I hope I can run this by you guys and get some input. As some of you know I am in the process of building a machine in my shop to drill, ream and cut the rifling to make my own rifle barrels.
I started collecting the material about 4 years ago. Last year I started building the machine. I only have a short time each winter and spring to work on it. So it is time to get busy before the garden takes all my spare time again.
I will post some pictures of where I am so far with some descriptions if what the pictures are. I have some questions that some of you may be able to help me with.
This is a picture of the machine with out the sled on the bed rails. You can see the pillow block bearings that hold the DOM tubing that will hold the “barrel to be”
The block in front of the tube is what is used during the rifling stage. There are holes spaced around the tube to lock it in place for either 4, 5 or 6 rifling groves.
This is a picture of the sled and whip guide that rides on the two guide rods. The larger sled will have a mount to hold the gun drill and reamers. The all thread rod underneath is how the motor will feed the drill and pull the reamer back through the barrel.
The whip guide just keeps the drill shaft straight.
Today I started working on the machine again. I drilled the holes in the channel to mount the bed rails and the threaded rod. They were just setting in place in the picture above.
Next I have to make a decision. The plans call for a chain to be attached to the bottom of the sled that will be used during the rifling stage. Cutting the rifling it is done by hand. There will be a hand crank sticking out of the front of the channel. It is attached to a sprocket and drives the sled back and forth pulling the cutter through the barrel.
First off I don’t think my shoulders will last through all the cranking to finish the job. I have been thinking about attaching a hydraulic cylinder to the sled. Then use something like is used on a log splitter to drive it in and out. The cylinder wouldn’t have to be very large dia. but it needs to be kind of long. Around 3.5’ to 4’ I don’t know where to find something like that.
I started collecting the material about 4 years ago. Last year I started building the machine. I only have a short time each winter and spring to work on it. So it is time to get busy before the garden takes all my spare time again.
I will post some pictures of where I am so far with some descriptions if what the pictures are. I have some questions that some of you may be able to help me with.
This is a picture of the machine with out the sled on the bed rails. You can see the pillow block bearings that hold the DOM tubing that will hold the “barrel to be”
The block in front of the tube is what is used during the rifling stage. There are holes spaced around the tube to lock it in place for either 4, 5 or 6 rifling groves.
This is a picture of the sled and whip guide that rides on the two guide rods. The larger sled will have a mount to hold the gun drill and reamers. The all thread rod underneath is how the motor will feed the drill and pull the reamer back through the barrel.
The whip guide just keeps the drill shaft straight.
Today I started working on the machine again. I drilled the holes in the channel to mount the bed rails and the threaded rod. They were just setting in place in the picture above.
Next I have to make a decision. The plans call for a chain to be attached to the bottom of the sled that will be used during the rifling stage. Cutting the rifling it is done by hand. There will be a hand crank sticking out of the front of the channel. It is attached to a sprocket and drives the sled back and forth pulling the cutter through the barrel.
First off I don’t think my shoulders will last through all the cranking to finish the job. I have been thinking about attaching a hydraulic cylinder to the sled. Then use something like is used on a log splitter to drive it in and out. The cylinder wouldn’t have to be very large dia. but it needs to be kind of long. Around 3.5’ to 4’ I don’t know where to find something like that.
