Some time back a someone posted a name of some one on Ohio that could do repair welding of damascus barrels. I thought I had saved the thread to my computer but can't find it. Does any one know who it is?
Cheers,
fallingblock

FB,

You might try John Gillette at Classic Guns Inc:
606 Gould Street
Beecher, IL 60401
708) 946-6141

Jim

Another man who is highly respected for fine welding on guns is Freddy Bruner (not sure of spelling of last name), of Escondido CA.

Classic Guns is a no go.
I am sure it was someone in Ohio that I was looking for.
Have found a Fred Brunner in Escondido and will give him a call.
Is there a site with old posts from this bbs some place?
fallingblock

Oscar used to weld them but only in low pressure area's!
bill

The barrel is damages at the end looks like someone bent it and then tryed to remove the dent. As the barrels are 30" and the gun was built in 1861 it would be nice to keep them full length. As it is the last inch pressure should not be a problem. Also, it is a pinfire so will not be shot much.
fallingblock

The barrel is damage is at the end looks like someone bent it and then tried to remove the dent. As the barrels are 30" and the gun was built in 1861 it would be nice to keep them full length. As it is the last inch pressure should not be a problem. Also, it is a pinfire so will not be shot much.
fallingblock

Fred Brunner at least the only one I can find in Escondido is not a welder. Does any one else have any ideas.
Cheers,
fallingblock

Fallingblock

do you have any pictures of the barrel in question? If you do, please email them to me at

mstokeld@carolina.rr.com

I may be able to help you

I can't remember the man's name, either. Oscar did not do the work himself but recommended this fellow without reservation.
Hope that someone remembers who he is and posts it. He was not far from Oscar and Oscar was in Illinois.
Best,
John

Mark,
I will get some pictures off to you next week.
Cheers,
Laurie

John,
For a while I began to think I had dreamed up the message. Does any one know if there is a file of Oscar's posts it may be in with them?
Cheers,
Laurie

Laurie:

I have been having some work done by firm in northern Ilinois that has a laser welder. This machine is just amazing and just may well be perfectly suited to barrel repair. There is so little heat actually put into the work that it could weld right next to the solder joints. Welds are made with filler rod as small as .005" diameter.

I spoke to the owner yesterday and asked him if he was interested in doing this kind of work and he was all for it. I have no interest in this company except for the fact that they have done some truly impressive work for me in a timely fasion.

If you are interested you can contact John at

Alliance Specialties
275 Industrial Drive
Wauconda, IL 60085

847-514-2242


Regards,

Glenn

Glenn do you know how it would look after refinish? The kind of welding material makes a big difference. But, if it saves a pair of barrels does it really matter what it looks like? Thanks Glenn I saved your infomation.

Mike:

I don't know about the refinish, I reckon it depends on the filler used. If it is truly just a crack it may well be able to done with an autogenous weld, i.e. no filler rod. On the other hand the work can be done so precisely that the pattern could be matched with different filler rod. It would take some experimentation as to the right rod for the light and dark areas but I'll bet it could be done. Maybe a rod prone to rust like O-6 along with a nickel bearing rod.

I saw the machine at work. It is more like a video game than a welder. You look through a stereo microscope, and there is a red crosshair superimposed on the work. A joy stick moves the work table under the lens. Step on the pedal and a little round puddle of molten metal appears on the work at the junction of the crosshairs which quickly solidifies. It might as well be magic. The machine will single pulse or continuous pulse at a programmable frequency. The weld bead looks like a tiny tig weld, but it is created by a series of pulses, like overlapping spot welds. The target area is bathed in a flow of argon and the metal does not discolor at all. I had some substantial welding done on an action and the polish next to the weld was as shiny as new after welding.

Again, I don't run the machine and cannot say for sure that this can be done. Howsomever, I have seen the machine and the work of the guy that drives it, and I would be surprised if he couldn't make an invisible repair on damascus with a bit of experimentation. From my conversations with them, they would be willing to do it if there was market enough to justify the learning curve. For the repair of fluid steel barrels or filling of pitting and the like there is no learning curve required. They can do it.

I would love to have one of these machines just to play with. <G>

Glenn