Making a frizzen spring

[Jdbeck]

One of my goals is to make a lock from scratch…
In that journey I have a lot more mistakes to make.
Looking for tips on making a frizzen spring.

I tried drilling a hole annd inserting a steel rod, but it created a weak point.
Next attempt was going to use a solid piece…

My plan was to thin the spring… didn’t make it that far.

I’m guessing a better way to use a solid piece?

[James Wilson Everett]

Here is the tutorial:

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=25950.msg247984#msg247984

[rich pierce]

Here is the tutorial:

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=25950.msg247984#msg247984

One of many excellent tutorials. Thanks, Jim. For someone like me, who doesn’t make springs every day, your advice to fabricate then thin to tune the strength of the spring is great advice.

[Jdbeck]

Here is the tutorial:

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=25950.msg247984#msg247984

Thank you!!!

[smart dog]

Hi,
I make them differently.  I cut in from the sides of the spring stock leaving a 3/32" - 1/8" wide neck where I want the finial to form.  I heat the neck red hot and turn the section to be the finial perpendicular to the rest of the spring.  Then I weld steel on top of the section for the finial to form the boss for the screw and add any height to the rest of the finial.  Then I drill the hole for the screw and shape the finial.  Shape the peg and bend the leaves and I am ready for shaping, finish, and heat treating.

dave

[Rolf]

Here is how I did it.
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=55741.msg557646#msg557646

Best regards

Rolf

[flintlock hunter]

This is one I made a couple days ago for a Jaeger lock I'm making. It's Made from an old spring tooth harrow, I know that rubs people the wrong way but it has always worked for me.









I don't have a milling machine unfortunately so everything is done will files. And this steal makes some of the best chisels I've ever made or used.

[Rolf]

This is one I made a couple days ago for a Jaeger lock I'm making. It's Made from an old spring tooth harrow, I know that rubs people the wrong way but it has always worked for me.









I don't have a milling machine unfortunately so everything is done will files. And this steal makes some of the best chisels I've ever made or used.

That spring is truly impressive work. Please show us the rest of the lock.

Best regards
Rolf

[smart dog]

Hi,
Seeing all that metal that has to be filed away to form the leaves leaves me exhausted.

dave

[flintlock hunter]

Thanks Rolf, I have no finished pictures I'm still filing away. These are a couple of what its shaping into.







It started life as a large Siler lock from Locks and stuff. Made a new plate and used the innards. The sear spring is from the same material. I just have to make a new main spring now and finish the details.

[rich pierce]

Barry, you’re doing some very nice work there!

The rarest files are small files that are very coarse, and large files with a very fine cut. I have a tapered square file about 7/16” at the fat end that will really make short work of taking 0.050” off narrow stock.

[Clowdis]

Flintlock Hunter, What's wrong with spring tooth harrow steel? It makes great knives too. Beautiful work, by the way.

[flintlock hunter]

Absolutely nothing, that was my point. It seems that most people believe you have to use a known steel to make springs. I don't think that Dickert and Armstrong etc. where ordering steel from Granger. I have a large collection of Addis chisels, and I love them, but they don't hold an edge like the ones I have made from this steel

[Jdbeck]

Tonight I tried a single piece it worked but it also cracked. Has to be my tempering I heated until purple.

Maybe it’s time to give the measurements and let someone els make the spring.

I’m exhausted 🥱

I need to learn more about metal hardening and tempering for sure…

[smart dog]

Hi,
The steel should be tempered to 700-750 degrees for 30 minutes or more.  I temper for 1 hour at 750 when using 1075 steel.  Purple is about 520-530 degrees and is too low.

dave

[Kevin Houlihan]

Jdbeck,
 I tempered my frizzen spring by floating it in a 750 deg. lead lot for approx. 30 minutes. You should be able to file a spring after it’s hardened and tempered.
Good luck
Kevin

[Bob Roller]

Hi,
Seeing all that metal that has to be filed away to form the leaves leaves me exhausted.

dave

All that FILING can easily be elemenated with a milling machine and I have made several in years past,at least 40 of them.
Sear springs also started on a milling machine.I never had any "romanticized"ideas about filing every thing and won't hesitate
to bring in whatever is needed to get the job done with as much speed and efficiency as possible.I well remember George Killen
filing a lock tumbler from a square spike of some kind and making springs from hood and trunk regulator springs from junked cars.
Lock maker W.G.Sutter made tumblers from Chrysler and Packard torsion bars and I have no idea how he did it.At least the torsion
bars were round.
Bob Roller
 

[smart dog]

Hi Bob,
Yes, a milling machine would do the job but so does the method I described.  By the time you jigged up your machine or somebody filed thick metal stock to form the boss and then all that filing to make the thinner leaves, I am done with the spring, and any type of spring I desire.

Here are 3 examples completed in a few hours of work:




dave

H

[Jim Kibler]

Once you have a set-up or fixture made, you can’t compete with a mill.  With a proper fixture you can use it repeatedly.

You can of course do this job many other ways that don’t require machinery. 

One thing I would suggest is learning how to look and discern what is good and bad in terms of proper design and style.  Study original work and ask yourself what looks good and what doesn’t.  Learn to identify characteristics of good work.  Use these as your guides when doing your own work.

Jim

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

Just one additional tip:  Drill the hole for the frizzen spring mounting screw early in the process.  I have found that it is quite easy to file and shape the outside of the spring to match or align after the hole is drilled.  I have found that it is quite difficult to drill the hole exactly on center to the already shaped spring outside.  Note in the tutorial that the hole is drilled while the spring material is still thick and unshaped.

Jim