Q:

For those of us who don’t have machine tools…

Like many of you, I have a handheld drill, a dremel, tubing cutter, etc. basic hand tools only so I am forced to get creative sometimes.

I have determined that it is necessary to use a 1 piece insert in my talon ss frame instead of springs/washers or spacers/washers/spring. I can be shooting great one day and the next morning something shifted or got blown all wrong and is clipping. One piece is the ONLY way to go in my opinion.

The one piece unit needs to be marked so that I can reinstall it in exactly the same position each time I need to remove it.

One idea I had that worked out really well was building the entire unit out of copper so I could easily solder the pieces together. I didn’t know how sweet it was and disassembled it to harvest a part for a newer idea. Today I am rebuilding the copper insert but I would really like to use aluminum so I can polish it and extend it past the end of the frame.

Anyway, the question I want to ask is about using 1″ OD aluminum tubing for an insert that contains steel washers. Does anybody have any clever ideas on how to secure the washers inside the tubing? I know I could use small pieces of an even smaller size tubing as spacers and epoxy them but I am trying to avoid eating up volume within the insert. What kind of ideas have you guys come up with?

Do you think the washers could be reliably epoxied within the tubing directly one at a time over a long period of time (let epoxy cure for one washer that is being held in place with a temp item, then move on to the next washer). I have never attempted to epoxy these materials before.

Thanks!
–Dan

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Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

Yes, you’re right. Cyanoacrilic adhesives, commonly known as “CA” does that, but, the fumes are crazy and act very oddly under different circumstances. I would not reccomend them for this reason. By the way, if you spill it on carpet it smokes like a nervous hillbilly, I know first hand!

I just had an idea, I know for one, certain glues will desinergrate foam/ rc airplanes.
Necessarily doesn’t have to be acetone.

SAW

You might be right Saw, but I know firsthand how volatile that mixture is.

Rinse, soak, rinse, soak a couple dozen times and let me know how it works out 😀

Just be sure no sparks or flame (do you smoke?) anywhere near this until you are certain every atom of that acetone is gone.

quote sawtime:

Riff-
couldn’t ya rinse the crap out of it ?

SAW

Yeah, you could. As far as Acetone in particular, I am confident that acetone of reasonable purity evaporates 100% in a very brief amount of time. That is one of acetones qualities that make it desirable for certain applications. The suggested method of dissolving foam spacers sounds interesting, but I would have to be really sure of the interaction of the solvent with the particular adhesive I used for the washers. Its hard enough getting all conditions correct for super strong bonding of many 2 part adhesives, the last thing I’d want to do is weaken the adhesive I just worked so hard to get perfect. Given good datasheets for the adhesive though, I’m still open.

–Dan

Small dia foam pipe lagging may work.The type you place around microbore heating pipes to stop them freezing up during winter.Also makes great sound damping.

Brent

Riff-
couldn’t ya rinse the crap out of it ?

SAW

quote sawtime:

How about using some kinda foam temporary spacers, epoxy the first washer, let dry,put in a foam spacer, epoxy a washer and so on.
Then, i am sure someone knows, pour in some acetone or something to dissolve the foam. Ya just gotta know what kind of foam and solvent to use.

SAW

NOT a good idea. The residue left behind is almost Napalm. Anything sets that off, and you will likely have a bomb on the end of your rifle.

If you are going to glue them in place, push them onto the end of a tapered dowel (grind the end). Glue in place, use the dowel to align center of the tube. After glue is dry pull dowel and glue another washer. You can use marks on the dowel to get your spacing right.

Be sure to rough up the inside of the tube so the glue will bond to it. A sanded surface is what you need. (dowel and sandpaper works)

I did this with carbon tube and brass washers, but ended up trashing it after I made a machined insert. It worked great when I had it.

How about using some kinda foam temporary spacers, epoxy the first washer, let dry,put in a foam spacer, epoxy a washer and so on.
Then, i am sure someone knows, pour in some acetone or something to dissolve the foam. Ya just gotta know what kind of foam and solvent to use.

SAW

try quick steel or jb weld i bet that would hold up
it held in a header bolt on my jeep and an o2 sensor port also for over 3 years

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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