Forster is getting calls concerning their Tap-a-cap cap maker

[n.h.schmidt]

I am indeed using pop cans. Double layer.I will not any longer use a single layer pop can for this. I can get a cap dot to fire when punching it out but, this is not often .My cup holding devise is brass and so is the dot seating tubing.
n.h.schmidt

[Texantothecore]

This is getting more interesting every time I open it up.

Could we see some pictures?

What caused you to go with a doubled layer of soda can?

[ofitg]

While we're waiting on Forster to resurrect the Tap-O-Cap...... a fellow named "raa-7" on the High Road forum came up with a cool idea.

Punch out some 1/2" discs from thin metal - he says 0.005 copper works well, and I tried it with soft 0.005 aluminum from a disposable pie pan - and then cut four radial slits in the disc, as depicted here -



I used my wife's cuticle nippers to cut the four radial slits.

Next, use a metal rod to push this disc into a simple die. I used a 0.157 push rod, and I built a die from a scrap piece of quarter-inch-thick aluminum - I drilled it through with a 13/64 bit, and then beveled the hole on the top side -




The resulting cap fits fairly well on my Uberti nipples - just to be extra sure, I would probably pinch the cap's skirts for a tighter grip.

[n.h.schmidt]

Texan I will try to get a couple of pictures sometime today. I went to a double layer pop can cup beacuse the single layer self destructs too easily. I beleive the cup helps hold the charge and force it into the nipple. If the cup is too weak you loose at least some of the effect. Last summer I went too far in making very strong cups. I used derimed 22rf cases ,sized down and shortened. These were hell for stout.In fact you could resuse them several times. All good except for one very big problem. The cup acted like a piston and would fly off the nipple and put the hammer to half cock. Even with a nipple with a very tiny hole,no difference. This was a dead end because of that alone. They were also hard to make . The double layer pop can is stout eneough to hold the charge for a while and will not blow the hammer back.Also easy and fast to make.
oftig
What you have showed us is neat. It looks like it could work well. Possibly very tedious but cheap to make. The four slits would be a problem for me.
n.h.schmidt

[Texantothecore]

The over pressures from a 22lr case seem to be very consistent. Nearly everyone who has tried that seems to have the same experience of the hammer being cocked as well as the cap case being ejected backwards at your face.
I am going to make a guess that a commercial cap case vents overpressures without any problem.

Thanks for your reply. We are looking forward to seeing your photos.

[Texantothecore]

While we're waiting on Forster to resurrect the Tap-O-Cap...... a fellow named "raa-7" on the High Road forum came up with a cool idea.

Punch out some 1/2" discs from thin metal - he says 0.005 copper works well, and I tried it with soft 0.005 aluminum from a disposable pie pan - and then cut four radial slits in the disc, as depicted here -



I used my wife's cuticle nippers to cut the four radial slits.

Next, use a metal rod to push this disc into a simple die. I used a 0.157 push rod, and I built a die from a scrap piece of quarter-inch-thick aluminum - I drilled it through with a 13/64 bit, and then beveled the hole on the top side -




The resulting cap fits fairly well on my Uberti nipples - just to be extra sure, I would probably pinch the cap's skirts for a tighter grip.

That is really a great idea. Thanks for the photo. I had been thinking about a set up like this but in my mind it looked more like a swaging die and was getting a bit complicated to make.

I believe I am going to stop by Lowes for some aluminum and make one tonight.

Thanks again.

[Texantothecore]

Soda can walls are usually .00447 aluminum alloy. The alloy is stiffer than raw aluminum and appears to shatter more easily in this application, so doubled soda can wall is the way to go.

[n.h.schmidt]

Pictured here is two pictures of my cap holder. The cup is placed on the end of the tamping rod. Then the cup is slid into the bottom of the holder and rotated to a upright position. The rod removed and the bp dumped in. Then a dot is placed over the top and pushed down on top of the powder. Rotate up and pushed out of the holder you have a loaded cap

[Texantothecore]

Thank you. The pictures tell the story well.

Nice piece of equipment.

[Wayne Smith]

While we're waiting on Forster to resurrect the Tap-O-Cap...... a fellow named "raa-7" on the High Road forum came up with a cool idea.

Punch out some 1/2" discs from thin metal - he says 0.005 copper works well, and I tried it with soft 0.005 aluminum from a disposable pie pan - and then cut four radial slits in the disc, as depicted here -



I used my wife's cuticle nippers to cut the four radial slits.

Next, use a metal rod to push this disc into a simple die. I used a 0.157 push rod, and I built a die from a scrap piece of quarter-inch-thick aluminum - I drilled it through with a 13/64 bit, and then beveled the hole on the top side -




The resulting cap fits fairly well on my Uberti nipples - just to be extra sure, I would probably pinch the cap's skirts for a tighter grip.

This is a serious question because I know nothing of machining - how hard would it be to make a punch to cut the blank?

[ofitg]

Wayne, I just used a 1/2" leather punch...... I set the "pie pan" aluminum sheet on top of an old leather belt and gave the punch a couple of whacks with a hammer.

[Texantothecore]

One the cheapo punch sets from Harbor Freight should work well. I may try one out tonight.

[Texantothecore]

It appears that a 4.9 mm drill could be useful to produce a #10 cap using the aluminum piece above.

[Texantothecore]

Another piece of information which may be helpful is that many of the old caps were lined with metal foil and apparently it helped seal the cap at ignition. The addition of foil to the cap was widely advertised so I suspect it resulted in more reliable ignition, particularly on worn nipples.

Modern regular foil measures about .0008 and heavy restaurant grade is about .0016.

[Texantothecore]

I picked up a 1/4" aluminum flat and a 13/64 drill. I am going to make up #11 cap maker and see how it works.

After the rain stops. Sheesh

[ofitg]

TTTC, this morning I experimented with a 0.185" hole (used a #13 Wire Gauge bit) - I'm still using the 0.157" pusher rod with soft .005" aluminum. The resulting cap fits nearly perfect on my Uberti revolver nipples, but the aluminum disc was more difficult to push through the die. The center tore out of the first one; I sanded/smoothed the inner surface of the beveled portion and my second cap made it through intact. I wouldn't try this with "beverage can" aluminum.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I am not understanding this. I am not doubting you but I have done close to 1k caps and have never had any go off while inserting the caps or putting the cap on the nipple. I had some go off while punching them out but that's because the punch cut through the cap where the powder was.

I was having detonations while cutting them off of a roll of paper caps and I was having infrequent detonations while placing the cut cap into the cup with a wooden match stick. I finally had enough when a cap went off as I was putting it on a nipple of a CVA .45 cal. once to clean the barrel of oil and moisture before loading a shooting charge. I only have 1 muzzle loader left now, a .50 inline. and I`ve converted this to using 209 primers.Robert

[Texantothecore]

Hardcast,
Do you remember what brand of cap you were using?

[Hardcast416taylor]

Hardcast,
Do you remember what brand of cap you were using?

Seeing as all this was at least 10 years back, about the best I can recall was I bought the rolls of paper caps from a K-Mart. I don`t imagine they even carry them now after "tubby" Moore the producer staged his stupid escapades after Columbine at K-Mart.Robert

[Texantothecore]

Robert,
They probably had ground glass or sand in the which made them easier to set off. Hmmm
May take some german caps a part and see what we've got inside those little bubbles.