the tang after I get the stock blank cut out and have something to use as a guide for the curvature.  I need to purchase my locks before I do any more fitting to and filing to the barrel shapes.










Thanks for taking the time to look!

Curtis




« Last Edit: January 30, 2020, 02:36:46 AM by Curtis »
Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Bob Roller

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Curtis,
You certainly have a dedication to the job.I wouldn't take on a project like that
even with the power tools I have available to me.
The last really labor intensive project I did was about 60 years ago and I filed
a pistol barrel from round to octagon using common files.
Keep us posted on this job and DON'T apologize for the pictures,they ARE worth
thousands of words.
Bob Roller

Offline Captchee

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 nice job and like bob said , keep posting photos

Offline Robby

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Curtis, that certainly brought back some memories!! Mine was flint and the barrels were rifled, but the process was pretty much the same.

Nice work and thanks for the pictures!!
Robby
molon labe
We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. A. Lincoln

Offline Old Ford2

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GREAT WORK!
Please don't stop. show us more.
Fred
Never surrender, always take a few with you.
Let the Lord pick the good from the bad!

Offline Curtis

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Bob and Captchee, old ford, thanks for the words of encouragement!  Even though such work is labor intensive it is a hobby for me and it is my favorite way to "relax".

Robby, I would love to see more pictures of that gun, and if you have any progress pics from when you built it that would be awesome!  Nice job.  I would have made this one flint but the breeches were in such good condition I didn't want to scrap them... I drilled out the nipples an replaced them with new ones, then proofed them.   I cut them at 12" and it will be a Howdah pistol, 16 gauge.

Curtis
« Last Edit: January 06, 2014, 08:17:34 PM by Curtis »
Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline alyce-james

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Good morning Sir; Curtis great work and eye. Thanks for sharing the pictures. You can't have to many pictures to share with us on your journey through the task at hand. Looking forward to more shared information and "Pictures". Thanks, AJ.
"Candy is Dandy but Liquor is Quicker". by Poet Ogden Nash 1931.

Offline Rolf

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Thanks for posting this Curtis. A lot to learn here.  The results look good!


Best regards
Rolf

Offline Robby

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http://americanlongrifles.org/old_board/index.php?topic=11735.0
Curtis, I made that gun prior to having a digital camera, so I didn't take any pictures along the way, what is shown is all I have. Your pictures will have to do. Like I said, they brought back a lot of memories. Some good and some very taxing! ;D
A Howda Pistol, that's pretty cool!!! Can't wait to see it finished!!!!
molon labe
We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. A. Lincoln

Offline runastav

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Hi curtis
Nice metal work, Howda pistol yes :)
Runar

Offline James Wilson Everett

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Re: Double Hook Standing Breech made from an angle iron (sorry lots of photos)
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2014, 09:32:37 PM »
Curtis,

Thanks so much for documenting the process.  It certainly is great to see a part being made rather than just store-bought.  It looks wonderful so far and I hope the completed gun will be just as good.  Here is one I started with a double octagon barrel from e-bay.  I have not gotten the round tuit to finish it up, but, just like you, I started with angle iron.  The flint type seems to be a lot less complex than the percussion one.

Jim



« Last Edit: December 03, 2019, 06:20:35 AM by James Wilson Everett »

Offline Curtis

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Re: Double Hook Standing Breech made from an angle iron (sorry lots of photos)
« Reply #11 on: January 07, 2014, 06:24:11 AM »
Once again, thanks for the encouragement guys.  I will post pictures as the project comes together, it may take a while as I only get shop time on weekends here and there.  There will be a lot to work out with the design of the gun but I am excited about the project.

Robby, thanks for the link, that is a very cool gun, I really like the engraving.  I may have to ask you some questions on how you configured the barrels,etc.  I like it!

James, those barrels were quite a find, that looks like a fantastic project.  You wouldn't want to sell them would you?  ;D

Curtis
Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline James Wilson Everett

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Re: Double Hook Standing Breech made from an angle iron (sorry lots of photos)
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2014, 07:04:14 AM »
Curtis,

Sure, the barrels are 0.551 bore x 30" long, full octagon, artificially finished to look like twist iron.  They are proofed Liege and are unused, no vent or nipple/drum.  The rib solder is all tight and in good shape, there is a missing ramrod thimble towards the rear, if replaced it should be by epoxy or other cold method as I feel that a hot solder job could damage the artificial stripe treatment.  Here are a couple of full length photos.






I have about $85 in the barrels so far, if you want the set, let me know.

Jim
« Last Edit: December 03, 2019, 06:19:03 AM by James Wilson Everett »

Offline cmac

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Re: Double Hook Standing Breech made from an angle iron (sorry lots of photos)
« Reply #13 on: January 07, 2014, 07:46:30 AM »
Nice work!And I like the scribe-hard to find good steel in some of today's tools

Offline Curtis

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Re: Double Hook Standing Breech made from an angle iron (sorry lots of photos)
« Reply #14 on: January 07, 2014, 06:03:34 PM »
Jim, I may possibly be interested in those barrels, it would be nice if they were of larger bore or rifled.... I will try to PM you this evening when I get home.

Curtis
Curtis Allinson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline Rolf

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Re: Double Hook Standing Breech made from an angle iron (sorry lots of photos)
« Reply #15 on: January 07, 2014, 11:19:17 PM »
There is alot of good information in this thread. I propose when the thread has run its course, that Acer edits it and moves it to the tutorial section.
It would be a shame to lose it.

Best regards
Rolf

Offline Ed Wenger

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Re: Double Hook Standing Breech made from an angle iron (sorry lots of photos)
« Reply #16 on: January 09, 2014, 03:45:30 AM »
Curtis, that's awesome, thanks for sharing the info!  I've got a set of barrels that I hope to make a double barrel out of some day, and this helps greatly...


     Ed
Ed Wenger

Jeger Justnes

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Re: Double Hook Standing Breech made from an angle iron (sorry lots of photos)
« Reply #17 on: January 09, 2014, 07:10:33 PM »
Very informative, indeed! Very understandable text and excellent pictures.
Both thumbs up!

Tor

Sawatis

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Re: Double Hook Standing Breech made from an angle iron (sorry lots of photos)
« Reply #18 on: January 11, 2014, 12:37:27 AM »
There is alot of good information in this thread. I propose when the thread has run its course, that Acer edits it and moves it to the tutorial section.
It would be a shame to lose it.

Best regards
Rolf
Absolutely !  This was very informative
Thanks Curtis
John