another wheellie!

[TNHillbilly]

Actually, I discovered-I believe- the problem here to. I believe it's an error in the Lauber plans/design. I made the mistake of soldering in the top lug for the mainspring, having drilled the holes first. LGS, (long story shortened) that causes the MS to squeeze against the sear. I'm going to have to remove, and move the lug upward on the plate to accomodate the heavier spring. Indeed, I had to file the MS down(where it screws into the lug) to squeeze it and the sear in between the top and bottom lugs. What's the old saying, "Measure twice, cut once........!" No 4Fg yet. Went into a "gun shop" yesterday and asked for some. The heavily tatooed, motorcycle jacketed, earringed, proprietor, acting as though I was bothering him by my presence, said, "Ain't got no blackpowder stuff". Initially, I tried crushing a tiny bit of 3F, but that didn't work-it was like dust-would have thought heavy breathing would ignite that-apparently not.

 

[Leonredbeard]

TN,
I wanted to build a wheellock ever since I heard about them in grade school. I realized that I was never going to get it done until I had some help. So I inquired on another forum and was guided to TRS. I ordered the Germanic 535 lock. I learned so much building and getting that one to work that I was able to build others of my own design. But to start out designing your own, well that is pretty brave. :bow: As you tell me what you are discovering, I begin to understand just how tough it is to do one from metal stock the first attempt. My hat is of to you. :hatsoff: Once you have accomplished fixing your design you will have a skill few possess at this time in history. We are not a big guild yet! :bow: :shocked2:
volatpluvia

 

[TNHillbilly]

Thanks for the encouragment, without it I probably would have given up on this weeks ago. There is that elusive detail..or details yet to be solved. I continue to work on the stock and took my brass rod to the machine shop for boring and rough turning.

 

[Leonredbeard]

I made the dog spring today. It needs to be hardened and tempered. Perhaps Monday morning before we have to go away for a cook out. Here are a pic of the spring and a pic of it mounted on the lockplate.

volatpluvia

 

[TNHillbilly]

What is the thickness of your spring stock-looks pretty substantial. Also, can you think of a way to measure the force your spring exerts? That is, without complex equipment. I was thinking for example, a fish scale. If, for example, one placed the dog in the pan and pulled up with a fish scale, would that be an accurate measure. Obviously, I am trying to figure a way the 'guild' can share data. I have a digital postal scale and was thinking of putting the lock in my vice, winding the mainspring and letting the backward force of the spanner come down on the scale measuring the force.

 

[Leonredbeard]

TN,
My stock is .091" thick. The ways you propose to measure the spring force would not give you the measurement you want. There is leverage involved that would greatly reduce your reading. It would not even work to compare locks because of differences in the length of the lever, angle of the contact with the foot and the spring, etc.
What you would need is a device that puts the squeeze directly on the ends of the springs and mesures how much force it takes to move the active leaf. I, personally, don't know of one of those, but someone on the board might.
volatpluvia

 

[Leonredbeard]

I took a long shot today. No, I didn't fire a gonne.
I thought I just might have the new lock ready to light the pan. I suspected the mainspring is not strong enough. I knew I had to get better spring stock for the sear spring. I used the .005 inch thick spring from a 30' tape measure, just a tiny piece, of course. That seems to work now. I filed small crosscuts into the ridges of the wheel. I heated the wheel to red and dunked into warm water. Then I wound it up and installed some 4fg in the pan and brought the dog down onto the wheel.
When I released the wheel it spun but I got no fire. I don't think I have things lined up well enough to get pressure on the pyrite/wheel juncture. I am not sure how far back into the process I have to go to remedy the problem.
volatpluvia

 

[TNHillbilly]

Glad to see your moving forward! I'm waiting on a new bandsaw blade, having broken my 10 year old blade. It was missing so many teeth, it kept jamming in the metal. Then, I must make a new sear. Going to a heavier MS, made everything else change. Just a thought, don't know if you have another lock-the idea being to use a piece of pyrite you know produces sparks....just a 'shot in the dark' to lesson the unknowns.

 

[Leonredbeard]

TN,
I thought of that, but I know where the weaknesses are in this lock. I may have to make a new mainspring, which I suspected as soon as I had it in operation. I also may have to make a new dog and spring to get it to work.
volatpluvia

 

[Leonredbeard]

TN and all who are interested. I began to reshape the dog today so that it lays down more and the foot contacted by the spring is angled farther forward. This will eventually give me more pressure down on the wheel from the pyrite. I say eventually because I must make a new dog spring. It has to be longer and give me more room between the leaves so it will work with a longer foot on the dog. Then I must definately make a thicker, stronger mainspring. This one is too weak. I'll keep you posted.
volatpluvia

 

[PitchyPine]

:bow: :thumbsup: