need a good gunsmithing lathe????? What brand

Reed,
In my opinion there is only one way that a barrel should be worked on and that is between centres when profiling, turning the barrel tenon and screwcutting and with a steady and head stock centre when chambering. This is why it is desirable to have a lathe with distance between centres of about 40" If you want to chamber in the headstock, which is the way lesser gunsmiths do it, then you dont need that kind of distance between centres.
This method is the only method that when set up properly gives the most accurate concentricity.

"Advanced re-barrelling of the sporting rifle" by Willis Fowler is an excellent book.

Fitting an indexed brake is a matter of simple maths.
Turn and screwcut your barrel as normal, fit the brake.
Align your barrel and using an engineers protractor, measure the angle of the muzzle brake from the vertical, for example lets say 15 degrees out.
Again for example lets use a 20 TPI thread, this means that for each complete revolution of the brake it will move .050" on to the barrel. Divide .050" by 360 and this will give you linear movement/per degree which = .00014"for each degree of rotation. Multiply this by 15 and you have the amount of material to take off the shoulder and the corresponding amount off the muzzle to index the brake exactly which is .0021"

Ian.
 
My views are changing the more I learn about lathes. First I thought it was better to buy a new machine than taking a chance with a older model. What I am beginning to learn is that the degree of precision and ease of using the older better machines has some real long term benifits. I want to buy the right lathe the first time. From your out put and the guys at benchmark barrels I think I am going to wait and try to find a good clausing victor or whatever quality lathe I can afford . My budget is also expanding with my gained knowledge. I am going to try to keep it under $5000 dollars. When i talked to Ron at benchmark barrels he said a lathe like the JET will work, but it is not in the same class as some of the older lathes. I have found a few good priced clausing lathes on ebay in NJ. I am open any suggestions. I am trying to learn as much as possible. Thanks you so much for your advice
 
Ian thank for your reply I am going to buy that book and thank for the explaination on muzzle breaks, its the simplist way I have ever heard it explained. Its helped me to clarify a few things. With your help, hear at LRH < I think I am on the right track. Thanks
 
There are some truly great old lathes out in this world. But the finest in my opinion that I ever used was a lathe made in Canada, the "Standard Modern" I don't think it is a widely known machine. If you really want a machine that has vary little vibration then I would lean towards a belt drive. Lathes for sale This is a link to help you get some ideas. I do hope it helps! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Here is another that I hope will help. I would like to direct you to some books that are always a good read, The Machinist Bedside Reader. A fantastic set of books. Many hours of great reading found between the covers. I just checked my favorits list and I have a lot of links for machine shop equipment and prices. If you run out, please ask for more and I will be more than happy to post more for you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Metal Lathe index Link page Links page
 
Reed,
Just a little note, dont to forget to budget for tooling, etc. I budgeted £3500 (about $6200) for a lathe and a bridgeport for my home workshop but when i totted up all the tooling i thought i might need this added another $2500 or so,just for the lathe for instance, quick change tool posts, tooling, live and dead centres, quality chucks and spare jaws, etc. For the mill a vice, dividing head, autolock holders, boring head, cutters, etc. Dont forget an offhand grinder for sharpening your lathe tools.
There are an awfull lot of items that can almost double your budget.
Good luck with your machining course and when you find a lathe that you like, take along your machinist buddy to give it the once over.

Ian.
 
I am really keeping my eyes open for a good lathe. I am going to buy a lathe first and try to buy the tooling a little at a time, its not so painful that way. I am trying to get this all sorted out but I have alot to learn. I am going to buy as many books as I can and try to get up to speed. There is no doubt I am going going to try to get the best equipment I can afford. I need all the help I can get and a faulity lathe won't help me any. I am trying to find out what the minium amount of tooling I will need to rechamber barrels. I have some idea what I need. I am kind of stumbling through this right know trying to learn as much as I can. I guess its cheaper than college and definetly more fun. Thanks for the links and advice on tooling and books.its really been helpful. I trying to get my list together of my needs for gunsmithing. The more I know the longer it gets.
 
Reed The need for tooling is a given,I use carbide inserts and endmills but high speed steel will work (you will learn about shaping and grinding your own in class.) You will find you can get a student discount on lots of differant tooling if bought through the school.Here is a list of some smithing tools, some of the stuff you can make yourself as your learning. An extension handle for your chamber reamers, screw jacks, tapping guides, a little tool that has helped me is a piese of 1 inch bandsaw blade with the teeth ground off and in the center I drilled and tapped holes to fit the most common gun screws then I have somthing to hold on to as I grind them to size and when I remove them it cleans up the thread for me, their are lots of fixtures and tools you can make I'm sure others on the site can give you some advise
 
I'm taking notes from what everybody has told me. I think know i know what tooling and kind of lathe that I should look for. I know the road to hoe is a long one but Im ready. I can't thank you enough for your time and out put. It is very hard to find anybody very knowledgeable any more. I am very fortunate that you guys are willing share your time and expercience with machineing with me. THanks
 
Ok maybe this should be another thread but thats not a bad idea longtooth, I know I have picked up on some new ideas from this site. How about ideas on special tooling or ideas like your screw holder-grinding tool, to help out us not so experienced with our learning.
 
I was trained by a Master Machinist who was apprenticed during WW2, so i was taught to form and grind my turning tools out of HSS and even how to heat treat tool steel when HSS was unavailable for tooling. I have used modern throw away carbide tooling and its very fast and convenient, exactly that, it needs high speeds and feeds to function properly because it shears the material rather cuts it.

Every thing you need to do in barrel fitting can be done with HSS tooling, especially on a manual lathe. A well ground 60 degree threading tool can be dropped into gear, and the minutest slither of material can be removed from your barrel thread at slow speed, or even revolving the chuck by hand, you cant do that with carbide.

Using HSS tooling might be slow but you have much more control over what you are doing and its also cheaper.
Single point screwcutting can be quite scary, watching your tool heading for the u/cut shoulder, you need to stop the machine and wind out very quickly but it is very rewarding to see your completed thread with a beautifull finish, no tears and a class 1 fit.

The tooling you will need for chambering on your lathe should consist of a face plate, headstock centre, driving dog and steady, turning and single point tools, screwcutting gauge and of course measuring tools.
for the tailstock end; a dead centre, piloted centre drill, step drills, a tap wrench to hold your reamer, chamber reamer and a DTI for final accurate head spacing of the chamber, dont forget your head space gauges for that calibre.

I am telling you all this when i have never chambered a barrel, but in my 27 years as a master machinist i have compleated many similar and much more complicated reaming and boring jobs, then i care to remember.
I am only to willing to pass on any information or tips and tricks of the trade that i know so please do not hesitate to ask anything you want and remember this moto; "If in doubt, ask".

Ian.
 
You are getting a ton of good info here and I am learning a bit as well. I just wanted to chime in with the little I know. As I was leaving the college machining program we received 3 cheap japaneese lathes and I wouldnt give you a buck for any of them. They would NOT turn a diameter without leaving a nasty chatter pattern regardless of the speed or feed or depth of cut or tool point shape. They were worthless except for roughing out a part while waiting to get on another machine.

Most of the class was taught on old southbend belt driven lathes. They were short on power but long on accuracy. In fact most of the machines (lathes and mills) were WW2 vintage and built like the tanks they were producing with them.

My favorite lathe to use that was gun shop sized was a Sharp 16x48 (or close) gap bed. It was one of the lathes at my first machining job. I thought that if I ever got a lathe for tinkering at the house it would be the same thing but with a 60" bed if they even made one. The lathe had enough mass to be chatter free and I have turned very bright and smooth finishes with it using carbide bits and 4140 steel. The speed range went up to 2k RPM and the spindle was around 1.25" or 1.5". I don't know how well it would work as a gunsmith lathe but it was a dandy for making money at +/- .001" tolerances. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Single point screwcutting can be quite scary, watching your tool heading for the u/cut shoulder, you need to stop the machine and wind out very quickly but it is very rewarding to see your completed thread with a beautifull finish, no tears and a class 1 fit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Have you ever tried turning your tool upside down and running the lathe in reverse to avoid hitting the shoulder? Funky to see but no damage to parts or tools.

Geeze I miss cuttin' metal.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 14 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top