How to make percussion caps without a die II

[DragoonRick]

At this point you have a completed cap. Ready to store and use.  However there are few sources for plastic red ring caps of the quality needed to fire a cap and ball gun.  Whatever primer path you use it’s best to avoid Chinese made products. I don’t have a source for German made caps.  I think German made caps serve well.

More later
Rick

[ShotgunDave]

Well done Rick. Thank you again for taking the time to show us how to do this. Great work!

[Zulch]

Rick, Thanks again man. This is very helpful. So, just curious. Roughly speaking, how long does it take you to make one cap? I'm sure once one gets the hang of it, it will go faster. Thanks, Tim

[DragoonRick]

I’m working on a can of caps today.  I punched out the foil disk pretty fast I can’t go to fast or will ruin caps faster than make them.  I’ll time and see.  Next addition will be paper roll caps loading and test.

[Zulch]

Cool Rick. Man you are a busy 🐝 today😊👍

[DragoonRick]

Please, a caution to all who take up this project. You are making your own tools. Don’t be afraid to use files and calipers. Scrounge for charging cap. Etc  eBay has some.  Amazon sells come. If you find the first efforts fail, keep going.

[DragoonRick]

FYI.  I had three caps go off when I was using them into aluminum cups.  My fault.  Two in the office where my wife was on the computer. It was loud and she asked me to load somewhere else. 🥵🥵🥵🥵..  plenty of fire in them for any percussion cap.  Never had one go off before.

Next “lesson”. 😁😁😁😁 loading and using paper roll caps.

[Clydesdale4x4]

Google image search comes up with nothing.. and then it clicks... that's YOUR label, on YOUR homegrown percussion caps. Gotcha.
Tin looks good.

[DragoonRick]

Thank to all of you who have read this material,  commented, contributed ideas, and supported this project. It’s on going as I try to improve the tools and process.
     My charging board has worn out.  I’ll be making another.  A trip to Lowe’s for oak or walnut. One by power drill, and another by hand drill. The more that can be done by hand improves self sufficiency.
🦬🦌🐿

[DragoonRick]

My forming board has worn out.  I did not find any examples of cap making using a star cut out. It is necessary to make the percussion caps. A beveled shape alone will not work. I tried that several times.  It failed. The star provided the relief space for the metal to fold. I plan to do a more exact form with 6or 8 points. 
I use a small nettle file and try to file “v” cut outs are all the way through the hole.

[ShotgunDave]

What if you used a similarly dimensioned piece of aluminum to make the forming board? Aluminum is easily worked with hand tools.

[DragoonRick]

I don’t know, but it’s worth a try.
Rick

[DragoonRick]

My cap making board wore out.  I got a hard oak board at Lows.  I will demonstrate the process of making a new board here in a couple of days.

[Sooty Barrels]

Great information 👍

[DragoonRick]

I made a new cap making board. It works well, but not as well as I want. However I’ll report my efforts here. I started with a oak wood board from the lumber yard. It was precut 2ft by 1/2 inch by 1 and 1/2 inch.  That’s enough for four forming boards of 6 inches.
  ON THE FLAT OF THE BOARD.
center a spot about 3 inches from an end.
You can use 6 or 8 inches of the board.
1.  Drill a beveled hole using a one inch or One and 1/4 th bit.  Drill just deep enough to make a shallow bevel..
2.  With a 3/16 bit drill a hole. Through the board.
3.   Now mark 6 or 8 lines radiating from the center.
4.   Now it’s time to smooth the bevel into a curve down to the hole.