They're not really all that special in the whole scheme of things but I couldn't think of anything catchy to call them.  I've mentioned before that I'm building various trigger assemblies to go with the Ballard builds I have happening.  Making a trigger plate for a Ballard and getting it to blend has been a struggle for me.  The radius the mating side to the breech block specifies is 9.75" or a 19.5" diameter.  The bottom calls for a 9.7" radius plus a 1" radius on the belly perpendicular to the fit.  I've made a couple of them and to make things look right - it’s a lot of file work.    I have a few to make so I put a little thought into it.  I had an order going in to our local steel supplier for some rings and plates and decided to pursue an idea.  I ordered a ring cut from 1" plate, 18.5" id by 20" od.  I chucked this in one of the medium size lathes and turned the inside to about 19", turned the outside to about 19.9" then turned a shoulder about .200" deep on each side at about 19.3"dia.  When this was completed the ring was removed from the lathe and a 2.5" long section was cut from the ring.

For those with an eye for detail, you may have noticed an odd looking hammer in photo #9, it’s our version of the Niedner/Binger self cocking hammer, or at least the 3D printed version for fitting purposes.  More on this as the thread progresses.

Pretty clever Greg! And now you've got a piece large enough to make numerous trigger plates from!

Mercy, that's impressive.

Sometimes I get annoyed at Greg because he has so many unfinished projects.  Then he pulls an outside-the-box stunt like this one and, once more, I have to bow to his genius.

Bill Lawrence

I look at Gregs pics and am always in awe of his talent, motivation and clever machining. I want in the worst way to buy and start one of Rodney’s 44 1/2 casting kits but know better. As machinists, we all take a lot of pride in unique setups that “get the job done” in some convoluted way. Building a 44 1/2 on my Burke mill would certainly test all limits. Keep up the awesome work and keep pics coming Greg!

without the gap removed, it's 36".  If I remove the gap (I made and scraped in) which I try never to do I can swing 44".

Here's another part still in process but the concept should be self explanatory.  A self cocking hammer, the link that does that dirty work, a modified spring and a stirrup.  The sear barely resembles the original too.  For those that know the Ballard double set trigger breech blocks, in this design the dowel pins got moved, as did the tang screw for the halves.  I'm working on a firing pin arrangements similar to the Eric Johnson design. More to follow.

One last photo, a set of breech block halves just finished roughing in the mill.

I felt an accomplishment from turning a few brass rods to certain sizes on a lathe. Big chest beating from using a mill to flatten a piece of steel on two sides to a needed dimension. And then I show up here and see you guys doing all this stuff..... sheesh!

So true Joe.  I have the tools including a nice South Bend lathe and little skill and even less patience.  I even tried staying in a Holiday Inn Express but that didn’t help. 

Jack

What's the process to separate the triggers from the rest of the steel? Do you just flip it over and mill down to the parting surface?

Greg,  Thank you. Good idea. Have been through that wreck.
Chuck

Is this CNC work? Intimating to those who attempt this freehand!

It really makes me wonder how Ballard made LOTS of parts in production 150 years ago! 
They knew something then too!

Life seems to be speeding up and time slips by even faster when the gaps are filled with things one enjoys.  Using this as an excuse, my posts have suffered to the point they've diminished.  I have still been "making" a few things, actually a lot of things.  Here's pics of one of the latest.  We call it version 4 of the compact close couple triggers but looking back through the mess and briefly at this post, it may be version 5 or 6 but I'm not really counting.
My end goal was to develop a set of triggers that are simple, low enough profile to fit a Hepburn or a Ballard and my son may have added the right twist that makes this happen.   
The trigger sear was inverted keeping it below the pivot pins.  The knock-off (rear trigger) operates within an area about an eighth inch above the pins, and two simple coil springs activate the system.  In my test pieces no adjusting screws have been added yet and the trigger breaks crisp at 7 or 8 oz. with no pre- and very minute over-travel. 
The downfall of the system and it is by design, the only way it fires is if the trigger is set.

Installed and functioning in one of my Ballards builds.

Takes my breath away. More than envious Greg.