New cast Bren gun pintles

[Ben]

Hi

I'm looking into having the Bren gun pintles used on carriers re made. I've been to the foundry and had the job quoted.

There is a set up cost that needs to be shared out per casting but the more people interested the cheaper this will become.

The cost per casting is £45 (+the set up costs) for a raw cast in brass, this includes the lever that locks the gun in place. They will be the same size as an original as I'm having a new tool made to allow for the shrinkage that occurs during casting.

The cost above is the cheapest I've found, the parts will need the holes machining and the back skimming I'll supply a drawing for these details with the castings. I've had a guide of £15 for the machining for one unit but again this would reduce with quantity.

I appreciate that the cost is a little loose until the quantity is known but at the moment I'm just trying to gauge the level of interest before I confirm or make any orders.

If you are interested please pm me with the quantity you'd be interested in. I'll put a list together and we can confirm the price etc.

I'm happy to answer any questions

Ben

[RichardT10829]

Ben i would need a full set mate

[shaun]

As discussed Ben i will have 2 please.

[RichardT10829]

who ever bought Martyns Mk1 will need a full set, but i dont know who got that carrier.

[maple_leaf_eh]

... and in the complete spirit of recycling, who has Berdan primed cartridge cases to donate to the cause? I sold a big pail to the metal dealer for a surprising amount of money many years ago.

[Philliphastings]

I definately need two and possibly a third (will have to confirm) I have been chasing these items for about three years now with little hope over here.

Cheers

Phill

[RichardT10829]

i have a fek load of victorian brass stair rods if you need brass to melt down (if you are making them from brass that is.

[ajmac]

How many sets are you going to need to bring the pattern costs down to an acceptable level? Or are they attempting to mould from an original?

[Ben]

Pretty good interest so far.... more would be nice.

I'm not moulding from an original directly as this will makes the finished part too small due to shrinkage. a new tool allowing for shrinkage is made (3d scanned so it's correct) then the casts are from that. part of the cost is in the set up which is the same regardless.

Not sure if supplying our own brass will help but i can ask.

Cheers

Ben

[eddy8men]

hi ben

i'm pretty sure i'll need 2 but i can't be certain til i get to see the carrier later on this week.
glad to see someone taking on the challenge. i think i speak for all of us when i say we appreciate you doing the legwork to get it sorted

cheers

eddy

[RichardT10829]

ditto.... i should have said earlier. cheers Ben.


Shaun you must know folk with carriers (that have no pintle mounts)

[Paul Butler]

Hi Ben

I would be interested in a full set as well please.

Thanks for the invitation

regards
Paul

[carrierbarry]

Just how many is a full set?
Would they not be cheaper made out of some other metal?
What about machining and the lever section?

Well done Ben for taking the lead.

Barry

[RichardT10829]

i beleive it is 4 (on a mk1 General Purpose carrier) one behind the drivers head on the center bulkhead, one on the drivers side armour, one on the rear armour and one on the top of the engine cover.... there may be more but i think that is all i have seen thus far.

[Lynn Eades]

Yes it is 4 for a Universal Carrier MkI*

[Ben]

They probably would be cheaper in another material but as I'm going to the trouble of making a new pattern I thought I'd make them as the original, brass. I think some may have even been bronze!! The lever is included in the price but is steel.

There are two flat steel leaf type springs behind the lever to help the mechanism, I'll include drawings for those with the castings.

I didn't include all the machining in the price as I wanted to keep the basic price as low as possible but I have enquired about it and may perhaps offer it at an extra cost. I didn't want people feeling they were being charged for things they didn't want. A couple have asked for machining as they want a part ready to bolt on, others have said they can do it themselves. If I offered castings all finished including the springs etc they would be much more than the £45 (approximate) price originally quoted. I'm not making money on having them cast or covering my costs this is the price the foundry have
quoted.

Thanks for the interest, I think doing small projects like this helps as many as possible but shares the cost fairly?

Ben

[Philliphastings]

Hello again Ben,

Yep put me down for three raw castings!

And a great many thanks again

Phill

[George McKenzie]

I'll take four .I'll past the word around here in the Grate White North .There is several doing MK1's but they don't get in on these things till after it;s too late.I have lots of brass I could give you but the freight is not worth it .

[RichardT10829]

George maybe worth a load of you guys getting together (who need em) and get Ben pretty much fill a wooden crate with them for you. then you guys can split the postage.. Doug Lavoie will need some unless he has aquired some (he has unbelievable forraging skills that man)

[George McKenzie]

I just found out that Rick Dubryn has already made some up and they look good .He has a site on this forum with some pictures . My friend here says that there is no shrinkage if you use a long poring tube when making them .The tube takes up the shrinking .

[Ben]

Gentlemen,

I took the pattern to the foundry today. All seems to be well but they are going to confirm once the mould is made.

After a little sweet talking and the pattern being better than he thought it would be, I managed to get him to wave the set up cost. That's good news as it means the pintles will be £45 each for the raw casts (brass) including the lever. Much cheaper than I had hoped for.

I took two other parts to get made at the same time. The cast cover for the headlight wires from the front armour (steel) and the drain fitting for the fuel tanks (brass) both these parts will be £7.50 each.

If you are serious about wanting any of the above parts I'd like to see some money before I get them made. I hope you all understand. Please pm me and we can arrange the first order.

Once I have the first ones I will get one machined so we can get a cost for that too.

Thanks

Ben

[Philliphastings]

Ben - PM sent !

Rest of forum.

The Australian Heavy Armoured car or Rover as it was known also had the same brass pintles fitted. Anyone with a Rover under restoration will require four to make their vehicle complete...

Cheers

Phill

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi Phill and the rest of you mob. Just a point of clarification as I am a pedantic sort of a guy. The Rover is actually classified as a Light Armoured Car and not heavy as stated.

Bob

[Lynn Eades]

So Australian armoured cars, and beer, both use the adjective (?) "light", just for the sake of using up irrelevant, or spare words?

[colin jones]

Very true Lynn, but I think you have the right word. "irrelevant"
Colin.

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Lynn and Colin - I don’t know what you two are trying to say by emphasising the word “irrelevant”. The adjectives “light, medium and heavy” when classifying military vehicles, especially armoured vehicles, are very important as they portray to the reader the basic capacities and capabilities of the vehicle. It is a way of differentiating between say, reconnaissance vehicles such as a Ferret and a heavy tank. It is also a reference to the weaponry the vehicle carries. It takes no extra energy to use the correct terminology.

Bob

[Lynn Eades]

I guess we were (or I was, at least) being flippant , because it seemed to me that if (some)one had one of those armoured cars, and needed some of those gun mounts, then it would be irrelevant as to whether it was "light" "medium" or "heavy". They would still need the mounts.

[colin jones]

colin

[Ben]

I picked up the first cast today, they look good. the one shown is in its raw state as recieved from the foundry. I also picked up the front armour light cable cover.

If anyone wants any of these parts just let me know and i can get them made in the first batch.

Thanks

Ben

[RichardT10829]

Ben as you know i am after the pintle mounts machined too if poss. let me know when you want dosh etc etc.