How to form ribbed trade gun ramrod thimbles?

[rich pierce]

I enjoy making components. I’ve not figured out how to make thin, ribbed brass ramrod thimbles. I am guessing a set of dies could be made. Then squeeze the thin brass.

Something like this? 

[Hungry Horse]

 Years ago when I built my first scratch built trade gun, and a little later my sons miniature trade gun, I got some flat ribbed material to make the pipes from TOTW. It was obviously ribbed by running it through some sort of roller that pressed the ribs into the brass strips. The recesses between the raised ribs had fine ridges that no doubt were from whatever was engineered to give the roller enough traction to make it feed properly.

  Hungry Horse

[BOB HILL]

There was a little booklet I had many years ago on building a trade gun. I had a copy and don't know who I loaned it to. It had a jig something like you are describing, if my memory hasn't failed me. Maybe someone here has it.
Bob

[smart dog]

Hi Rich,
I don't think you need the male side of the form.  Just create a plate with parallel grooves and use a cold chisel with rounded nose to hammer the sheet into the grooves.  Here is how I do it for ribbed collars on either end of a thimble.   








Once you have one rib formed, it will hold the sheet in position to form the other ribs.  You need to use thin sheet, probably 0.03-0.04".

dave

[James Rogers]

Hi Rich,
I don't think you need the male side of the form.  Just create a plate with parallel grooves and use a cold chisel with rounded nose to hammer the sheet into the grooves.  Here is how I do it for ribbed collars on either end of a thimble.   








Once you have one rib formed, it will hold the sheet in position to form the other ribs.  You need to use thin sheet, probably 0.03-0.04".

dave

This is the way I make them as well.  At one time I was going to cut some male and female rollers for my rolling mill but it was one of those round tuits and not worth the time investment for the use it would receive. If im not mistaken, Jack Brooks may use a set of plates like you illustrated Rich.

Couldn't find a pic of mine but here is one made the same way by Phillip Smith

[rich pierce]

I use that technique for making raised ribs at the of thimbles. I’m thinking long term and getting mixed more uniform results. We will see if I find time to follow through. Thimbles I got from Mike Lea are pretty nice.

[Stophel]

You could just carve them out of wood.  No need to make them out of metal.  Line them up, squeeze it in a vise, and there you have it.

[rich pierce]

You could just carve them out of wood.  No need to make them out of metal.  Line them up, squeeze it in a vise, and there you have it.

Mebbe so. Osage or pignut hickory maybe.

[Stophel]

Depends on how fine you want your ribs to be.

[Jim Kibler]

Wood may work, but definition of corners will be compromised.  This may be okay, depending on the design.

Jim

[rich pierce]

Depends on how fine you want your ribs to be.

Here in the Midwest we pride ourselves on fine ribs so.....

[jerrywh]

There is a member of this forum named Dave Blasdel. He gave a seminar on this several years back at the oregon gunmakers fair. Hopefully he will chime in.  Hope I spelled his name right.