Hugh ....

Your casting kit has been shipped. Expect it Friday.

Gary

Wow! Beautiful presentation Gary. Hugh is blessed indeed. Looking forward to his posts.

Karl

Thanks Karl,

Yeah ... in spite of all my work .... things still go out the door! hahah.

I'm going to run some errands, and take the Wifey out to dinner. Just closed the shop for awhile. Man, I was organizing and making notes. I'm working on soooo many projects at once now, it's a blurrrrr.

Have not forgotten you Sean - Bucket #1 (Literal buckets with heavy wall paper sleeves standing like a pipe organ - they hold long tubes and barrels). Nor Doug Alder - Bucket #2. Nor Butler Bench #3- that Bison action is front and center on one bench ... covered in blue foam for protection. Julio, your repairs (Bench 4 and new lathe top). and the Barracuda (Rack #1) have not been forgotten, nor your blue Ivory (shelf 3-a). Tony, your projects are still here, I see them every day Bench #3 and 4. Karl and Keith ... mold, etc. Even Dory's mold ... if he's still reading. I just moved it too, while organizing bench #2. Rearick - Cabinet #1. Jim - Cabinet #2 and shelf 3b. Then, there's Blue a,b,c. Getting to your repair Rex (rack #1). Hugh, your gun is waiting (Rack #1) stock is off awaiting final tweak of sling swivels - in place - not detailed. Joe - you are front and center. Imagine how many people just turned up their nose .... hahhah. All in time.

That's what comes to mind. Back later.

Gary

Timmy would like a word.

You bet ... those lessons I took from Timmy have really paid off!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2011 03:47AM by barnespneumatic.

Thank you Gentlemen.

Can't wait for Hugh to get the lead pot hot!



Gary


Another misplaced comment .... supposed to be at the bottom of the thread ...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2011 03:51AM by barnespneumatic.

No, he's expecting never to have to change handles again now! Maybe that's because I said something about you being Santa... I tried to tell him that not everyone is getting a kit like that but he just won't believe me!

Gary,

I'm still here, just stepped out for over a year. trying to catch up on old post might take awhile. Will try to start posting again send a picture or two.

Impressive case, as my creative son would say simpler is sometimes more elegant. Dory

Good - welcome back.

I'll finish it up and get it out. I've been feeling a bunch better, due to a change of meds. It's been a huge help. Been working on dozens of things like I used to. Hope it lasts. Still have a ton of catch-up. It's been some seriously painful and depressing years. Feeling improved recently, it's been sort of frightening just how horrible I felt.

Anyway ... I haven't forgotten.

Gary

Hi Gary,

Nice presentation box. Everything is so well organized. That's a great compliment to the already beautiful Nitro Express.

Go and have a good time with Kelly.

Julio

Hello Julio,

We had a nice evening ... thanks. A nice dinner ... and then a trip to the Zoo. The folks at Wal-mart were in fine form tonight.

Gary

Hi Gary,

It's funny, because here in Puerto Rico we call the Zoo when you are talking about the House of Laws. In the US it would be the Congress. LOL. Compared to Walmart these guys at the Puertorican Senate are Wild Aminals.

Hello Julio,

Can we trade Congress for Zoo animals



Gary

Gary,

If you do that change, everybody wins. At least some of the zoo animals could get domesticated?

Wow!

what a nice set-up

Wow everything has a place of it's own. That is one sweet kit for sure.

Front and center, I never liked those words until now, hehehehe, they usually spelled trouble.

HEEEEEYYYYY!! GB..........I WANT ONE TOO!

Very nice box. I seriously jealous. No...SERIOUSLY

Gary,

Wow! Nice kit.

Lon

Hmmmm.......wasn't SOMEONE here just commenting about cased sets of loading tools?

Yes...I definately remember somebody having something to say about those not but maybe two weeks ago. Who could that be?

Hello All ...

I appreciate the compliments ... but ... this is a "shop box". Man ... if I can sell these as elegant "Cases" ... then I've been missing the boat. I'm not going to try to degrade it ... it makes a nice way to store the goods. But ... "Cased" ... that's a bit too grand. Though I'm glad you like it.

There's another big ole reason to do it. Hugh has been "Posting" pics of his shooting ... even though he's been posting his shooting with Black Powder Period pcs., because his Nitro was not complete yet. He's been doing this, for us to enjoy, for years. I make note of these things. I ask folks to do this. I hope they will want to. When the less than half of 1% actually do it ... I notice. The rest just say they don't have to, don't want to, and some feel it's a matter of pride to have some old shop creature ask them to do anything. That's fine. But then, (with all due respect) I have the same choices. I know Hugh will enjoy using these tools, and sharing his results.

Hey ... what do you think I could get for a "Cased" rifle, along these lines ... Just for the record ...







The Hoss case was hand dovetailed from virgin growth 200 year old Pine boards. Handmade forged copper hinges and latch, with a stag and forged copper carry handle. I even forged the copper nails. The interior compartments were hand dovetailed. The bottom was square wooden pegged in place. It had a nice builder's paper inside the lid. Several tools. Yes - it's here for repair. The gun was sent out for a photo shoot. When it went out, it was all stuffed with foam pcs. and foam wrap, to keep anything from moving, and stressing hinges, compartments, etc. When it came back ... it had just been tossed in there, and slapped around inside the case for a couple of days shipping back. Sprung this, damaged that. It's on the eternal list of things to do. ;?)

Gary

Aw man!..... At least it didn't just have a FedEx label glued on it...

This reminds me of the Hoss pistol case. Very cool.

-- Jim

Gary:

Yes, I remember seeing that case before. I hadn't heard that it had been damaged though. What a shame!

You should post pics of the case you built for Julio's GS 2. It was nice too ....though not as nice as the airgun.

Karl

Hello Karl,

Forgot about that. That was nice - thanks.

I recall that I was completing it before leaving for Standing Stone IV, It was very late at night. I had to do some hammering in of upholstry tacks, etc. I was sure I was gonna get a nasty gram from that. So; I quickly left town ... hahaha .... and drove to Kentucky.

I'd have to dig for a pic, if it even exists.



Gary

As Gary said, the lead pot is warming up as we speak. I am thrilled with the functionality of the casting kit!
I got my hands on some lead bricks, previously used as xray barrier in an old xray suite. BHN of 5. 20:1 tin alloy will fill my 45/70 molds with nice, sharp edges, so with these superior molds, I expect some nice casts will be forthcoming. The only other bullets I am casting with this particular soft alloy are for a 19th century S&W 38 revolver (originally a black powder piece) loaded over about 1.2 grains of Bullseye that will shoot a 4" group at 15 yds, double action. The soft alloy obturates well with the tiny charge, giving very consistent performance.
The issue of bullet obturation is important in cast bullet handloading at any level, as is an appropriate bullet fit for the particular firearm. Cast bullets are generally sized about a thousandth over groove diameter, even for higher pressure magnum loads in 44 mag or 45/70.
Gary. What is your sense of how the large bore air rifle bullets travel the length of the barrel. Is there a tight fit with the bullet filling the barrel grooves, or is there a little "blow by"? Airgun pressures of 2500 to 3500 psi and the physics of airguns seem very remote from even relatively "low pressure" firearms, such as a standard 45 acp or 38 spl, which operate in the 15000 psi range. Thoughts?

Hugh

Hello Hugh,

Will ramble on in a minute. First - before I forget ... do lube your molds in several spots with candle wax, while casting. About every 20 throws. Poinst of lube will be the underside of the cutter wing. Just a touch there of the candle on a heated surface. That will prevent wipe marks or scaring. A touch of wax on the index pins. They are low enough so that you can touch them, without getting wax into the cavities. If you do get a touch of wax in there, you will just get a pock marked bullet on the next throw. Won't hurt anything. I know you are experienced, just these few thoughts. Also, a touch of wax forward on the brass hinge bearing. Keep that socket hex bolt snug - but not binding tight. Just a tight enough ti give a pound or resistance to movement or so.

Now ... Bullet clearance. I don't usually shoot a bore scrounging slug. The small clearance between bullet and bottom of the groove is very small. I suspect the "time" issue of the equation does not allow for measurable leakage there. It takes time for HP air to leak thru such tiny cracks. The bullet is gone so quickly, I don't think it's a factor. When you recover slugs, you can see note the groove pattern. Doesn't take much to spin them. BUT; you are also using the sizing dies to determine the back pressure your slugs present, in the breech, while the air pressure is building. The slug will "Pop" the cork and enter the barrel proper, when the pressure has built up enough to fatigue the lead edge which is holding against the start of the rifling.

Tip: don't be overly hard on judging your slugs. Of course, make sure the bottom edges are full. However; the slugs do not have to look absoutely "machined" in order to fly. You will certainly grade them out in 1s, 2s, 3s. However; I have shot some of my finest groups ... with number 3 grade slugs, at the end of range sessions when I was out of the better stuff. Partly, that's a factor of getting use to the bench. But - it also proves that #3 slugs can fly well. You might wish to start sessions with slugs that aren't the prettiest. Save your best until you are warmed up. Of course, I know that some people would get the shakes if everything wasn't perfect, hahah, so re-melt what you want. ;?)

Hope it goes well. I've gotten long wear from the blocks. I've also had customers completely ruin them, very quickly. A word to file away: I make all of my cherry cutters. I mill them from high grade tool steel, harden, temper, and hand sharpen them. They are all I retain. I sort of put a value on them. Both as a way to make new molds, but as an "archive" of the designs too. Therefore; I usually cut the molds in a good grade of aircraft alum. I know that the fancy molds are often cast iron. Here's the deal. If I know an experienced caster has truthfully "worn out" an alum. mold of mine ... I will make it right. I have never yet seen a "worn out" alum. mold of mine. I've seen ones that were beaten to death and abused beyond recognition. I "could" make all the molds from cast iron ... some I have. However; the cast iron takes the cutters very differently. It will literally cut a different size. Secondly, it will accelerate the wear on the cutters. A replaced cherry cutter, made to the same geometry ... takes a bunch of time for me .... AND ... it will still be "different". When I get designs that fly as well as I have proven, I want to preserve those. So - that's the logic, and the guarantee.

Enjoy.

Gary