Ellen Posted June 9, 2006 Author Share Posted June 9, 2006 Jim, I think a 3" fuller should be ideal; not too long, not too short. I love the feel of the metal too, the feedback is truly excellent on the flypress. I don't know of another metal working tool out there that can do what a flypress can. I have a couple of poor pictures of my flintlock in my album at Forgemagic. I made it before there were kits.....drilled and rifled the barrel, shaped it octagonal, make the lock from scratch, and the furniture from brass. The stock was just a curly maple plank and I took it from there. Lots of hours, but I learned some valuable skills, including patience. Good shooter too, I've taken Rocky Mountain Elk with it. It's in 50 cal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 Jim; I know that I don't need to tell you this but for other folk reading---don't forget to relieve the ends of the fullers so you don't leave abrupt "steps" as you go down the piece. (Think of the fuller "face" as a rocker not flat and square) Hmm might be interesting to try it out with a tapered step block that you pull out as you work the piece (simple handle that you grab with the tongs?) so you deal with the distal taper of the blade but can't go too far... Not as fun as eyeballing but if you do a lot of something may be worth while. Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 Thomas: Actually I was going to relieve onlyu one end..leaving the other end pretty much "squared", well not a real "sharp" square but a bit more abrupt than the other to get that nice "sharp" terminus on the fuller and once the terminus is in, reverse the fullers and work it down the blade to the other terminus, reverse again to get a nice "sharp" end..This is what I do when I put them in by hand now. This is followed up by a few minutes with my flex shaft machine to smooth everything out and I am good to go... On your idea as far as the quoin adjustment..I'd be a bit worried about it being "spit out" by pressure of the press but I don't see why it shouldn't work in theory as long as the quoin matches the taper on the blade.. This whole thing is going to involve a serious learning curve I think. I will, if all goes well be able to start to putter around with this next week as my studio is just about cleaned up...I still have to blow off all the grit and crud off the rafters and well..I look like Al Jolson singing "Mammy" by the time I get done. I really need a vacuum system... Still Augustus has some serious potential..much more versatile that his uncle Julius, which is shear power and well, sometimes you can have too much of that as I have recently found out.. Ellen: Yeah making firearms is a lot of fun...takes a while to do it right though and alot of folks simply don't have the patience to do it...I built a few...the piece I am most "proud of" is my Sharps in .45 120 3 1/4" Sharps Straight (aka .45 3 1/4" Lyman) I was going to do a pattern welded barrel for it but that was too big a faggot to handle..now that I have Julius and Augustus I might just make one. I do have PW pistol grip cap on it, upgrades can be fun.. Now I didn't do the wood work on it..my wood working abilities are well..below minimal.. I keep asking why do they call it iron wood when you can't forge it?? I mean talk about red short...Sorta along the reasoning why they call it rattuoie when there's no rats in it either?? JPH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellen Posted June 11, 2006 Author Share Posted June 11, 2006 Well cartridge guns are a tad more difficult than muzzleloaders I should think. Never tried one. I do have a 45-120 Pedersoli Sharps, and the workmanship is very nice. Fun to have, but I would probably have been smarter with a 45-70; a tad easier on the shoulder. Just that I already have a half dozen of them (not in Sharps style). One of my all time favorite cartridges. Also, I have yet to dial in a really accurate load for it (Sharps) that does not involve smokeless powder. I think I just need to get in there with an overpowder wad to protect the base of the bullet; also I have been shooting 777 in it instead of plain old black. So far the best results have been with 540 grain paper patched bullets. Joined the range about ten miles from me so will be burning power soon. I no longer shoot formal competition; but I do like the informal competitive shoots, like "red necked bowling". I like that one because I always (knock on wood) have gotten my entry fee and cost of cartridges back.......grin! It's kinda fun to skunk all the guys with a fairly plain 1911. I think you will love the control on Augustus and will be thoroughly hooked. I don't think the learning curve is as steep as you think; some much of Augustus is so similar to hand forging; in most ways it is not like using a machine at all. I also use mine to taper the cross section of the blades with flat dies, well one flat, one at an angle. No hammer marks at all to worry about. I think the fullers will clean up so easy you'll wonder why you didn't get a flypress earlier. Are you going to videotape your performance of "Mammy?" Might sell a few copies.....BOG! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 Ellen: On the rifles...well there's not much differnce really between a breechloader or a front stuffer...just a little more "inleting work" and some additional metalwork for the action. A falling block isn't that hard to do, very simple mechanics and the lock plate is a lock plate as far as the hammer throw goes. They are fun and that .45 120 puts the lead down range a fair ways too. I alos paper patch but I am using a 550 gr .450 hollow base projectile on top of 105 grs of Ffg (I load with a drop tube..makes a world of difference) and lately I am using teflon plumber's tape instead of paper for the patching and I managed to shrink my groups by 3/4" by doing so..I am almost to 1 MOA on this rifle... My particular rifle isn;t allowed in any formal matches as it exceeds the upper weight limite by about 3 1/2 lbs as the barrel length and weight is a bit more than anything else out there at 36 1/2" and a full octagon it is a bit hefty.. I don;t care I just like shooting the thing.. On the fly press..I am already building "toys and accessories" for it as I am finally getting around to making a die.swage "cart" as it's about time I get these off the floor anyway and well, a cart seems the best way to store it plus I can use it for my LG, the swages and anvil tools as well as the stuff I am making for Augustus...I have some excess angle iron laying out back (the blacksmith's best friend for making stuff out of...) and some swivel casters so I am all set. About an hour's worth of work and I will be done I think... Might even incorporate a tong rack on one side as well.. I get "creative" on things sometimes. I can see where a fly press can really come in handy. I can't wait to try slitting flatsock, that should really be quick..well quicker than doing it by hand or even under my treadle hammer like I do now..not as "cumbersome" as all I have to do is hold the stock and trun the wheel instead of holding the stock...holding the slitting chisel and kciking the pedal..talk about need coordination!! So I should be fullering this week...whahahahaaaa after that it's back to work and my grinder heads will be back from Utah and the refurb I have had done on them.. JPH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellen Posted June 11, 2006 Author Share Posted June 11, 2006 You're going to love slitting barstock as long as it's not too thick; if it gets thick you'll need to heat it is all. I use a fence to keep a straight line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellen Posted June 12, 2006 Author Share Posted June 12, 2006 A friend, reading of my learning curve on welding up knive billets, asked me a rather obvious question (once you think about it). "Why don't you use your flypress for welding your billets?" An excellent question and I wanted to ask if anyone here had done forge welding on a flypress? I would run right out and give it a try, but have appointments outside for the next three days, then will be laid up for a bit due to some surgery, so I would love any information on this topic. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH Posted June 12, 2006 Share Posted June 12, 2006 Ellen: Check the PW class discussion under the knife heading for my response.. JPH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innovational Iron Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 Here's a link that has some Flypress demo's and tooling..http://www.innovationaliron.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredlyFX Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 That is a great thread Innovational Iron. Very nice forum as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellen Posted June 14, 2006 Author Share Posted June 14, 2006 I concur. Very nice site. Had the pleasure of meeting Matt at John's flypress class last March, at Amy's. LOts of topics besides flypresses there, on Innovational Iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innovational Iron Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 JPH, Make sure to leave a provision to be able to move your bottom plate around before you clamp/bolt it place. If you don't, it will be very difficult to align your tools and get them to contact each other perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 I.I.: Thank you for the advise but I already have that part figured out..A press is pretty much a press die wise as far as I am concerned and having Julius around I pretty much made most of the mistakes I would make with Augustus on dies/hardies. Nice thing though my guillotine tooling fits under the ram quite nicely so that is another point in Augustus' favour...and using Augustus will sure beat swinging my 8# hammer on the Guillotine to cut tangs and make ricasso plunge cuts. I just spent the last little while re-arranging my little studio and making a die/hardy/hammer rack so now I am able to get down to making stuff again.... JPH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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