I have been tinkering with my own rifles for awhile I used to mess with savages so I could swap out the barrels and stuff. I pillar, bed, and paint my own stocks but I dont know how to run a lathe or chamber a barrel. I would like to learn how to run a lather and true and chamber so I can complete my own projects. Problem is I live in So Cal not many gun smiting schools around here that I know of. I've looked around at the local colleges bun there are no machining classes. Whats the best way to learn. Is it something i could watch videos on and practice with once i had a lathe set up.
Learning to chamber
- Thread starter ofdscooby
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shortgrass
Well-Known Member
I guess a guy could watch enough YouTube videos, ask enough questions on interdnet forums and read a book or two and eventually get it done. Without basic machining 'skills' and understanding,, it'd sure be a lot easier IF you had some "in person" instruction. Might consider taking some NRA Summer Gunsmithing courses during/if you have some vacation time. Learning on your own sure can develop a bunch of bad habits and form a lot of unfounded conclusions. But, think about this, it will take, at bare minimum, $5000 to buy a cheap lathe and the required tooling. At an average of, say,,, $275 for a gunsmith to do the work for you, you could have had 18 barrels professionally thread, chambered, crowned and fit to your action. Any way you look at it, you still will have to buy the blank, and regardless of popular opinion gunsmiths don't get huge discounts on barrel blanks. That initial $5000 investment just calls for more and more $$$$$ as time goes on. Cost effective? No...... I had 16yrs experience as a job shop machinist before I attended gunsmithing school. I watched guys who had no experience be scared of the metal cutting band saw and spend a whole class period, even after being shown and instructed repeatedly, trying to dial in a piece of bar stock in a 4 jaw chuck. There were some who could just never grasp the concepts. Big or small, machine tools demand an enormous amount of respect. If you've got the spare change to set yourself up, go for it. If it doesn't work out for you there will be many more willing to buy your lathe and tooling so they can give it a try, themselves.
Google Gordy Gritters
He is one of the very best LR riflesmiths and offers 2-4 day classes on chambering, bedding etc at reasonable prices.
He is one of the very best LR riflesmiths and offers 2-4 day classes on chambering, bedding etc at reasonable prices.
Google Gordy Gritters
He is one of the very best LR riflesmiths and offers 2-4 day classes on chambering, bedding etc at reasonable prices.
He has classes and videos
"EXTREME ACCURACY INSTITUTE" and "Gordy's Precision"
He is one of the very best LR riflesmiths and offers 2-4 day classes on chambering, bedding etc at reasonable prices.
He has classes and videos
"EXTREME ACCURACY INSTITUTE" and "Gordy's Precision"
I suppose I should ignore this old post but who know there may be others considering getting a lathe so they can do their own barrel work. The following thoughts are to that end.
I would try to find some place where you could get some hands on activities to acquire the basic skills to operate a lathe. Some cities have community colleges that offer classes. Perhaps there is a high school where machine tool technology is taught? Any chance you can find someone who owns a lathe that is willing to show you some procedures and let you try your hand?
I would not consider buying a lathe until you tried doing some work on one. As a teacher of various vocational classes including "machine shop", I have observed that some individuals get confused on the most basic activities of manipulating a lathe. No offense but it is a reality. For what ever reason some people just cannot internalize and remember which movement does what. It is like the person that every time they use a key to unlock their house door they do a trial and error approach when turning the key. If you ever get to see a high school machine shop just look at the jaws of the lathes and edge of compound rest where many students made mistakes. Or drill press tables with holes in them.
In addition to the coordination and control aspects, there are many setups and proceedures that must be mastered before threading and chambering a barrel can be attempted.
Machining is slow and can be tedious for some. Well thought out steps are a must. One small mistake far into making a piece will have you starting over. It is an activity that is not for everyone.
Try it, if you like it the by all means get a lathe. There are decent used lathes as well as reasonably priced new ones.
Once you own one you will find tons of things to make on the lathe. There is something special about things you can make from metal. I still have and use a small tap wrench and center punch I made in my first machining class in 1969.
I would try to find some place where you could get some hands on activities to acquire the basic skills to operate a lathe. Some cities have community colleges that offer classes. Perhaps there is a high school where machine tool technology is taught? Any chance you can find someone who owns a lathe that is willing to show you some procedures and let you try your hand?
I would not consider buying a lathe until you tried doing some work on one. As a teacher of various vocational classes including "machine shop", I have observed that some individuals get confused on the most basic activities of manipulating a lathe. No offense but it is a reality. For what ever reason some people just cannot internalize and remember which movement does what. It is like the person that every time they use a key to unlock their house door they do a trial and error approach when turning the key. If you ever get to see a high school machine shop just look at the jaws of the lathes and edge of compound rest where many students made mistakes. Or drill press tables with holes in them.
In addition to the coordination and control aspects, there are many setups and proceedures that must be mastered before threading and chambering a barrel can be attempted.
Machining is slow and can be tedious for some. Well thought out steps are a must. One small mistake far into making a piece will have you starting over. It is an activity that is not for everyone.
Try it, if you like it the by all means get a lathe. There are decent used lathes as well as reasonably priced new ones.
Once you own one you will find tons of things to make on the lathe. There is something special about things you can make from metal. I still have and use a small tap wrench and center punch I made in my first machining class in 1969.
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KyCarl
Well-Known Member
I still have my 1-2-3 blocks and 6" 90 degree knee I made at the Hamilton Tool Training Center in 1972! I miss making things now that I have retired.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
+1 On taking a machining class to help decide if you can or want to go on from there and buy all the necessary equipment and tools to get started.
Machining or Gun smithing is not for everyone, so I would recommend starting slow and working up. If you know someone that has and uses a lathe (For anything) spend some time with them and see where it goes.
Lathes are wonderful and can be used for many different things and you might find other uses for it justifying the cost.
Good luck
J E CUSTOM
Machining or Gun smithing is not for everyone, so I would recommend starting slow and working up. If you know someone that has and uses a lathe (For anything) spend some time with them and see where it goes.
Lathes are wonderful and can be used for many different things and you might find other uses for it justifying the cost.
Good luck
J E CUSTOM
birdiemc
Well-Known Member
About the time the OP was asking this question, I was asking the same questions. So I bought a lathe, and been buying tooling, been playing around with it practicing turning, threading, boring on various projects. I've read hours and hours of online stuff, and several books on machining, and chambering rifles. So far if I had to guess I'm about $8,000 into it and am just now getting ready to order my first chamber reamer to try and cut a chamber in a barrel blank I bought. I dont think it takes 3 years to get comfortable for everybody like it did for me, but it's a matter of how much time you spend running the machine and trying new things, which for me sadly was not often enough.
It's not practical for me to take off a week and fly across the country for a gunsmithing course. And I have no community college opportunities nearby offering machinst or gunsmithing courses so I've decided to try the self taught method. I have no intention of becoming a gunsmith and working on other peoples rifles. I just like the thought of doing it all myself.
Of course when I first started lookin into it, I thought I could save some money by learning to do everything myself, but that notion got tossed out the window real quick. Shortgrass was right, it will take well over 20 barrels to break even, and that doesn't take into account the time I have invested into research and practice, and the time it will take me to actually perform the work, if a dollar amount is applied to time spent it's a terrible investment. DIY in regards to this topic, in my opinion, is a road you go down only because you want to be able to tell everybody "I did it all by myself", kind of a pride issue I guess.
It's not practical for me to take off a week and fly across the country for a gunsmithing course. And I have no community college opportunities nearby offering machinst or gunsmithing courses so I've decided to try the self taught method. I have no intention of becoming a gunsmith and working on other peoples rifles. I just like the thought of doing it all myself.
Of course when I first started lookin into it, I thought I could save some money by learning to do everything myself, but that notion got tossed out the window real quick. Shortgrass was right, it will take well over 20 barrels to break even, and that doesn't take into account the time I have invested into research and practice, and the time it will take me to actually perform the work, if a dollar amount is applied to time spent it's a terrible investment. DIY in regards to this topic, in my opinion, is a road you go down only because you want to be able to tell everybody "I did it all by myself", kind of a pride issue I guess.
Great comments from all. I have always thought that every person needs a creative outlet.
Fabrication is a passion for many here. It might save us some money doing it ourselves but it also fulfills that creative need. A lathe is just one of many tools for this type of activity. I sure enjoy thinking through the process of how to make it then creating it.
Fabrication is a passion for many here. It might save us some money doing it ourselves but it also fulfills that creative need. A lathe is just one of many tools for this type of activity. I sure enjoy thinking through the process of how to make it then creating it.
KyCarl
Well-Known Member
Let me rain on this a little. After 45 years of Standing on cement floors or on some sort of mat Running Lathes.. Mills.. Between center grinders.. Gear Hob, anything.
My knees and ankles and feet have paid the price! Pain every day..
You eventually just wear out .
My knees and ankles and feet have paid the price! Pain every day..
You eventually just wear out .
shortgrass
Well-Known Member
I see very few taking on "the big one", serious stock work. Finishing a stock from a synthetic blank, like Brown Precision, MPI, High Tech Specialties. Fitting and finishing a pre-inletted hardwood stock. Or, making by hand from a blank. There is where you can really find a "creative outlet". 99.5% are looking for "drop-in". Seems all are consumed by "the machining". It is just a 'hunk' of steel until it has a 'handle'. The cost for any of those endeavors is far less than setting-up a hobby machine shop, and can be just as rewarding if not more so.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
As usual , I have to agree with shortgrass. The metal work is part of the process and Must be done right if you have any chance of accuracy. There is something about cutting/removing steel to make something. I have been woodworking all my life and it is also very satisfying.
But stock work is hard work If done correct or from scratch. Build one stock from scratch and you will know what I am talking about. There is really no such thing as a drop in stock, if you want a true fit and finish.
In fact, I learned how to do stock work before I did barrel work, Partly because I didn't have a good enough Lathe. but had the wood working tools. After inletting by hand,I purchased a Mill to make it easier and faster. Even with the mill there is still a lot of hand work to get the proper fit. Then comes the checkering and finishing (More time and labor). Anyone that has built stocks can attest to the fact that this takes longer than the metal work and requires more skill and labor.
To be a real Gun Smith, you have to be able to do it all from the beginning. Being old and lazy I prefer to do the metal work because the Machine does all the work, but even then the fitting, bedding and finishing of the stock takes more time and labor to produce a finished product.
Learning how to do one part will get you started, but true accuracy and looks require all of the skills of Gun smithing, including trouble shooting problems of parts and assembly.
When I first started doing different parts of gunsmithing, It was work.
the true satisfaction came when I completed the first build from scratch. You also have to challenge your self to improve every time
to get better.
Good machine work is a good place to start.
Just the ramblings of an old man
J E CUSTOM
But stock work is hard work If done correct or from scratch. Build one stock from scratch and you will know what I am talking about. There is really no such thing as a drop in stock, if you want a true fit and finish.
In fact, I learned how to do stock work before I did barrel work, Partly because I didn't have a good enough Lathe. but had the wood working tools. After inletting by hand,I purchased a Mill to make it easier and faster. Even with the mill there is still a lot of hand work to get the proper fit. Then comes the checkering and finishing (More time and labor). Anyone that has built stocks can attest to the fact that this takes longer than the metal work and requires more skill and labor.
To be a real Gun Smith, you have to be able to do it all from the beginning. Being old and lazy I prefer to do the metal work because the Machine does all the work, but even then the fitting, bedding and finishing of the stock takes more time and labor to produce a finished product.
Learning how to do one part will get you started, but true accuracy and looks require all of the skills of Gun smithing, including trouble shooting problems of parts and assembly.
When I first started doing different parts of gunsmithing, It was work.
the true satisfaction came when I completed the first build from scratch. You also have to challenge your self to improve every time
to get better.
Good machine work is a good place to start.
Just the ramblings of an old man
J E CUSTOM
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+1 on the last two posts. Stock work is where the art is. I was making bamboo fly rods for a number of years and my rods were serviceable. I went to rodmaker gatherings and the work that some folks did was unbelievable. I think stock work is the same way. I've refinished a number of wood shotgun stocks and that's simple work yet very time consuming. I even have checkering tools too clean up after refinishing. It still looks awful and I have a template to use! I can't imagine making one from a chunk of walnut and checkering from scratch.
yoteslayer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2013
- Messages
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There is Trinidad junior collage in Trinidad Colorado they have sommer classes you can take beginners machine class to get used to running a lathe then take a class on chambering I think they last like 2 weeks each but not sure on that
