Project Blunder, or Bust.

[Capn Jack]

A Blunderbuss? Well what the heck. Why not.

I found a steel bar under my work bench that has been there for several years and thought I would give it a try......

As I don't have a mandrel for my lathe, I had to go Red Neck.



After I was able to true things up and get a center into it. I started filling up my garbage can with shavings.
The real trick will be boring it out.

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[v0lcom13sn0w]

i wish i had that skill and milling machine experience. only lathe i use often is a brake lathe at work.


if i wasnt an auto tech id be a machinist or welder.

 

[STEELE]

In the 1960's I owned a flintlock blunderbuss made by John and George Jones of London. Brass barrel and fittings and it had a spring loaded bayonet attached on top . I bought it from a man in New Jersey who knew I collected guns. He once said he had an old "shotgun" he'd sell me for $35.00 and showed up at my work, dropped it on the counter and said $30.00! This is another "wish I had kept it" stories.

 

[Capn Jack]

i wish i had that skill and milling machine experience. only lathe i use often is a brake lathe at work.


if i wasnt an auto tech id be a machinist or welder.

I used to think I was an, "Auto Tech", but these days I look under my hood and then have to go on YouTube to find
out where the battery is located. Be proud and give it your best. Lives depend on the car stopping when
you step on that pedal.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

I used to think I was an, "Auto Tech", but these days I look under my hood and then have to go on YouTube to find
out where the battery is located. Be proud and give it your best. Lives depend on the car stopping when
you step on that pedal.

o yeah man. been with general motors for 11 years now. 15 in the field. i dig it.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

hey back on topic, that things gonna turn out sweet, how do you plan on boring thru it?

 

[CountryGent]

Super neat-o project. Look forward to the progress.

 

[Capn Jack]

hey back on topic, that things gonna turn out sweet, how do you plan on boring thru it?

I believe I'm going to bore it undersized from both ends and hope I get lucky.
Otherwise I'm going to have to find me some 20" drill bits.

Nothing on the barrel today, but my driveway hedges got trimmed.
Got to keep the boss happy.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

well lets hope it doesnt end up shootin around corners

in all seriousness im lookin forward to seein the final product

 

[Capn Jack]

I'll just keep plugging away. I'm picking up a slab of Congolese Mahogany tomorrow
from a friend who is a, "Wood Artist".

 

[Sbarton]

I believe I'm going to bore it undersized from both ends and hope I get lucky.
Otherwise I'm going to have to find me some 20" drill bits.

Nothing on the barrel today, but my driveway hedges got trimmed.
Got to keep the boss happy.

Looks like a fun project! Can't wait to see the results, I've always wanted a blunderbus.
For the bore, If you're any good at brazing you can braze a carbide insert on to an appropriately sized steel bar, notched for the insert. Home made boring bar!
Just leave a little bit of insert hanging of the side of the bar for chip clearance. May have to drill the center out with a drill bit, but you can finish with the boring bar.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Man, this looks like all kinds of fun! Cant wait to see how you bore it out, and get that nice bell mouth!

 

[Capn Jack]

Man, this looks like all kinds of fun! Cant wait to see how you bore it out, and get that nice bell mouth!

Ura-Ki, I'm thinking, once I have the profile I want, I'll put the mandrel back at the end and bore it as far as my drill will reach. Then, I will cut the inside profile with a boring bar. Understand, I'm "winging" this. the only plans are between my ears and they get a bit fuzzy at times. A lot depends on what I can make work with the tools I have available.

 

[Capn Jack]

Finally.
After many drill swaps and working from both ends. I have it bored thru to 9/16".
Now I'm waiting for a 10" 11/16 drill bit I ordered to finish the bore.
In the mean time I have ruined a step drill by using it to start the inside of my , "Bell".
* Note I didn't realize at the time Harbor Freight has inexpensive extension bits.


Sure makes for a lot of this......



This is the second barrel of scrap...

 

[Capn Jack]

Near tragedy today.
Somehow the cross feed on my lathe became engaged and over traveled before I could shut down.

I had to unjam the cross feed, then I found 2 broken teeth on a gear in the transmission and the gears were pushed out of alignment. .

Everything is back working now, I got lucky, but she does have a little chirp inside.

 

[Capn Jack]

I/m still waiting for my drill bit to finish the bore and watching e-bay for a breech plug and tang.
I like the T/C breech plug with the nipple hole, side clean out and tang.
I think it's a safer system.
That's what I put on the, "Franken Rifle", but I may end up using a pipe plug and buying just the Tang.

 

[Capn Jack]

Yea!

The 11/16x 12" drill bit came in this afternoon and after dinner I was able to finish boring the barrel out to size.
I think I got lucky and the two holes lined up.
Tomorrow I'll clean up my mess and run some emery down the bore and see how she looks.
Tonight I ordered a breech plug and tang at a good price from Jedediah -Star in Bloomfield.

 

[Capn Jack]

The bore cleaned up nicely except for one little place, but a marble on a patch pushes through with just the right amount of force.
I'll have to cut about 4" off of the barrel to allow for the breech block and how far I want the barrel to extend past the stock.
Shortening the barrel will also help with the overall weight. For safety the walls of the barrel are almost 1/4".

 

[madladchad]

This project is pretty awesome! Thanks for the updates @Capn Jack !!

 

[gmerkt]

I used to think I was an, "Auto Tech", but these days I look under my hood and then have to go on YouTube to find
out where the battery is located

It took me 30 years to master working on my own 1960-70's Ford products. So I can work on those well enough. Uh, but now most of them have disappeared.