This always amazes me

[Frank Srebro]

I've had laser microwelding done before and I am always amazed when the part is returned. Here's one of the trigger sears from a Fox-Kautzky single trigger, but really this type welding is applicable to any similar single/double trigger sear. Someone had worked on it before ..... probably to lighten the pull, he went too far, then overcompensated a time or two. Then the single trigger didn't work and the hammer was cocking short which happens when the nose of a sear is shortened too much. Kind of like trimming one leg on a table to get it level, then another one, etc etc and soon the table ends up way too low.

Anyway the nose of this sear was too short. A friend had this work done by one of the welding techs at his business. I asked that 40-50 thou be added to its length. I sent it out Tuesday and the UPS guy returned it today. The weld filler is air hardening tool steel which is much too hard to file (as it should be in this application). Now I'll grind to original shape and then to length when I fit it to the hammer.

I am not soliciting work with this post, and my friend is not in the gunsmithing business and he absolutely will not accept any laser welding "commissions" from anyone else. Please don't ask. This post is just to show what can be done with modern welding. That weld is only about .010" above the top and bottom surfaces of the sear.

Frank

BEFORE ----- I added the red arrows to this pic to show where to weld
http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b450/silvers897/IMG_4738_zpse3091fde.jpg (http://s1044.photobucket.com/user/silvers897/media/IMG_4738_zpse3091fde.jpg.html)

AS RETURNED
http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b450/silvers897/IMG_4754_zps481174f7.jpg (http://s1044.photobucket.com/user/silvers897/media/IMG_4754_zps481174f7.jpg.html)

SUPERMACRO
http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b450/silvers897/IMG_4754-1_zps40496fe1.jpg (http://s1044.photobucket.com/user/silvers897/media/IMG_4754-1_zps40496fe1.jpg.html)

[Daryl Corona]

That amazes me too Frank. Quality work there as you should have plenty to dress down. Keep us posted.

[Dean Romig]

Nice welding Frank!
My brother-in-law does sub-contract aircraft welding from GE and welded up the forend lug on a set of barrels for me. It was too short for the forend I needed to fit to it so I asked him to lengthen it by .050" an I filed it and stoned it.

It is truly amazing to see the ham-handed work that some of these guns have suffered.

[Justin Julian]

Laser welding is amazing and would appear to have countless applications in gun smithing. But I don't see where the big name double gunsmiths are advertising the service. Does anyone know of a vintage double gunsmith who does laser welding himself?

[Mark Beasland]

If it was not for the cost I would own one.

[Richard Flanders]

Al Edge of Old Dominion Firearms did some work like that for me on the sears on my 1883 O-grade hammer gun. The sear ends looked like someone had taken a hammer and chisel to them. Large pcs of metal missing. You can't even tell he worked on them today. Excellent work, fast, and for a very reasonable price.