Jigs to make springs?

dyl · July 25, 2019, 09:00 PM

Are there any pre-made jigs to make springs out there for purchase? I’m thinking trigger bar springs, trigger return springs, things Like that. AGI’s video just shows Bob using something they made on their own. I don’t have a drill press or lathe so that’s a no-go. Not a gun smith, but some stuff is just hard to find.

FrankenMauser · July 25, 2019, 10:26 PM

Unlikely. (And none that I am aware of.)

Hand-made springs are generally one-off affairs, and only made out of absolute necessity.
Companies that make springs as their bread and butter use CNC machines for the work.

Scorch · July 26, 2019, 12:59 AM

For coil springs and pigtail springs, you can buy a spring winder, a handy little contraption that takes spring wire and turns it into a coil of the size you choose. You can also learn to wrap springs with mandrels of various sizes. Very few people know how or are willing to try, springs are really cheap to buy. Unless you need that special size . . .

T. O'Heir · July 26, 2019, 12:47 PM

There really is no such thing as a spring jig. Springs are made(wound) on a mandrel using special spring steel wire then get heat treated. It's the latter that requires the most skill.
Like Scorch says, it wouldn't pay to make 'em "Unless you need that special size". Very very few of those around.

Bill DeShivs · July 26, 2019, 02:34 PM

Small coil springs are generally wound around a mandrel, using spring wire that is already heat treated.
Leaf springs can be made singly using 1095 (or similar) steel, but must be heat treated.
You can order spring variety packs from Wolff gunsprings- it's a lot easier than trying to make your own.

BillM · July 26, 2019, 05:13 PM

Brownells sells spring wire (and i believe flat) assortments. I've made a few, it's
a bit of a pain. Hint--the mandrel needs to be much smaller in diameter than you may
think! Flat springs are possible a bit easier---1095 stock is annealed, easy to bend and shape. Heat treating the spring is a steep learning curve.

Have to ask---WHY are you interested in making gun springs? It's a good skill to have--but any common gun has readily available springs.

**4V50 Gary** · July 26, 2019, 06:15 PM

At TSJC, we simply bought a set of four pliers that were recommended to us for spring making (this is wire spring making and not leaf spring).

Scorch · July 27, 2019, 02:36 AM

Quote:

For coil springs and pigtail springs, you can buy a spring winder

Quote:

There really is no such thing as a spring jig.

Now why would I say there is if there wasn't?
https://www.flexbar.com/products/uni...6e84a017&_ss=r

ricotorpe · July 29, 2019, 07:57 PM

If you go to Youtube and search for handmade spring, a number of videos will come up explaining how to make one with a drill and a mandrel.

I never considered the material to make a spring because I play a little* guitar, and would just use a guitar string of the right gauge.

I have never tried this, so I don't know if it is a good method. One of the things which concerns me is the fact that a new guitar string takes a little time to break in. If you tune it to pitch, and strum it a few times, you will have to tighten the string a little to bring it back up to pitch.

That makes me wonder if it would be better to put the string on the guitar and break it in first. There are some preppers who have taught themselves how to make springs from wire. I'm not a prepper, but the video I watched was made by a prepper.

* EDIT: I play regular-sized guitars, but I play only a little bit.

dyl · August 3, 2019, 01:10 AM

Hey all thanks for the replies. I started entertaining the idea of making my own spring because I still have the very first semi auto pistol I owned and it’s a little old, imported, Italian, obscure. I’ve already replaced the firing pin and triggger spring once years ago. Numrich’s parts were already slim then, and by now have dried up for most consumable parts . So no parts availability. I hate the idea of a whole pistol being useless because a tiny little spring being unavailable. So I dont shoot it anymore because I know I’m up the creek unless I can make extractors and springs. And there’s something about the principle behind being able to make a vital piece of the firearm.

Bill DeShivs · August 3, 2019, 01:39 PM

Parts are available:
http://www.gun-parts.com/index.html/

**Unclenick** · August 3, 2019, 03:40 PM

Dyl,

The Wolf springs are fine. What you want to do is identify the diameter of your spring and see how much force it takes to compress it by some fixed amount and match that. This gives you a number you can write down for future replacements.

July 25, 2019, 09:00 PM	#1
dyl Senior Member Join Date: October 31, 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,310	Jigs to make springs? Are there any pre-made jigs to make springs out there for purchase? I’m thinking trigger bar springs, trigger return springs, things Like that. AGI’s video just shows Bob using something they made on their own. I don’t have a drill press or lathe so that’s a no-go. Not a gun smith, but some stuff is just hard to find.

July 25, 2019, 10:26 PM	#2
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	Unlikely. (And none that I am aware of.) Hand-made springs are generally one-off affairs, and only made out of absolute necessity. Companies that make springs as their bread and butter use CNC machines for the work. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

July 26, 2019, 12:59 AM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	For coil springs and pigtail springs, you can buy a spring winder, a handy little contraption that takes spring wire and turns it into a coil of the size you choose. You can also learn to wrap springs with mandrels of various sizes. Very few people know how or are willing to try, springs are really cheap to buy. Unless you need that special size . . . __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

July 26, 2019, 12:47 PM	#4
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	There really is no such thing as a spring jig. Springs are made(wound) on a mandrel using special spring steel wire then get heat treated. It's the latter that requires the most skill. Like Scorch says, it wouldn't pay to make 'em "Unless you need that special size". Very very few of those around. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

July 26, 2019, 02:34 PM	#5
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	Small coil springs are generally wound around a mandrel, using spring wire that is already heat treated. Leaf springs can be made singly using 1095 (or similar) steel, but must be heat treated. You can order spring variety packs from Wolff gunsprings- it's a lot easier than trying to make your own. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

July 26, 2019, 05:13 PM	#6
BillM Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2009 Location: Amity Oregon Posts: 791	Brownells sells spring wire (and i believe flat) assortments. I've made a few, it's a bit of a pain. Hint--the mandrel needs to be much smaller in diameter than you may think! Flat springs are possible a bit easier---1095 stock is annealed, easy to bend and shape. Heat treating the spring is a steep learning curve. Have to ask---WHY are you interested in making gun springs? It's a good skill to have--but any common gun has readily available springs.

July 26, 2019, 06:15 PM	#7
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,832	At TSJC, we simply bought a set of four pliers that were recommended to us for spring making (this is wire spring making and not leaf spring). __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

July 29, 2019, 07:57 PM	#9
ricotorpe Junior Member Join Date: July 31, 2012 Posts: 14	If you go to Youtube and search for handmade spring, a number of videos will come up explaining how to make one with a drill and a mandrel. I never considered the material to make a spring because I play a little* guitar, and would just use a guitar string of the right gauge. I have never tried this, so I don't know if it is a good method. One of the things which concerns me is the fact that a new guitar string takes a little time to break in. If you tune it to pitch, and strum it a few times, you will have to tighten the string a little to bring it back up to pitch. That makes me wonder if it would be better to put the string on the guitar and break it in first. There are some preppers who have taught themselves how to make springs from wire. I'm not a prepper, but the video I watched was made by a prepper. * EDIT: I play regular-sized guitars, but I play only a little bit.

August 3, 2019, 01:10 AM	#10
dyl Senior Member Join Date: October 31, 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,310	Hey all thanks for the replies. I started entertaining the idea of making my own spring because I still have the very first semi auto pistol I owned and it’s a little old, imported, Italian, obscure. I’ve already replaced the firing pin and triggger spring once years ago. Numrich’s parts were already slim then, and by now have dried up for most consumable parts . So no parts availability. I hate the idea of a whole pistol being useless because a tiny little spring being unavailable. So I dont shoot it anymore because I know I’m up the creek unless I can make extractors and springs. And there’s something about the principle behind being able to make a vital piece of the firearm.

August 3, 2019, 01:39 PM	#11
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	Parts are available: http://www.gun-parts.com/index.html/ __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

August 3, 2019, 03:40 PM	#12
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,061	Dyl, The Wolf springs are fine. What you want to do is identify the diameter of your spring and see how much force it takes to compress it by some fixed amount and match that. This gives you a number you can write down for future replacements. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle