Small Mild steel T bar for barrel lugs?

[Goo]

I have been looking for mild steel T bar in a size that's appropriate to cut and form for use as soldered on barrel lugs and all I can find is brass.   Is anyone using brass lugs ?   Or maybe have a source for mild steel T bar that's about the right size for soldered barrel lugs ?  Thanks

[B.Habermehl]

I have used lugs from a number of supliers, and have used 1/2 wide by .040 flat brass stock folded and soldered into a T to make lugs. It just depends on what you need or want. BJH

[Pukka Bundook]

I saw them out of square stock.  Doesn't take long.

[webradbury]

I saw them out of square stock.  Doesn't take long.

+1

[Dennis Glazener]

I make mine out of 57 Chevy sheet. Real that I have left over from a restoration project. Fold into tee shape file angle to fit dove tails. If I remember it is .040" thick. Have enough left to last the rest of my days.
Dennis

[Hungry Horse]

I have a smooth rifle, made in the Lehigh style. It’s barrel is attached to the forearm with folded brass lugs set in very shallow dovetails. The barrel on this gun was made by a barrel maker that went out of business in 1815. So brass lugs are very HC.

  Hungr Horse

[Mike Brooks]

I use folded sheet brass.

[smylee grouch]

I cut them out of square stock, mild key stock. Takes about a min. per lug.

[jerrywh]

 I use folded sheet steel .062.  I solder the fold after shaping.

[Darrin McDonal]

Don't hesitate at all to use brass or mild sheet steel for underlugs or "barrel keepers".
Darrin

[David Rase]

I use folded 20 GA (.035") sheet steel.
David

[Mike Brooks]

I use folded 20 GA (.035") sheet steel.
David

That's probably about what I use.

[smallpatch]

Wow, I must be a real slacker. 
I buy em from TOW or MLBS.
May I please come out of the corner now!?!

[Mike Brooks]

Wow, I must be a real slacker. 
I buy em from TOW or MLBS.
May I please come out of the corner now!?!

Probably it's cheaper to buy them than to make them anyway. I probably have at least $5 time wise in a home made one.

[Goo]

Thanks for the replies I feel ok about using brass now

[Mark Elliott]

I generally fold mine out of .045" sheet steel for southern rifles.   That is about how deep I cut my dovetails.    I have never bothered to silver solder them.    A nice tight dovetail holds them together.   Remember that the are just to hold the forearm to the barrel.  I do use cut tenons for PA rifles.    The last time, I needed some,  I ordered them from TOTW.   

[Bob Roller]

I cut them out of square stock, mild key stock. Takes about a min. per lug.

Cut a strip of them on a mill if one is available.

Bob Roller

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

The barrel tenons that came with Jim Kibler's mountain rifle set were excellent.  They were milled, thin, and needed no work.

[Metalshaper]

Like Mr. Roller said, I just clamped a bit of .125" stock in my lil X2 mill and milled the tab
For tennons .. formed the tab, then flipped it 'tab down' in the vise after cutting away the excess,,,then cleaned up\leveled the base thickness.. just working by TLAR

Since I had the mill, I just created a series of lengthwise pockets at the proper locations along the barrel.. these pockets were barely just deeper than the base thickness of the tennon stock.. I cut\fitted the tennon stock, to fit and gave the edges a slight changer ( very slight ) placed into position and the pocket edges punched to push in\over the tennon stock.. very solid fit and can be made as beefy or delicate as you feel like..On my Banded gun ( Uh build ) these were also used to fit the wooden rib and be invisible
Other than the small pins..

Now I know there will be the " I can do it faster by hand " gang.... But it honestly didn't take a whole lot longer.. once I worked out what I was doing, vs what I was thinking it would take???  And I have made them by cutting\fitting,  folding\fitting and making nail loops ( ala
Homer Dangler )

Respect Always
Metalshaper\Jonathan

[Metalshaper]

Of course, my version differs from the 'normal' 
But a length of stock could be made, to then be
Cut to fit as needed...the worse part is the waste lost
In the machining.. and that is what would drive up cost?
Or setting up to have them drawn to shape..

Respect Always
Metalshaper\Jonathan

[Bob Roller]

Of course, my version differs from the 'normal' 
But a length of stock could be made, to then be
Cut to fit as needed...the worse part is the waste lost
In the machining.. and that is what would drive up cost?
Or setting up to have them drawn to shape..

Respect Always
Metalshaper\Jonathan

Jonathan,
Like me, you are manufacturing shavings and the the finished
items are a by product.

Bob Roller

[Metalshaper]

Jonathan,
Like me, you are manufacturing shavings and the the finished
items are a by product.

Bob Roller

I'm afraid that is all to true!
I like what I end up with, but sometimes it seems I clean up twice the weight in swarf and waste.. I have tried working parts using stock material a bit closer to the end result? Since all my machine skills are self taught ( mistake learned  ) I sometimes find it's just better to start a bit more oversized and sneak up on it a bit slower.

I was hoping to take a machining class at the junior college this semester, but another new knee comes first!

Respect Always
Metalshaper\Jonathan