Argentino M1879 Rolling Block. Is it worth restoring?

[jmoore]

That's a fair sized CMM! Or a stupid big drill press. The case looks a little familiar, but can't quite remember (or it's GPU or military)...I do more rotating parts, case shop is a different depatment any more.


BTW, I think SAW dust is too coarse. Sanding dust is much better for your purposes. Might try a local cabinet or fine furniture maker (maybe a hobbyist co-worker) or picture framer.

[killforfood]

If you don't have walnut at home, your local gunsmith probably has a bin of cracked stocks he uses for repairs. Asking nicely would probably get you a small piece for nothing

Actually I’ve been looking for a good excuse to introduce myself to our local gunsmith.
He’s got a shed out beside the house. It doesn’t look like much but my friends tell me magic happens in that little building.

That's a fair sized CMM! Or a stupid big drill press.

They only made six this big. This is the only one still running with the original controller and laser scales. The others have been dismantled or retrofitted.

The case looks a little familiar, but can't quite remember (or it's GPU or military)...I do more rotating parts, case shop is a different depatment any more.

Yah, I don’t know what’s what anymore since I’ve been out of the production side of things for quite a few years now. I just try to keep it all running.

Just so you Canadians don’t feel left out (Claven2), here’s our BIG Canadian Quickmill. I tried to get the installers from Peterborough, ON to properly dedicate it when new with a rousing chorus of “Oh Canada” But I think they were lacking the proper ethanol based lubrication. Geez, what the heck? I even printed the words and a couple flags for them.
I think this part goes in a land based power generation turbine.
That's Taz "hanging loose" in the background. He competes all over the world (including the big races up at BC) in Dragon Boats.



OK all seriousness aside, let’s get back to rifles.

BTW, I think SAW dust is too coarse. Sanding dust is much better for your purposes. Might try a local cabinet or fine furniture maker (maybe a hobbyist co-worker) or picture framer.

No worries Jmoore, I’ve already got the belt sander clamped in the vise waiting to make some fine 80 grit dust. Also now that you mentioned it, my best friend is a cabinet builder/installer. I’ll bet he could fix me up with some walnut.

Joel.

[Claven2]

Nice mill I rely on a lowly 3 axis manual bridgeport clone with R8 collets

[Patrick Chadwick]

They only made six this big.

So dental tools are not quite your thing, then?

Stop letting that engineering megalomaniac equipment (just envious of his toys really) keep you away from what is important...

...and get those cracks fixed

- So we can all sees some lovely pics.

BTW, yesterday I noted 3 options for the metal finish. On mature reflection (or was it just creative laziness?) I think you have made such a good job of the de-rusting that you can leave it with option 1) for the moment. Anything else might make it looked slightly faked up - bright finish was OK for The Mahdi, but would be incorrect for the Argentine, and you can always decide to reblue any time you want - nothing has been irreversibly altered yet.

Let's see how the pics turn out after you mend those cracks (hint! hint! hint!)

[killforfood]

...and get those cracks fixed

- So we can all sees some lovely pics.

Let's see how the pics turn out after you mend those cracks (hint! hint! hint!)

Trust me Patrick, I’m more anxious then anybody to see some finish on this wood.
You’ll be glad to know that the only clear epoxy that I have is 5 minute. Will that be fast enough?

If everything works out I'll have some grood progress to report on tonight.

Joel.

[Claven2]

I would not re-blue it if it were mine, especially not the action which was probably color cased originally. IF you had to reblue and parts, I think rust blue would be the way to go. Think browning but you boil the gun in purified water before scaling it.

[Claven2]

5 minute epoxy is fine. Just make sure you can actually get it troweled into the cracks! You will have to work pretty fast. 5 minute epoxy actually sets up in closer to 3 minutes - trust me.

[jmoore]

One thing to keep your final finishing woes to a minimum:

Use a vinyl masking tape (we call it "yellow tape") to cover the areas on the stock's outer surfaces as close to the actual cracks as you can! Otherwise, the epoxy mess you are trying to "mash" into the fractures will penetrate the outer wood surfaces, preventing a good colouration match later. (Electrical tape will do, but it leaves far more sticky residue than the fairly expensive yaller tape.) Peel off whilst the epoxy is "about hard" but not "all the way hard".

I actually will wrap all of a stock I'm bedding or repairing with some sort of protective covering except at the work areas. Epoxy seems to end up in all sorts of odd places, especially if you're trying to beat a quick "cook off" time. Or maybe I'm just messy...

[Claven2]

Normal white masking tape will also serve the purpose and is cheap/available

[killforfood]

Sorry, no time for a lot of verbiage. It’s way past my bed time but the cracks are fixed and the rifle is assembled. I’ll just throw up some quick pics and post the crack repair details later.
















Good night.