Tools I am making..
 

I am spending this semester making tools that I will use later in my career and as a crash course in machining. My major is gunsmithing at Montgomery Community College in Troy, NC.

Trying to all my lathe projects first. We grind our own toolbits. The lathes are equipped with digital readouts and we are allowed to use the feeds.

First project: bolts for an action wrench.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-H...2520bolts1.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6...2520bolts2.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E...2520bolts3.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-T...2520bolts4.JPG

Nice work!

Neat. What's an action wrench?

I love knurling! When I started I knurled everything I could get my hands on

It is used to remove the action from the barrel of a rifle. I have two more parts to make for that but the work on those parts are primarily done on a mill. I am finishing as many of my lathe projects as possible first.

Nice. I took a course in precision machining at Southern Maine Technical College to further my work in the restoration of antique clocks. After the first semester, I stayed on for a second to work independently, and built a quick release tool post for my South Bend heavy 10. Enjoy your schooling - I'd go back and learn more, if I could.

what operations?

Looks like
turn to size
knurling
turn screw shafts to rough size
cut threads
part off
chamfer

What order did you do these items?

Good for you. Gunsmithing is one of those dying arts. I enjoy every minute of what I do.

Next project..make yourself a complete set of these in 12,16,20,and 28 ga. They are mechanical dent raisers for shotgun barrels. These will make you MONEY! You only have to make the anvils to fit the tool. Make the tool once and make the anvils interchangable.
Good luck to you!( I have only the 12 so make me a set as well)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1314276321.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1314276334.jpg

Oh and DON'T buy the Wheeler screw driver set. Buy the Brownells set.

If you decide to make these, (and trust me you should) PM me and i will take the tool apart, photograph it and send you the specs. These are $300.00 each if you buy them. The various anvils are $100 ea.

There are many simple tools you can make for gunsmithing.

Action wrenches both for rifles and revolvers
Muzzle chamfering tools for any barrel
Revolver throating (forcing cone) tools
Sear/hammer engagement jigs
Stock holding tool (rotating)
Spring compression tools
Rivet staking tools (extractors for various firearms)
Barrel dent removal tools
Barrel lapping tools
Action vise for drilling/milling for rifles and pistols

The list is endless.

Dave,

I bought the Wheeler set at the gun show two weeks ago. It is actually more than I need at the moment. Why do you recommend the Brownell's?

To the OP: Apologies for the sidetrack/hi-jack.

Tom, the wheeler set seems brittle. I have broken a few at the shop out of the shop kit. My brownells kit has never broken a bit. I bent one once and sent it back to them. They comped me a new bit. For the home smith the wheeler is fine, but he needs dependable work tools, every day stuff.

Used 1'' stock, so no need to turn to size. The rest of the order is as you listed.

I hope to continue that tradition of the gunsmith as an artist. I just hope I have (and can learn) the skills. We have a 12gauge dent raiser in our project list that I have to do as part of my grade. Not as nice as yours, so check your PM's.

The Brownells set was recommended and I did buy it. Nice to get the discount from them as well.

We have a list of 29 required projects for this semester. Once we complete them, we have a list of about 45 optional projects we can tackle as well. Or any other tools we would like to make. I am slowly getting a little bit quicker on the lathe. But I am also trying to get my tools as good as possible and that does take extra time.

nice - now let's see something from a mill

Wooooo.....be careful.

Guns are dangerous !

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...m_noClue-1.gif

Too bad you didn't see this.....GunBroker.com Message Forums - MVP/Lathe Pics added/56k warning

This thread is what started it GunBroker.com Message Forums - Lathe question

Lathe when to a GB forum member for free with other tools.

You were a little too far away. I'm still doing some cleaning and if I find anything you could use I'll PM you.

SxS ( That's Side by Side or double barrel for those that don't know)

PS , nice work.

Thanks, I think there is still a lot of room for improvement. But I suspect it will come in time.

Do not have any space for large tools right now (2 bedroom apartment which is cramped as we moved from an effective 3600 sq ft of living space) but anything else would be appreciated. If needed I could pick it up around Christmas as I should be in the Columbus area then.

Was this done on a manual lathe or CNC? Been so long since I've turned a lathe...

I too used to think that knurling was the bees knees, until I did my first rotary broach:

Rotary Broaching Tool Holder Demonstration | Slater Tools, Your Source for Rotary Broaching and Screw Machine Tools

(Knurling is still pretty awesome, though)

Mericet, nice work. Next time though, work on leading out those screw threads at the end. Makes for a stronger thread. ;)

That broaching tool looks awesome! I need to purchase a boring bar so that I can do the threads as Jim suggested. Makes it a lot more difficult to mess something up, especially when working with expensive barrels. Our school shop only has one CNC mill (and thanks to Brownells for the donation). All the lathes and the rest of the mills are manual with digital readouts. Getting through all the required lathe projects before doing the milling projects.

Some more pictures:
Completed Mauser bolt mandrels. One is longer to act as a heat sink when forging.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-b...20mandrel2.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s...20mandrel3.JPG

Started making inletting draw screws for Mauser, Rem 700 and Win 70. One short and long for each with the only difference the the thread at the end.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-C...520screws1.JPG

I think I am also getting better with the macro lens attachment for my camera.

Excellent work!