The tools given in this chapter are such as are needed by the gunsmith, and as directions are given for making them, they can be made by almost any ingenious person during leisure hours.

The Alcohol Lamp.—A lamp for this kind of work is easily made. A common gum or mucilage bottle with a tube inserted in the cork has been used, so has a small tin spice-box, with a tube soldered into the cover. A common copper or brass cartridge, with the head filed off, can be used for a tube. A common oil can, such as is used for oiling sewing machines, with about half of the taper tube cut off, will make a serviceable lamp. These appliances are small, unsightly and not to the taste of the mechanic who has a pride in the appearance of his tools.

The best form of lamp, shown in Fig. 10, may be made by obtaining a small glass kerosene hand lamp, which will cost only a trifle of two or three shillings. Cut off that portion of the burner above the screw, where it is held to the socket that is fastened to the lamp. Remove the tube that holds the lamp-wick and also the little contrivance made to raise and lower the wick. In the place where the tube was inserted, generally a flat one, file out with a round file, a place which is large enough to receive a common brass 44-cartridge that has had the head cut off or removed by filing; this is the tube for the wick. Fasten it in place with soft solder. Let this tube project a little into the lamp, and solder it on the under side. The greater portion of the tube projects above the place where soldered.

The wick is made of common cotton wicking, letting the end inside touch the bottom of the lamp. Fill with alcohol, and the lamp is ready for use. Be careful that the wick is not too tight in the tube, or in other words, do not fill the tube with too much wick, as it will prevent the alcohol from rising and the lamp from burning. To prevent evaporation of the alcohol and to have the wick always ready for lighting, cover the tube with a cap that fits it quite closely and has the upper end closed. A brass cartridge that will go over the tube makes a good cover. Remove the primed cap or see that the cap has been exploded before using it to cover the lamp tube.

A Self-blowing Lamp.—A very good form of this lamp is shown in Fig. 11. It consists of a lamp enclosed in a kind of cup which has an open place at the bottom to admit the lamp and a small boiler, fitting loosely, and held by a flange on its top. A small pipe is soldered to the top of this boiler and extends downward, and has an end like a blow-pipe that passes through one side of the cup and ends near or a little above the lamp wick. The operation is as follows: the lamp being lighted, heats alcohol placed in the boiler, and the steam thereby made produces a jet that blows the lamp flame the same as is done with the mouth.

The size of the cup may be from three inches to three and a half in diameter, and about five inches high. The opening at the bottom may extend about half of the height. The lamp is made of less diameter than the interior of the cup to admit of moving to get a good flame from the blow-pipe. The lamp may be 1¾ inches in diameter and an inch high. The boiler is about two inches high and has the bottom made a little convex, as shown by dotted lines, and is some smaller than at the top where a flange is formed to admit of its resting on the top of the cup. The top of the boiler is also convex, and has a short tube in which a cork is fitted, for the purpose of filling it. The blowing tube is about three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter. There is a long slot in the cup near its handle which readily admits of its being put in position for blowing. There are several small holes near the top of the cup to insure draft to the lamp, and there is a large hole about an inch in diameter opposite the end of the blow-pipe through which the flame issues where the work is held.

For silver soldering, small brazing, tempering, or any similar small work, this lamp is most excellent. To make the small blowing-pipe, drill a smooth hole through a piece of iron or steel and ream out one side of it. Cut a strip of thin copper or soft brass of a width just enough to fill the hole if it were made into a tube. Point one end of the strip and roughly form it into a tube, insert in the hole and pull it through. Or the strip can be rolled around a piece of iron wire forming it to a tube by hammering. Soft solder it after being formed to shape.

Breech Wrenches.—In many shops the monkey wrench is made to do duty in removing breech-pins, but at the expense of marring the pin where the wrench engages it. If many guns with breech-pins like those used in army guns are handled, it is worth while to have solid wrenches forged of iron like Fig. 12. The length may be about fifteen inches, with an opening to fit the shoulder of the breech-pin. The width at this place may be about one and a half inches; thickness, about half an inch; diameter at end of handle, about three-quarters of an inch, and at the small portions near the centre, about half an inch.

A wrench for removing patent breeches or nuts from double guns is made like Fig. 13. It consists of a steel bar about fifteen or sixteen inches long and about three-quarters of an inch diameter. At a little to one side of the center is fastened a steel collar that has four projections made at one end. A similar piece is fitted opposite to it, but is made to move back and forth to fit the work by means of a screw that is formed behind where it is fitted. A slot is made in the extension of the piece and a key fitted to prevent its turning around as the nut is turned to advance it toward its fellow piece.

The only substitute to answer for this tool is to file down the jaws of a monkey wrench so that they will turn between the extensions of a patent breech while the first breech is being removed. This is a poor substitute, as there is only one handle to turn with, and when force is applied to remove the breech it does not have the force applied equally to each side as in the other kind of wrench, consequently it is not as effective nor so easy to remove the breech. If an extension to form another handle could be improvised it would make it much better.

The Bit Stock.—Even if the gunsmith have a lathe there is much work that can be done to advantage with a common bit-stock. But as the drills and tools used in the lathe generally have round shanks by which to hold them in the chuck, the square hole where bits and tools are held in the bit stock must be filled by brazing or soldering a piece of iron into it and boring a hole to fit the shank of the lathe tools. It is advisable to have these shanks about seven-sixteenths diameter, as explained under the heading “Shanks of Tools.”

In holding small drills made of steel wire or twist drills a small drill chuck must be fitted to the bit stock.

A small solid chuck with a quarter inch hole may be made with a shank to fit the seven-sixteenth hole. A set screw must be fitted to hold the shanks of the two sizes mentioned.

Bottoming Tools.—Bottoming tools are used for letting in locks, cutting out for escutcheons, and are useful in other places where a chisel cannot be made to operate. The form of this tool is shown in Fig. 14. It consists of a square or round shank about three-sixteenths or a quarter-inch in diameter and about six inches long. At one end a wooden handle is attached, and the other end is bent at an angle which is about half an inch or perhaps a little more, and on this angle is another one turned parallel with the shank and which is about three-eighths of an inch long. This is the cutting end and is fashioned like the cutting edge of a chisel, and is about a quarter of an inch wide. The bottom side, as it would be held for use, is ground flat and the upper side bevelled like a chisel. The cutting edge may be square or rounded to suit round places as letting in the bridle of a lock. The size given is that generally used, but if it be made about twice this size it will be found very useful in letting in octagon rifle barrels; if the tool be made larger and hollow like a gouge it is very useful in letting in round gun barrels. In letting in break off straps it will be found to take the place of a chisel to some advantage.

Chequering Tools.—The tools used for chequering are very simple. Imagine a small saw, or rather two small saws about one inch or more long, made at the end of a straight steel shank. The form is given in Fig. 15. The double saw can be made by filing it as one thick saw and then cutting a groove lengthwise with it. In using, one blade first forms a groove and the other blade works the next cut; as the first cut is finished, another mark is being made while so doing. This insures equal width of the cuts. Care must be exercised in using them so as not to tear the wood. A fine cut, sharp edged, three square or a small half round file may be used to finish the work if desired.

Nipple Wrenches.—Two forms of nipple wrenches are used, one for square and the other for two-sided nipples. The most serviceable of these are made from a straight rod of steel, with a cross handle and an opening at the opposite end to correspond with the square on the nipple. For the two-sided, a hole to receive the round part of the nipple where the cap goes on, may be drilled in a rod of steel and a slot filed across to receive the shoulders of the sides. The square shouldered kind must have a hole drilled of the diameter of the square, and then being heated a square punch of the size of the square is driven in. The nipples used for Government or military arms have the squares larger than sporting guns, and the wrenches are generally made of a flat piece of steel with a square hole made through from side to side at one end and squared to fit the tube. When made, harden and draw to a blue color for temper.

Portable Forge.—The following description of a “home made” portable forge shown in Fig. 16 is given by a contributor to the Blacksmith and Wheelwright: “In size it is two feet square and three feet high; it is made entirely of wood; the bellows are round and are sixteen and a half inches in size, covered then with the best sheep skins. The bed of the forge consists of a box six inches deep. It is supported by corner posts, all as shown in the sketch. Through the centre of the bottom is a hole six inches in diameter for the tuyere; this is three inches in outside diameter, and is six inches high. The bed is lined with brick and clay. It does not heat through. The bellows are blown up by means of two half circles with straps from a board running across the bottom, all of which will be better understood by reference to the sketch. In addition to protecting the bed by brick and clay, the tuyere is set through a piece of sheet iron doubled and properly secured in place. The hood which surmounts the forge may be made out of old sheet iron, and will be found sufficient for the purpose. The connection between the tuyere and bellows is a tin pipe.”

Vise Appendages.—The best vise for general use is one made by C. Parker, Meriden, Conn., and is termed a “swivel” vise. To the bench is attached a round plate of iron, and on this plate the vise turns to right or left as may be desired. It is held in position by screwing up a nut by means of a handle underneath the bench. The jaws are of steel, and a small projection back of the jaws, formed like a small anvil, is very convenient for bending work or to lay work upon for cutting, working with prick punch, etc. The width of jaws of No. 22, the size that is most convenient, is three and five-eighths inches, the weight about thirty-five or forty pounds, and the price about eight dollars, or perhaps a little more. This vise is shown in Fig. 17.

As the jaws of the vise where the steel faces come together are cut like a file and tempered, they will necessarily mar or bruise the work. Pieces of brass or copper must be bent so as to be retained in place and at the same time cover the file-like surface of the jaws. Pieces of leather, common belt leather, upon which a little beeswax has been spread, may be placed between the jaws, and by forcing them together with the screw the leather will be retained in place. In holding barrels, stocks, and for stocking a fixture made like the cut, Fig. 18, is best. Two pieces of thin board, or even two pieces of a wide barrel stave may make it. The opening is for the purpose of “straddling” the square box of the vise that encloses the screw. Nail a piece of wood about an inch and a half thick across the bottom part, before the opening is made, and also nail a thin piece across the top of the pieces, being careful to sink the nail heads to as to not mar the work. The top ends of the fixture must come even with the top of the vise jaws.

For holding screws without damaging the heads use a pair of false jaws made of cast brass, like those shown in Fig. 19. The heads being held in the indentations formed along the upper edges of the fixture. For holding rods or small square pieces without injury a similar pair of false jaws are made which are shown in Fig. 20.

For holding articles that are tapering a fixture is required like that given in Fig. 21. The yoke clasps the neck of the vise, and is held in place by a set-screw. The upright pin is received in the yoke by turning on a screw cut for the purpose, and by turning this up or down, the triangular piece at the upper part is made to accommodate itself to the height of the vise. The back angular corner of this piece has a bearing against the jaw of the vise, and the opening made between the other jaw of the vise and the front of this angular piece will be the same as the piece of work that is held between the two.

Shanks of Tools.—The best two sizes for shanks of tools are about seven-sixteenths and about quarter-inch. Two solid chucks, fitted with set-screws, may be made for the lathe, and they will be found sufficient for all kinds of work. If half-inch octagon steel be used for the larger size, a light chip turned off for about an inch and a quarter, or an inch and a half, will make the shank. From this size steel may be made large drills, reamers, countersinks, bullet cherries, etc. The shanks of many other tools may be made to this standard. When a bit stock is fitted to hold this size of shank, the tools may be used either in the lathe or by hand with the bit stock.

Octagon steel, a quarter-inch in diameter, may be used for smaller tools, or round steel rod of this size may be employed. For small drills and tools, taps, etc., it will be found very convenient. No turning is necessary to fit to the solid chuck.

The common cheap bit stock, made from round steel, may be selected, and the square hole filled with a piece of iron and then brazed to make it solid. A hole is then drilled to fit the seven-sixteenths shank. A solid chuck is to be made to fit this, and drilled with a quarter-inch hole to fit the smaller sized shanks. This solid chuck will also fit the chuck for the lathe. If barrel boring tools, quick boring reamers, be made with the larger sized shank, they can be used both in the lathe and with the bit stock.