Author Topic: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock  (Read 7969 times)

Offline Rolf

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #25 on: July 30, 2019, 06:42:45 PM »
I noticed on a couple of websites that Chris Laubach is considering a run of left handed Germanic locks if he can get orders for a hundred left handed locks. I signed up for one as I have a left handed grandson. So lefties time to sign up. Tim

Do you have link to where I can sign up for a left handed Lock?

Best regards
Rolf

Offline SingleMalt

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #26 on: July 31, 2019, 01:19:52 AM »
I noticed on a couple of websites that Chris Laubach is considering a run of left handed Germanic locks if he can get orders for a hundred left handed locks. I signed up for one as I have a left handed grandson. So lefties time to sign up. Tim

Do you have link to where I can sign up for a left handed Lock?

Best regards
Rolf

Send Chris a PM.  He's a member here.
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Offline chris laubach

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #27 on: August 01, 2019, 12:09:40 AM »

I did receive a few messages asking about...where are the sparks in the video being directed?  So I thought I would share a few still photos from the video.








Thanks
Chris

Offline Ky-Flinter

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #28 on: August 01, 2019, 12:44:08 AM »
Holy cow!  That thing is a flamethrower!

-Ron
Ron Winfield

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Offline smart dog

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #29 on: August 01, 2019, 12:45:04 AM »
Hi Chris,
That is great!  No better way to address a question than with data.  Also, I just wanted to say keep that English lock as long as you need even if it takes until Dixon's next year.  I always enjoy visiting with you.

dave
"The main accomplishment of modern economics is to make astrology look good."

Offline mony

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #30 on: August 01, 2019, 12:46:01 AM »
Nice pics. Pretty well sums it up. Where’s that list?

Offline Eric Kettenburg

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #31 on: August 01, 2019, 12:50:37 AM »
Not gonna get any better than that!
Strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords, is no basis for a system of government!

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #32 on: August 01, 2019, 02:21:53 AM »
Laubach is set to change the lock industry how Jim Kibler revolutionized the kits.
Not going to make any difference on how or what I build...except for an increase in price.
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline smart dog

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #33 on: August 01, 2019, 04:15:38 AM »
Hi Mike,
Except it will save you the time and money to polish and tune locks you put on your guns.  For me, Chris's locks will cut my costs. I assume of course that you do polish and tune your locks?

dave
"The main accomplishment of modern economics is to make astrology look good."

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #34 on: August 01, 2019, 04:30:29 PM »
Polish and tune? Certainly you jest.....
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline FlintFan

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #35 on: August 01, 2019, 05:00:40 PM »
Hi Mike,
Except it will save you the time and money to polish and tune locks you put on your guns.  For me, Chris's locks will cut my costs. I assume of course that you do polish and tune your locks?

dave

CNC machined surfaces will still need to be hand polished and or filed to some extent before engraving, finishing, etc, dependent on what scallop height is specified in the tool paths. 

Unless of course polishing is a step that is being done by the maker as part of the manufacturing and assembly process? 
« Last Edit: August 01, 2019, 05:34:58 PM by FlintFan »

Offline chris laubach

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #36 on: August 01, 2019, 06:32:49 PM »

Correct...CNC surfaces do need to be polished.. our locks will come to the customer with the facing surface polished to 400grt. That being said... there is no filing needed to “true” surfaces before polishing with 220, 320, 400 and so on. Our CNC surface lends itself to go right to a 400 grt sand paper...some will find this to be a huge time saver..... some may not.

Thanks
Chris

Offline E.vonAschwege

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #37 on: August 01, 2019, 09:20:51 PM »
I had the pleasure of looking over and cycling Chris' new lock while at Dixon's.  I have used locks by every commercial maker, and have made plenty of my own - assembled from castings as well as forged while working at Colonial Williamsburg.  I always spend a few hours tuning commercial locks.  That means removing any casting lines on the outside, polishing and hardening each pivot screw and bearing surface (bridal and lockplate), and balancing the springs.  I will continue to use locks of all makes as projects require different styles. 

To say I was impressed with this lock is putting it lightly.  This CNC lock eliminates small variations in casting and hand assembly tolerances, and felt indistinguishable from the original German lock it is copied from.  It felt like a swiss watch.  The bearing surfaces are guaranteed to be true, and the CNC marks that do exist should be taken care of with fine grit backed sandpaper.   Any extra money spent on the lock will be saved in the hours of tuning. 

On the subject of carburizing the frizzen.  The frizzens on the locks I built at Williamsburg were forged of iron, case hardened for 3-4 hours (depended on my patience level), and threw a shower of sparks in a different manner than a cast steel frizzen.  They both work, as cast frizzens have proven for half a century, but I like that this lock is trying something "new" (or should I say old?).  The lock on the "sacrificial" rifle at the Williamsburg shop got cycled roughly 3 dozen times a day, 365 days a year, and wore into the soft iron after a year and a half - figure 12-15,000 cycles?  The carburizing method will be deeper than my case hardening was, so I for one won't worry about wearing it out.  If I do, a CNC replacement will simply screw into place - no careful fitting required. 

Looking forward to it!
-Eric


Former Gunsmith, Colonial Williamsburg www.vonaschwegeflintlocks.com

Offline sdilts

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #38 on: August 03, 2019, 03:46:45 PM »
Until we know the price of the lock we really don't know if it will cut costs or not.

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #39 on: August 03, 2019, 04:56:52 PM »
Until we know the price of the lock we really don't know if it will cut costs or not.
Matters not. I'd just figure $275-$350. perhaps a bit more.
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline Eric Kettenburg

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #40 on: August 03, 2019, 04:59:43 PM »
I assume Chris will post it when he has the entire first run ready for sale, although based upon what I was told, I find it to be a very reasonable premium over current best-quality (Chambers, imho) investment cast locks.

It's not merely the idea of saving monetized time spent polishing but to my personal way of thinking (there's not much I dislike more than polishing locks) time spent engaged in an aggravating, drudge-type task!
Strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords, is no basis for a system of government!

Offline Daryl

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #41 on: August 03, 2019, 07:43:41 PM »
What is a day's time worth? Taylor has told me it takes him a full day's work, about 8 hours, to polish most locks to his satisfaction.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline sqrldog

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #42 on: August 03, 2019, 07:56:27 PM »
More important to me is the fit and function of the lock. I've been told by by someone that really knows and understands locks, lock geometry, and function that Chris' lock is the best lock he has seen antique or modern.  This of course does not include every lock made but I do value his opinion greatly. I look forward to owning one. Now with that said less polishing will be a welcome plus. But as my buddy Frank Bartlett used to say you can't polish a #&&#. I hope Chris continues on and makes other models for different applications.

Offline Pete G.

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #43 on: August 03, 2019, 09:03:17 PM »
... as my buddy Frank Bartlett used to say you can't polish a #&&#.

Actually mythbusters proved that you can, although they did start with cow manure. ;)

Offline smart dog

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #44 on: August 03, 2019, 09:27:26 PM »
Hi,
Chris's lock is the finest Germanic flintlock that is made commercially today. It has no rivals with respect to quality and function in that style.  Chris intends to make a high-end English fowler lock and a high-end flat English pistol lock.  I gave him a fine original flat-faced English fowler lock from the 1770s, which does not have all the later bells and whistles but will fill the niche of locks bridging the round-faced locks and the later flat locks with roller frizzens and waterproof pans.  Hopefully, he will be able to use it.

dave
"The main accomplishment of modern economics is to make astrology look good."

Offline Mauser06

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #45 on: August 08, 2019, 11:44:35 PM »
Any ideas when these will be available??

Offline SingleMalt

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #46 on: August 09, 2019, 12:24:10 AM »
Any ideas when these will be available??


Chris told me mid-October, thereabouts.
Never drink whisky that isn't old enough to vote.

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Offline Mauser06

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #47 on: August 09, 2019, 12:35:15 AM »
Thanx! 

Offline RAT

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #48 on: August 13, 2019, 02:32:47 AM »
How about a late English (1820's-1830's) lock? Flat faced plate (no beveled edge), water-proof pan, double throated cock, with a stirrup on the tumbler/mainspring.
Bob

Offline chris laubach

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Re: Coming soon! Laubach CNC German lock
« Reply #49 on: August 13, 2019, 03:25:26 AM »
It’s a possibility... we are currently working on two other styles that we hope to have the prototypes ready in time for the Lewisburg show in February.

Thanks
Chris


How about a late English (1820's-1830's) lock? Flat faced plate (no beveled edge), water-proof pan, double throated cock, with a stirrup on the tumbler/mainspring.