Stick on Piston Buttons.

[Geordie]

Anyone tried buttoning a compression tube on a TX or 77/97?

Dave.

The TX200 runs on synthetic buffers as standard..

[lightning22]

Mine have just arrived, I'll let you know when I get round to fitting some.

Rich

[ora8i]

Like Baz I think if it's a good gun you can get it to the point were there would be little difrence between buttoned/unbuttoned.

The key being really good spring guides i.e. made to fit the individual spring.

Buttoning scores on the not so well made guns, I also think there may be a big time element involved - it's faster to button than polish s**t to a near perfect finish. It worked fairly well on the B4 right up to the point when the trigger group got involved, clunking like an old train going over points!!


Regards Ora

[RossB]

For gluing buttons on pistons, try the kit sold for mounting rear view mirrors on windshields.
The kit includes a surface preparaton primer as well as a premium superglue.

[tagnut69]

Why not try super glue as the bloke who made them sudgests. just an idea

[Stargazer]

Right - I've buttoned my HW80 piston this weekend and as requested will post my views....

First off - very easy to do - just degrease and lock-tite on - rock-solid. It was obvious where they should be glued - there are three distinct 'rubbed' patches on the rear of the piston at 120 degree intervals. Next is the trickier bit - sanding down to fit. Mine is an well run-in early model, and consequently there is a degree of free play between the cylinder and the piston - very smooth to cock, but I felt the firing cycle could be improved on. I opted for a slight 'interference' fit otherwise no point in fitting the damn things This I thought would rob some power, but no shortage in an 80.

Thoughts on firing - vibration had been dampened considerably and it was nicer to shoot and therefore more accurate and less hold-sensitive. Power was down around 5% as I expected - I may re-size at a later date.

In conclusion, I have to agree with the concensus on the board; if your rifle is well-made and well-lubed, probably not much to gain with the buttons. However, if it's older and 'looser' perhaps a useful mod. or if you're at the 'upper' end of the power scale, may introduce more control to your gun.

I'll see how they wear over the next few months, but have shelved thoughts of buttoning the outside of my TX compression tube for the moment...

Interesting excercise!

Dave.

[lightning22]

Like Stargazer I've just buttoned one of my rifles with the Maccari stick on buttons.

I've used my old Meteor that has recently being seeing some springer HFT action.

Fitting is simple enough, as long as you use decent superglue, take your lead from the wear points as mentioned above. I resisted the temptation to spin the piston in the lathe to rub the buttons down to fit as the Meteor piston isn't exactly round and it can be a bit tiresome digging them out of the ceiling.

3-5 minutes work with wet-n-dry reduces the buttons to a nice interference fit.

The result now is a smoother rifle with no further polishing of components or change of lubes.

Would I do it again? Yes.

Rich

[Shed tuner]

The TX200 runs on synthetic buffers as standard..

The compression tube doesn't - read the original post mate

Interestingly enough, I was thinking of doing the same thing

[Prodigal]

Quotes:
Fitting is simple enough, as long as you use decent superglue, take your lead from the wear points as mentioned above.

First off - very easy to do - just degrease and lock-tite on - rock-solid. It was obvious where they should be glued - there are three distinct 'rubbed' patches on the rear of the piston at 120 degree intervals.

Wouldn't "wear points" and "rubbed patches" on the piston lead to some small amount of roughness on the corresponding position inside the tube??
Perhaps positioning the buttons just either side of the wear points might give them a longer life, unless you can get inside to polish away any damage done by previous wear.

Just an amateurs thought

[lightning22]

Quotes:
Wouldn't "wear points" and "rubbed patches" on the piston lead to some small amount of roughness on the corresponding position inside the tube??
Perhaps positioning the buttons just either side of the wear points might give them a longer life, unless you can get inside to polish away any damage done by previous wear.

Just an amateurs thought

You are quite right, before this work was done the cylinder had been honed about 200 rounds before the buttons arrived, had it not been done so recently I would have honed out and grooves etc before sizing the buttons.

Just a thought, but if anyone has access to bearing material in thin sheets, a hole punch could be all you need to make your own stick on buttons.....

Rich

[Prodigal]

You're WAAAAAY ahead of me



I get there eventually though!

[lightning22]

You're WAAAAAY ahead of me



I get there eventually though!

Just grit your teeth and get on with it! (preferably practice on something cheap first )

Rich

[dvd]

has anyone ever tried to use phosphor bronze buttons instead of synthetic ones?Will these score the cylinder due to their decreased surface area and relative hardness compared to synthetic ones?
Apparently some manufacturers choose synthetic bearings as opposed to metallic ones,but I'm not sure if its to economise or for ease of production.
Synthetic ones seem to be a lot easier to fit.
Any ideas would be appreciated.