How To Make: Ejector rod Housing for Richards Type 1, 1860 Conversion

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

I've had a couple of people ask me to post this. This is how I make the ejector rod housings for my Richards Type 1(s). There are probably half a dozen ways to do this but this is the easiest that I have found. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Bill

This is made from a piece of 3/16" angle iron that can be purchased from Lowes or Menard's.

First step is to square off the inside shoulder of the angle iron, and mill the thickness to where it will fit into the cut, milled into the barrel with a 1 1/4" by 3/16" key way cutter..

Photo 1, shows the basic notch cut in the corner. The arrow is pointing to the slight angle that fits into the bottom slot of the barrel lug, see photo #5.

Photo 2, shows the same angle from a reverse view. This angle is filed to fit by hand.

Photo 3, shows the the original loading ram cut to length next to one that has not been altered.

Photo 4, shows the key way cutter and slot, cut in the barrel to hold ejector rod housing.

Photo 5, shows proper fit.



The next step(s) is to mill the groove for the ejector tube, cut out the contours of the ejector rod housing lug. braze tube in place, Bore out the entire piece on the lathe to accept the ejector rod and spring. I'll post photos here in a day or two, describe each step, and show you a couple of time saving tricks.

Bill...again

[Flint]

Appreciate the photos, Bill.  Hope to see your pictures of the tube and attachment procedures.  I presume you braze or weld the rammer to the angle iron part, how do you locate correctly it before welding it on?

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Flint,
The tube itself is brazed on in relation to the recess milled into the barrel. I'll try to post some more photos of that process this evening and show how to lay out the lug and get it ready to accept the tube. The black looking areas on the pieces is Dykem lay out ink.

This could all be done by file work for those of you that are ambitious.

Bill

[Fox Creek Kid]

Bill, I'd bet money that the part made of angle iron will have a different hue of blue in the end? Right or wrong? 

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Bill, I'd bet money that the part made of angle iron will have a different hue of blue in the end? Right or wrong? 

Brent,
It could, but I'm going to make this gun look about three or four years old when it's finished...so we'll see what it looks like then.

Bill