Haven't been completely idle...

[Robert Reid]

As it's summer and farm work has been occupying most of my time, I have not made much Armortek progress. But that doesn't mean I have been completely idle1

For example, finished my Amusette Cart for the Wall Gun...



And have been restoring a 1/6th scale model of a Puckle Gun. This was likely made in the UK in the 1970s or so, but was damaged, incomplete and in a lot of ways unfinished when I picked it up from a miniature dealer friend of mine. I've restored the tripod, added some needed features/details to the cartridge chambers. And have almost finished making a complete lock from scratch to replace the missing miniature....

Made the ratchet (prevents chambers from being turned backwards onto an empty chamber) as well as fitted a pall.



Chambers drilled and fitted for covers.



Made a rear plate for the chamber unit... there wasn't one. This will get engraved with chamber numbers and perhaps the 'poem' around the rim. I'll see how ambitious I am feeling.



Starting to come together



Another view of the lock showing the hammer and the 'trigger' mechanism. Anyone have any tips on making 1/6 scale 'musket' type springs? I keep trying to do it out of spring flat stock and am getting nowhere. Any tips from the experts out there?



One more view.



Just a few of the fun things to stay busy with when not doing Armortek models. I wonder what tank I can mount a Puckle Gun on...

Cheers,

RPR

P.S. Serious about help with springs... if anyone has done these, I'd love a tutorial!

[Stephen White]

Pierse

Try this, one I wrote earlier.


http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... 54a42a2568


I used soft bonsai wire for the non-functional springs on the Cent but you can use the same techniques with piano wire to create functioning springs.

All the best.

Stephen

[Robert Reid]

Hi Stephen:

Most excellent and I have done the same thing with some springs and piano wire. I even have some lathe mandrels to 'space' the coils. Beautiful work!!!

This is the kind of spring I am trying to replicate... Musket lock spring (of sorts), which is flat steel, bent back on itself.



I suspect I will have to go to YouTube and see how the master longrifle builders do it... and then try and scale the process down.

But if anyone has done miniature lock springs... I'd love a tutorial like stephens for coil springs!

Cheers,

RPR

[Stephen White]

Sorry Pierse, I completely got that one wrong! I'll ask my friend Mike Cecil in Spokane if he can help.

[Stephen White]

Pierse, spoke to Mike, who has a friend who manufactures flintlocks, who recommended this:





All the best.

Stephen

[Vince Cutajar]

Love these videos.

Vince

[Robert Reid]

Pierse, spoke to Mike, who has a friend who manufactures flintlocks, who recommended this:





All the best.

Stephen

By coincidence, I watched that last night before bed. It helped some. But I e-mailed Swallow Forge asking them about how it scales down.... 1/6th is a whole different scale! But thinking about using a dull file as high-carbon stock. I think I can make it work.

Thanks for the lead!!!!

Cheers,

RPR