Attaching a butt plate to stag?

[R H Clark]

I have been peening some butt plates with good success.The other day I had a very curved stag taper.I had an already heat treated blade with straight tang.I decided to epoxy a 1/8" brass rod in the end of the stag and peen the brass rod over the outside of my brass butt plate.

It held very well but when I was cleaning everything up the brass peen flaked and now I have a small epoxy line showing around my brass rod.

Now I want to do things a different way from now on.I intend to drill a shallow hole in the underside of my brass butt plate and solder a screw set into the hole,filling with solder.Everything will then be glued up and the screw set into the epoxy will hold and protect against sheer.

I think I want to use Stay Bright Silver solder.Is this my best option to solder a flat screw to a brass butt plate?

[Kevin Evans]

I have done what you are going to try in the past.That soider is what I used.Also rough the screw up. You will still need to make sure both surfaces are extremly flat or you will have glue line.
The better way and probally proper way is to drill completly through(The butt plate) and pull everything together with pomel nut.It seems harder at first but it gets easier from then on.

[R H Clark]

Thanks
I've done several and never had a glue line between the stag and the brass.I am only showing a glue line in the bottom center of my butt plate where the brass rod goes through the brass butt plate.

I'll work toward using a pommel nut but if I could glue everything together for now it would be more versatile and I wouldn't have to buy extra parts and tools to thread the tang.

[Lin Rhea]

RH,
    I do that sometimes too. One other thing to keep the buttcap from ever turning is to make a "J" in the rod or scar up the bottom of the buttcap by drilling some shallow holes just for the epoxy to grab. Lin

[Doug Campbell]

If your not doing a thru tang and depending on the thickness of your butt cap you can drill and tap it, (with a bottom tap). I use two to four 6X32 screws either soldered of even loctited into the threaded buttcap. Fitted into the handle and epoxied it aint going anywhere and leaves a clean butt cap...

[R H Clark]

Doug
Excuse my ignorance but I've never drilled and tapped anything.I assume you drill before tapping.About what size in fractions of an inch is a 6X32? Is 6X32 a common hardware store thread spec?

If I order a tap and die will I need the exact same size Die assuming I wanted to turn stock to fit the threads.I will not turn stock if I get a common thread specification that I could purchase at any hardware store.

Sounds like maby the best option yet for my application.

[Maxximusgrind]

The drills for taps are usually not fractional,but numbered-confusing,I know but most hardware stores sell taps as aset with the right size drill.
 Also,some people braze or weld a cutoff bolt to the tang,so they dont have to thread the tang.So if you have the ability or have a buddy who does thats an option.and yes its the same size,for instance 6x32 for the tap and die,just consider them like the male and female part.
 Hope that helps and dont feel bad-none of us did anything 'till the first time
 Robert

[Doug Campbell]

Like Robert said thread sizes correspond to a bolt/screw size. In this case a 6X32 for example meaning a size 6 screw and 32 threads per inch.

Might be ahead to buy a standard tap and die set then supplement extra stuff as you need it. A standard tap is pointed for easy starting and meant to go thru the piece your working on. A bottom tap is flat tipped to run threads most of the way to the bottom of a hole such as the holes in your buttcap.

You'll need a size drill bit for a corresponding tap size, (there will be a chart in the tap & die set) It's a little tricky working with this small stuff as the taps are brittle and you can break one before you know it. I resharpen a drill bit to a pretty flat tip to allow a flatter bottom in the hole and more thread since most butt caps aren't going to be real thick. A drill press is a real plus so you can set the depth and not risk drilling all the way thru...

Hope that you can follow all that, there are lots of little tricks you'll figure out as you go.

[Ray Hammond]

us dummies need "PITCHERS" boys!!!!!

[Maxximusgrind]

I'm not sure where to find pictures,but it really isnt that bad.Just wanted to let you know about the numbered drill bits because I have had people working at home depot tell me "they dont come that way" when I asked for a #29 drill bit.If there is still a real hardware store in your area they can help you out and have the right drill bits.Home depot only has the drill bits packaged with the tap,wich is Ok unless you loose one or break it.

[Doug Campbell]

Next time I do one I'll get some pics but doing mostly thru tangs right now...