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Update on belly gun build.

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madcratebuilder

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Couldn't find the original thread so hers a recap. Started with this old Uberti round barreled 51 brasser.
Wanted to build a belly gun so did a little trimming.
short01.jpg
avengerrough.jpg

Had some time this afternoon to blue the barrel and cylinder. I used Art's Belgiam blue. A process of boiling the part in water, then applying the bluing, more boiling, then carding. Repeat this process until you get the finish you want. I ended up giving it five reps. I'm happy with the results.
leftblue01.jpg
rightblue01.jpg
rightblue02.jpg
 
looking good! have you decided to bob the hammer (sort of) and/or reduce the grip size to more of a birds-head grip?

tmm
 
From the time you made your original post on this gun, I couldn't wait for the next update. It's looking absolutely terrific!
 
I've been slow, my ball and chain is laid up so I have to actually do something around here.

Nickle plate the frame is next. Bending the backstrap is going to be a pain (I think). I need to fill my O2 tank so I have plenty of heat. Bob the hammer and cut a new cross hatch in the spur, or what's left of the spur.
 
Looks sweet so far man, make me want to get me a inexpensive lil beater to try it on.

I may have to give Art's Belgiam blue a try around my home projects..
 
Are you gonna use a small shotgun bead for a front sight?
Click to expand...

I'm going to cut down an 19th century dime for a blade style front sight.


I may have to give Art's Belgiam blue a try around my home projects..
Click to expand...

It does not look like much the first few coats. The photos are with a coat of Ballistol. It is recommended to soak it with a water soluble oil. I coated it good with some EEZOX last night and it really has a nice gloss black finish to it now.
 
I'm happy with the results.
Click to expand...

There's a good reason for that, it looks great.

If you are going to plate the strap after it's bent it might be easier to cut and braze a rounded grip in place. The plating will hide the brazing.

Keep us posted.
 
If you are going to plate the strap after it's bent it might be easier to cut and braze a rounded grip in place. The plating will hide the brazing.
Click to expand...

My plan is to plate the backstrap so hiding a weld should not be a problem. If this cast brass does not bend I well be using some brass stock and braze it. I think I well make a metal plate fixture so I have some sort of pattern. I plan to make a few more of these if this one turns out OK.
 
Cast brass is often really brittle. Before you try bending it heat it up to a dull red and let it air cool. If that anneals it to allow bending it then great. If it doesn't work out then make up a new rear strap and silver solder/silver braze it into place. I'd be sure to try the annealing thing and do your first part of the bending on a part that would be replaced regardless if it goes bad.

Sorry for the basics if this isn't new stuff to you madcrate. The fact that you're doing such a project tends to make me think you already know but I thought I'd toss it in "just in case". Having worked with some cast brass parts in the past the ability for it to bend is not great but it loves to crack. I suspect this is due more to the alloy used for casting as opposed to the ones commonly used for drawn stock or forged parts.

Love the blueing job. Is this Art's Belgium Blue almost as good for color and durability as a proper hot blue process? So far I've only done small touch up parts using cold blue. It's OK but sure is splotchy on anything larger in area and doesn't have that deep color at all.
 
Having worked with some cast brass parts in the past the ability for it to bend is not great but it loves to crack. I suspect this is due more to the alloy used for casting as opposed to the ones commonly used for drawn stock or forged parts.

Love the blueing job. Is this Art's Belgium Blue almost as good for color and durability as a proper hot blue process? So far I've only done small touch up parts using cold blue. It's OK but sure is splotchy on anything larger in area and doesn't have that deep color at all.
Click to expand...

I've been told the the backstrap well bend after annealing. That it work hardens with just a small amount of movement so you have keep annealing repeatedly.

As far as the Art's Belgian blue I have seen revolvers with a lot of rounds down the tube that still look very good. It looks even nicer that the photos show. I know what you mean about the cold blue. The best cold blue results I get is with BC's paste and warming the part up before I apply it. There is some steels that cold blue just well not do a good job on no matter what you do.

I have a 3rd gen Colt Trapper that I got real cheap because it has a large bare spot on the cylinder and the front sight is corroded badly. Seeing how this turned out I think I well attempt a complete reblue on it.
 
That stuff about the bending sounds just about right. If you bend it around a form with pressure only you'll likely feel the brass give fairly easily at first. Only bend it as long as it is going as easily as it starts. As soon as it feels like it's getting tougher to bend or does not want to follow the form easily but wants to kink instead stop and re-anneal. The good news is that you don't need to wait for brass to air cool. It can be dunked in water right away from red heat. There's no carbon in the matrix to lock it hard like with tool steel.

If you're stuck with mallet blow forming it you won't get as far since the impacts tend to work harden it sooner. But it helps the progress if you tend to push the mallet onto the metal so it bends further with one blow. This isn't the same as hitting it hard. Sort of difficult to explain but hopefully you get the idea.

In fact that's how the old Bronze Age weapons were made hard by copious light and fast hammering that only slightly deformed the metal. It would pack the structure and work harden it to the point where it could be honed to a razor's edge and hold it for quite a lot of use.

And I thank you for the info on the Belgian Blue. I'll have to look for some of that.
 
I finally got some time to spend with this project yesterday. This bending of the backstrap was going to be a major time consumer so I thought I would try just a reshape of the oem grip. A little time at my vertical belt sander and then some hand work gave me this. This feels real nice in my hand, better than a birdshead, so this is basically the finished grip.

With the nickle frame I want to leave either the backstrap or the trigger guard in brass. Any suggestions? I'm leaning toward the trigger guard in brass.

gripmod01.jpg
gripmod02.jpg
gripmod03.jpg
gripmod04.jpg
 
MCB

nice lookin project . :D ..Your work is always exceptionally clean , me likey that . :)

Question for ya on Nickel Plate . As much as we both know how nice that looks , warm and fuzzy and all on the gun , whats your opinion of having one in brass done with Hard Chrome instead ? I am thinking the stretch value would be much much less than Nickle , and buffed out you could achieve a very simular low lustre also ? I am thinking of having my Buffalo 1858 done in Hard Chrome rather than Nickel becasue it will be stronger and I would like to shoot decent loads through it . What say you ?

Das Jaeger
 
Hey you hyjacked the thread

lets start a new Buffalo threade :D

Jaegers build , Ratodgs next purchase too , what say you :D

jaeger out
 
Hey !!! YOU're the one who brought up a Pimp't Buff' !!! Don't blame ME for hijackin' ! :neener:

Otay... now ya asked fer it... if'n ya bought one of those Stainless Buff's and plated IT... you'd have your stout little Buff. You needs the classic one as is too. :evil:

p009945hz06.jpg
 
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