German First war Gr.14 Projectile driving bad....

**starshell** · 23rd June 2022, 07:55 PM

Good evening,

I have a first war German Gr.14 HE projectile missing its driving band and wanted to try to have a new Copper one cast onto the shell.....harder than I expected.
Trying to find a casting Co. which would take on a small job like this is nigh on impossible and sand casting Copper has its problems.

Which leads me to ask if this particular shell type was ever produced with Zinc Alloy or Mazak driving band? I can't find any reference to this in my minimal books and manuals so would greatly appreciate any help from members. If there is such an example, I may be able to do this myself.

I have seen similar shell with two bands, one being a thinner Copper type above a Zinc Alloy band.
Many thanks in advance,
Cheers!

**pzgr40** · 23rd June 2022, 08:22 PM

Try here

Copper Flat Bar - Copper Busbar - Metelec Ltd - Copper Flat Bar - Copper Busbar Manufacturer & Stockholders UK

You may have to buy a meter, but you can hammer it into the swallow tail shaped groove for driving band and try to have it machined to size in a lathe later on

If you're lucky one of the BOCN members works in high voltage electrics and can arrange a314mm length piece of busbar as the shell has a 10cm diameter

Regards, DJH

**starshell** · 23rd June 2022, 09:18 PM

Many thanks pzgr40,

That's a good suggestion and the link to the Copper stockists will help a great deal. Something I will certainly look into.
Thank you.

**starshell** · 24th June 2022, 06:43 PM

Could anyone tell me if this shell was ever made with a Zinc Alloy / Mazak driving band/
Many thanks in advance.

**HAZORD** · 25th June 2022, 04:36 AM

I'm not sure if you have scrap yards where you live, but if they do and they will sell metals, You figure how this your band needs to be, and how wide, then you buy a piece of copper bussbar, or copper plate, then you use a bandsaw or similar to cut the strip for your band to the proper width. Holding the beginning of the band in the band groove by clamping them in place in a vice, you then bend the copper bar around the projectile using the vice and a hammer, you work it around the body, hammering it into the groove. when its around, trim the end to length so it will slip into the groove touching the beginning. with the split at the top, use the vice to hold the ends together, and solder the ends together.

Turn in a lathe to proper diameter and shape. Have a Guinness.

**BMG50** · 25th June 2022, 08:42 AM

Try this link to band shells http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/thread...hlight=banding

**starshell** · 29th June 2022, 11:33 AM

Many thanks to all for the suggestions. I'm now looking into these to get it right first time (if that's possible!).
Will post pics as we go....
Thanks again!

**Andysarmoury** · 29th June 2022, 02:41 PM

Hi Starshell, I done an 18pdr a while ago, I found some lighting conductor copper strip, cut it to length and then hammered it round cut off the surplus and hammered it in tight, I didn't even have to solder it and then put it on the lathe and turned it to the right profile or near enough, and I was surprised I couldn't see the join.
Cheers
Andy

**starshell** · 29th June 2022, 06:09 PM

Many thanks Andysarmoury,

Great job, well done.

Just a quick question....did you find that as you hammered the Copper strip into the groove, it expanded into the undercut ok? I guess I'm concerned that if I hammer the Copper too much, I might hammer it below the finished profile limits.
Cheers!

**Andysarmoury** · 30th June 2022, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by starshell

Many thanks Andysarmoury,

Great job, well done.

Just a quick question....did you find that as you hammered the Copper strip into the groove, it expanded into the undercut ok? I guess I'm concerned that if I hammer the Copper too much, I might hammer it below the finished profile limits.
Cheers!

Yes it expended ok and I made sure I had it a bit thicker just in case that happened and all went well. forgot to say I did heat the copper up before hand to anneal it and good luck.
Cheers
Andy