swamprat Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 I got to do a little bragging! I made from scratch a main spring for my 1916 Astra. It is a V shaped flat spring that is the hammer spring on one end and the sear spring on the other with the bend seating in the magazine holder/release keeping tension there. I did some research on spring tempering got a piece of spring steel and went at it. All afternoon job that ran into evening but I got it finished, installed, and test fired by dark. The tempering was kind of nerve racking but went off ok on the first try (beginners luck) the final fitting was time consuming. I think I learned alot about springs and spring tension doing this project and came away with a nice little collector. My arm is sure sore from patting myself on the back though. Swamprat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsefly Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 As soon as your arm gets better,give yourself some more pats for me.Well done Rat.Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cold shot Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 well done my good man, how's about a pic of whatcha made.Need to do something similar for a 22 i'm working on. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 Don't blame you for the self-kudos!! An all day job would have cost a fortune to have a smith do it. Go tell the wife you need to buy another Mauser or two with the money you saved doing it yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamprat Posted October 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 Dave, Here are the pics. Visit My Website Visit My Website Visit My Website The first pic is the gun (grips are on order) The next is the broken spring set up to show shape. Then the broken spring itself. I am not about to pull the new spring back out to take a pic. I liked to never got it in in the first place. Swamprat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron J Posted October 14, 2007 Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 All day job, but look what you did. I read your original post and damn near killed an afternoon trying to figure out how to help! I've quench and tempered stuff to get a "spring" action or effect. but making a spring with that small angle inside corner is another matter altogether. A job well done. The hand fabricating by members of this group keeps me reading all the posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamprat Posted October 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 Walnut, The bending is simple. What is hard is the reading of the colors as the spring gets hotter. You must have the spring polished so you can read the colors as the metal heats. If the metal is not bright and clear you can't read the heat. Orange heat quick cool in oil (any oil). Reheat to blue and let air cool. It has something to do with rearanging atoms or something. All I know is orange dunk in oil blue leave in air. Swamprat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cold shot Posted October 14, 2007 Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 by all means don't take it out. I just wanted to see what you were tring to make. Anytime you get it together, leave it alone Like I always say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Nice job. We've had to make our own bolts,nuts,even special washers here at work once in a while too. Again congrats on your persistance. dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted October 14, 2007 Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 Swampy, if you ever do another intricate project like that, how about a few pictures. We could have all benefitted and learned something from your project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamprat Posted October 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 Swampy, if you ever do another intricate project like that, how about a few pictures. We could have all benefitted and learned something from your project. I never think to take pics until to late. Just got a new camera that takes a decent quality pic. so will try to take more shots of things I get into. Swamprat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted October 15, 2007 Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 Congrats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlunity Posted October 15, 2007 Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 Way to go. : ) karl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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