Maxim 08/15 Gwf. Spandau 1917 DEWAT on Gunbroker

[georgthomas]

FYI on an Maxim 08/15 Gwf. Spandau 1917 DEWAT on gunbroker. Here is the link.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewBi ... =311608267

[IMBLITZVT]

FYI on an Maxim 08/15 Gwf. Spandau 1917 DEWAT on gunbroker. Here is the link.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewBi ... =311608267

Yeah I saw that one. Looks nice... but don't think I will bid as I don't need another.

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Is a gun like this worth the money fix up and REWAT? I can see it going over budget if parts are missing/damaged.

[bmg17a1]

It is well worth spending more and finding an example that has an undented jacket. Waterjacket dent remorse is a common affliction amongst too eager buyers of WC MGs and often owners of dented jacket guns are always trying to explain the dents or apologize for them. Better to bide your time until an example comes along that really meets or exceeds your expectations. Only exception to this, IMO, is if the weapon has provenance or is a unique example or there is some other distinctive reason to own it beyond just having one.
Further, finding one that is live and has a history of running well is a big premium for which you will not have to pay much. While this may sound like all the tinkering fun has already been done, don't be fooled, as a gun that has been running like a top can just go off its stride and start being cranky for no apparent reason. Seen that a lot. With 25 Maxims in the corral, there isn't much that hasn't shown up over years of taming them.
They are very common guns in the registry, often come up for sale, and prices have dropped considerably in the last few years. FWIW

Bob Naess

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Is there any way to pull out dents from a jacket? This gun has a dent...

http://www.onlythebestfirearms.com/maxim.html

[bmg17a1]

Not without leaving scars....done a few dent removals in other watercools and there is no substitute for NO dents.
Bob Naess

[georgthomas]

Bob,

Are there any registered side plates out there for 08/15s? What is the price on one installed on a parts kit vs. buying a complete gun?

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Not without leaving scars....done a few dent removals in other watercools and there is no substitute for NO dents.
Bob Naess

That's a shame, Bob. I was hoping that if the water jacket could be removed, I could planish the dents out of the sheetmetal. I suppose access to the jacket from the inside is not possible. I make have made medieval plate suits of armour for many years, so if access to the inside of the jacket could be gotten with a candlestick stake, removing the dents would be child's play.

[IMBLITZVT]

Are there any registered side plates out there for 08/15s? What is the price on one installed on a parts kit vs. buying a complete gun?

Yes there lots of sideplates out there for 08/15s. Erb made a ton of them. I had one and sold it to a friend. I have found that the plates are usually $5-$5.5K. Add a few $k parts kit and some good money for a build... a lot of the time its much cheaper to buy one already built as sideplate guns go cheaper than C&R guns.

That's a shame, Bob. I was hoping that if the water jacket could be removed, I could planish the dents out of the sheetmetal. I suppose access to the jacket from the inside is not possible. I make have made medieval plate suits of armour for many years, so if access to the inside of the jacket could be gotten with a candlestick stake, removing the dents would be child's play.

Well thats not a very big dent. IMHO, certainly not worth dealing with. I have heard of people removing the jacket as it screws into the trunnion and end cap. Soldered as well. They are a real bitch to get off, I can tell you that! If you really want to go down this road in the future, let me know. I can sell you a dented jacketed cheap to experiment on!

[georgthomas]

Matt,

Thanks. I have a very good parts kit and was wondering.

Alan

[IMBLITZVT]

Thanks. I have a very good parts kit and was wondering.

Well then a lot depends on how much you have in your parts kit. I think the cheapest you will see a sideplate is about $5k. You can get a complete gun at the low end right now at about $7K. So now it just depends on how much you have in that parts kit and how much you are going to spend to get it built. A few years back, when the low end guns were $8.5ish there was a lot more room. However now days, you are probably better off selling your nice parts kit and turning the money into a complete gun. That is what I did. I had a very very nice parts kit, the best of lots that I have come across. I sold it, put money into a complete gun.

[georgthomas]

Matt,

I believe I have that parts kit.

Alan

[IMBLITZVT]

Well, if there was ever a parts kit that deserves a sideplate, that is the one! I actually had a sideplate for it in 2009 but 3 months after I bought the sideplate, I ran into a complete gun for the same price as the sideplate. It was a Hell of a deal that I had to do. So the sideplate got sold cheap and I held the parts kit until the paperwork went through. Its pretty rare to run into a parts kit that nice. That is also something you have to factor in. You will not get a built gun in that condition at $7K. That is the best parts kit I have ever seen and so a sideplate might be the way to go even with the extra cost to have something in like new condition. Or I am sure you can sell and get back out of it for not much lose or maybe a bit of profit. Look at the one on GB... not nearly as nice and the price is up there!

[georgthomas]

Matt,

Need to swap it for an 08 sled mount.

Alan

[IMBLITZVT]

Getting a trade together is always harder than selling and then buying!

[georgthomas]

This very true.......

[anjongni]

You could attempt to remove the dent using the old 2-stroke expansion chamber method: Plug it and fill with water, put it into freezer. Water expands 10% or so of its volume. Tap on the dent with nothing harder than a soft rubber mallet. Slowly and carefully. Be patient....Phil

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

You could attempt to remove the dent using the old 2-stroke expansion chamber method: Plug it and fill with water, put it into freezer. Water expands 10% or so of its volume. Tap on the dent with nothing harder than a soft rubber mallet. Slowly and carefully. Be patient....Phil

...and you prevent the ends of the cylinder from dishing out HOW ?

[anjongni]

Ka-rack! Well, actually, I envisioned corking the orifices. The '08 shown for sale is so great looking now - it looks like it was just pulled from the trenches - and the water jacket already has a couple of dents. Wouldn't clean it, nice just as it is. Do they have a price on it? Somebody here buy it please....Phil