"So, how desperate are you to fix this SMLE front handguard?"
Me: "This much"
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../VddR1Kl-1.jpg
Printable View
"So, how desperate are you to fix this SMLE front handguard?"
Me: "This much"
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../VddR1Kl-1.jpg
Well Lou, I think you've done lots of them so you'd know how...where's the rest?
lol yeah, I think that's probably the most intense clamping operation I've done on a handguard though. This handguard comes from an SMLE which belongs to another enthusiastic collector in Canada.Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
I'm a bit jealous of him, among other fine rifles, he's got TWO no1MkV trials rifles, and I only have one :D
Seriouosly Lou you could have fitted another clamp in there somewhere surely!!!!! :madsmile:
You could hang Christmas tree lights on it! I know how much of a pain handguards are to glue back together. And most likely the crack is full of oil and crap.
Wrong type of clamp. There are clamps that work better and are designed for round surfaces. I'd have put the guard on something round that came close to the radius of the ID, then clamped it.
Mind you, a guy has to use what he has or spend piles of money.
That's the way, you just go ahead and straighten Lou out. He's done so many of these it's blinding and his work is beyond reproach. His restorations are among the best...Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunray
We've seen his, show us some you've done?
Thank goodness for Harbor Freight. You just can't have to many clamps.
Hope we get to see the finished product.
I want to see the whole thing after...
Yes agreed finished product with perhaps a before shot Lou to shw case your handi-work.
At least Lou wasn't told to check the headspace...
Truly a classic quote of his. At least he no longer gives reloading advice.Quote:
Originally Posted by tiriaq
I've had similar setups Lou so don't be deterred! I made a dowel that fits in the barrel channel to do one a while back and used flat surgical tourniquets to tie it all together. Silicone tubing works well too. My bench is a disaster area covered with all of this stuff and I must have 25 different clamps too.
One advice I could have used (didn't think about it but, I was reminded about it after the fact!) was to use heavy leather, helps with clamp slippage and prevents marring of surfaces - will remember next time :)
Roy, re. oil and crap: that's the most important step in my opinion. You want clean, clean surfaces... profuse amount of brake cleaner was used for this. I can't think of a better product to prepare these types of surfaces before glueing.
Brian, thanks for the dowel idea. And indeed: I do have one just the right diameter which often is suporting this type of operation. (actually I wonder if it could have been you or Peter who taught me that one several years ago!)
Here is the result!
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...yEbnjpg1-1.jpg
(phew)
Outstanding!
But I knew it would be.
I use that regularly for several tasks...Quote:
Originally Posted by louthepou
Looks correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by louthepou
I am a tad late to this party but I must ask what it looked like before you set about repairing it?
Judging by the length of that longitudinal split that is now repaired it would have looked rather ugly, good recovery Lou "They ain't makin'em anymore" those that come up for sale originals that is expect to cough up $100 minimum.
Very nice job, well done. Those of us who have ventured down the wood restoration route know how difficult, but rewarding it can be.Quote:
Originally Posted by louthepou
Great job. looks good to me.
Nice work, i've never used brake cleaner, I brush acetone through the crack to flush as much muck out as possible. On some real basket cases i've put a slip patch or two across the damage.
When we were apprentices - back in the bad old days of yore - , our woodwork instructors, Mr Reilly was the one that I particularly remember, would give you a particularly bad No4 or No1 handguard or even an SLR handguard in two pieces just to repair to serviceable condition. A real ball ache was a really bad Mk2 Bren butt that was clearly well beyond any sort of redemption. We'd wonder why but daren't ask of course. But he'd say something like that if you're fighting for your lives in the Radfan Mountains or Korea, you might be at the top of the supply chain importance, but getting them to you, the last leg of the chain, was the most difficult. So fix what you've got! Some excelled at it........ others were triers while others like me were mere also rans. But the one thing that I did learn from it was don't try to hide wood patching, show it off. Here endeth the lesson as they say in all the good books
The broken piece was completely separated, starting at the back edge of the band groove.Quote:
Originally Posted by nijalninja
nice job on that lou. i found that oven cleaner gets a huge amount of grease out, especially on the really bad ones.
i have a rear hand guard that split in 2 thru the rivet holes. it will be fun to repair. then i have to make new rivets.
something like this? i don't know how to make the picture smallerQuote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../rsMiHZo-1.jpg