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Home Made Percussion Caps Review

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Thank you, I all but forgot about the McCoys, Got to find more episodes somewhere
gunny
I have Roku and there is a channel called Filmrise. I believe they have all 6 seasons, you have to put up with commercials, but hey, you had commercials back in the old "rabbit-ears" days.
 
I've never made any caps with one of the cap makers; however, I had some kids roll caps and since I'm in the leather business, I wanted to see what size leather punch would punch a perfect diameter slug with the primer dot on it to fit into a commercial percussion cap. I found that a hollow tube leather punch size #4 or #5 (11/64" - .171 dia.) works best. The actual diameter of the punch tubes will vary according to the tool manufacturer. Using a hollow tube leather punch is more accurate and faster than trying to cut these out with scissors or separating the two layers of paper in order to recover the priming compound. You do have to be careful not to cut into the edge of cap primer, if you do it will probably set it off. I also wouldn't let numerous caps stack up in the punch tube, if you do detonate one, all in the tube will go off. I removed the slugs (dots) from the punch tube with the flat butt end of a bamboo skewer. Weaver Leather has a rotary leather punch imported from Germany, which is good quality for the cost, under $20 at Amazon, and free shipping if you have Prime.
Weaver Rotary Leather Punch

I've seen some of the caps turned out with the Tap-O-Cap and read where they work, but that is one ugly cap. Kind of like a cheap ugly straw hat compared to a Stetson. The finished cap reminds me of those accordion cupcake papers you use in the cupcake pan, just not as clean looking. Here are the dots, the punch is a single tube C.S. Osborne Mfg.
IMG_20220607_170240_525.jpg
 
Duco Cement, by DuPont, was a model airplane glue. I used back in the 60's, not just modeling, but for lots of other things too.
then they put a PUKE ELEMENT IN IT. that was the end !
 
I've never made any caps with one of the cap makers; however, I had some kids roll caps and since I'm in the leather business, I wanted to see what size leather punch would punch a perfect diameter slug with the primer dot on it to fit into a commercial percussion cap. I found that a hollow tube leather punch size #4 or #5 (11/64" - .171 dia.) works best. The actual diameter of the punch tubes will vary according to the tool manufacturer. Using a hollow tube leather punch is more accurate and faster than trying to cut these out with scissors or separating the two layers of paper in order to recover the priming compound. You do have to be careful not to cut into the edge of cap primer, if you do it will probably set it off. I also wouldn't let numerous caps stack up in the punch tube, if you do detonate one, all in the tube will go off. I removed the slugs (dots) from the punch tube with the flat butt end of a bamboo skewer. Weaver Leather has a rotary leather punch imported from Germany, which is good quality for the cost, under $20 at Amazon, and free shipping if you have Prime.
Weaver Rotary Leather Punch

I've seen some of the caps turned out with the Tap-O-Cap and read where they work, but that is one ugly cap. Kind of like a cheap ugly straw hat compared to a Stetson. The finished cap reminds me of those accordion cupcake papers you use in the cupcake pan, just not as clean looking. Here are the dots, the punch is a single tube C.S. Osborne Mfg.
View attachment 143408
I never thought of using a NOLE PUNCH to punch out the caps, how does it work? I have been using a pair of scissors, pain in the butt!
 
I've never made any caps with one of the cap makers; however, I had some kids roll caps and since I'm in the leather business, I wanted to see what size leather punch would punch a perfect diameter slug with the primer dot on it to fit into a commercial percussion cap. I found that a hollow tube leather punch size #4 or #5 (11/64" - .171 dia.) works best. The actual diameter of the punch tubes will vary according to the tool manufacturer. Using a hollow tube leather punch is more accurate and faster than trying to cut these out with scissors or separating the two layers of paper in order to recover the priming compound. You do have to be careful not to cut into the edge of cap primer, if you do it will probably set it off. I also wouldn't let numerous caps stack up in the punch tube, if you do detonate one, all in the tube will go off. I removed the slugs (dots) from the punch tube with the flat butt end of a bamboo skewer. Weaver Leather has a rotary leather punch imported from Germany, which is good quality for the cost, under $20 at Amazon, and free shipping if you have Prime.
Weaver Rotary Leather Punch

I've seen some of the caps turned out with the Tap-O-Cap and read where they work, but that is one ugly cap. Kind of like a cheap ugly straw hat compared to a Stetson. The finished cap reminds me of those accordion cupcake papers you use in the cupcake pan, just not as clean looking. Here are the dots, the punch is a single tube C.S. Osborne Mfg.
View attachment 143408
what size is the punch? I will go to HARBOR FREIGHT to look for one!
 
what size is the punch? I will go to HARBOR FREIGHT to look for one!
I found that a hollow tube leather punch size #4 or #5 (11/64" - .171 dia.) You'll just have to play around with it. One size I had worked out perfect, just make sure that it doesn't cut into the compound or it could set it off, and be sure to wear safety glasses.
 
I never thought of using a NOLE PUNCH to punch out the caps, how does it work? I have been using a pair of scissors, pain in the butt!
The punch is a hollow sharpened tube designed to punch holes in leather or other soft material. Just practice centering the punch tube over the priming dot, and you will get perfectly round priming dots. The size I used was perfect for these caps, and the cut out fit perfectly in a standard #10 or #11 cap.
 
If you wanted to use a rotary leather punch, this German made punch is good quality for the price and will have a punch tube the correct size. I would use something flexible like a short length of weed eater cord to push the cap slugs back out of the tube. Don't let more than two or three stack up in the tube or all in the tube will go off if you happen to pop one while cutting.
Weaver Leather Punch
 
if you please, what size is the DIA, of the punch that you use to punch them out?
 
if you please, what size is the DIA, of the punch that you use to punch them out?
Toot:

See Post #47, I've listed the size twice, 11/64" inch diameter or .171 thousandths of an inch diameter, which is known in the leather trade as either a Number #4 or Number #5 sized punch which varies by manufacturer. Here is a link to a leather punch size chart from the C.S. Osborne Tool Company. Click on the image to enlarge.

Osborne Punch Tube Size Chart
 
The fired caps are corrosive. Whatever punch you use will need to be cleaned just like the guns. Back when I was doing this the rust was a problem for my hole punch. I did find that if I wiped a damp cloth over the cap paper the caps didn't fire while punching out. You also didn't want to be holding the cup while inserting the punched out dots. If they went off you have a couple of burned fingers
 
anyone try punching caps from those Japanese Asahi beer cans? it's gotta be the thickest cans on the shelf, I'm not sure if they are aluminum or steel?
 
Just got the die and primeall kit in the mail. Confused as how to use the Duco Cement. Do you make the cap as directed, dry it out then add a drop of Duco Cement or is the Duco Cement mixed with the Acetone somehow?
 
no need for duco , just an extraneous step, it comes with a binder material, you activate the binder with acetone, ether,, vodka, etc etc

you might try a paper hole punch tool from office depot, then place the little circle paper over the cap to help seal it in, but DUCO would be easier at that punching paper covers
 
I didn't have much luck with the Duco, the compound tended to fall out, regardless. I probably just need to store the caps more carefully, with some cushioning of some kind.
 
Center Shot This is the accepted way to use the Duco Cement. You get your powder in the cup.Press it down with something. Mix the Acetone and Duco,three drops in a tablespoon . Stir for awhile as it is hard to be sure it's mixed. Put a drop into each cup and let dry.Done. You can make this a little stronger if you want,or simply do more than once. I have done a great many this way.It hasn't crumbled or fallen out. I just put them in a pill bottle and if they rattle around ,no harm. Other binders work too but this is easy.
 
i use the small end of the spoon thats included with the reloading kit to fill the empty caps... i dont even bother tamping it down, just use an eye dropper filled with a solvent, only needs one-two drops . after they harden i store mine in a 35mm film canister
 
I punched out 18 caps out of a soda can and used 2 paper toy caps in each secured with a drop of decanted hairspray. Shot all 18 caps with no malfunctions except a click boom delay of a fraction of a second. Saw a guy on Youtube that used 3 paper caps and had no delay so will experiment with this. I know the Primeall works, just looking for alternatives.
 
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