When to draw file

[Nhgrants]

It would seem to me that the vertical sides of the barrel should be draw filed before in letting or
At least some of it should be done on those sides.  To me, draw filing after in letting would result
In a little more clearance between the stock and the sides of the barrel. Please let me.  I'm dealing
With a octagon to round so I won't have this issue the whole length.
Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks

[Mike Brooks]

You'll probably take off maybe .001 to .005 so it won't make any difference in the end,

[flehto]

I send the bbl  as rec'd from the bbl maker to the inletter who does that plus the RR grove and hole..... never had a problem w/ excessive "slop" between  the inlet and bbl.....draw filing takes place just before browning.....Fred

[David Rase]

Like Mike said,  only a few thousands is removed during drawfiling so it is a moot point and any metal removed will more than likely be compensated by the sealer you apply to the barrel channel.  Wood moves so much that draw filing the barrel prior to inletting is a moot point.  You can do it if you want but you will probably have to lightly re-drawfile the barrel prior to browning or bluing anyway to remove surface rust from handling during the build.
David

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I can add nothing but agreement.  Inlet the barrel, cut the tenons and sight dovetails, and drawfile when the build is complete.  There will be handling marks and bumps together with discolouration that you will need to remove prior to browning/bluing or antiquing the barrel anyway.  No sense at all in doing it twice.

[BJH]

If the barrel channel is too tight then I carefully scrape the sides. If just uncomfortablely snug I’ll draw file the barrel. Its a matter of judgement. However I finish draw file my barrels last after I am done sanding or scrappeing the stock immediately before stain and finish of the wood. It’s one of the last jobs I do before final disassembly for finishing. BJH

[Goo]

I have found finishing stones to cut faster and smoother than files

[Dennis Glazener]

I have found finishing stones to cut faster and smoother than files

Goo,
What type finishing stones do you use. Yesterday I was finishing a barrel for Browning. Had draw filed with a large Mill file. I tried 220 hard stone made by Gosswein (sp) but was not impressed. Then I tried oil impregnated 320 soft stone and it "may" work better than 320 wet/dry paper but I am still not sold on either of them. May need different type of finishing stones.

Dennis

[Goo]

I have found finishing stones to cut faster and smoother than files

Goo,
What type finishing stones do you use. Yesterday I was finishing a barrel for Browning. Had Crawford with a large Mill file. I tried 220 hard stone made by Gosswein (sp) but was not impressed. Then I tried oil impregnated 320 soft stone and it "may" work better than 320 wet/dry paper but I am still not sold on either of them. May need different type of finishing stones.

Dennis

Theres a company called Falcon tool they have different types os stones in different grits.   Some are hard some softer , the softer ones ive been using on round barrels they take the shape of the curve.

[Frank]

I haven't had to draw file a barrel in years until just recently. That was the barrel that was part of Jim Kiblers Colonial Rifle. On the rest i just used 320 grit sandpaper on them. Dozens of barrels,Rice, Colerain, Green Mountain, and Douglas. 320 paper cleaned them up real good. Finished them all with Laurel Mountain Forge Browning solution.

[Dennis Glazener]

All I can say is you have been getting better finished barrels than I have! Rice has the best finish but never had one I could go straight to 320 unless I was a glutton for punishment and had a big supply of 320 paper.
Dennis

[Mr. Bubbles]

A trick you can use that machinists often do in their early days of the trade is to take a piece of steel, measure it, and then give it 10 good strokes.  Now measure it again.  Repeat for up to 100 strokes, 200 etc..  That way you will know how much metal you are removing for X number of strokes, and let you do your work without having to stop and measure as often.

[David Rase]

I have never measured a barrel while draw filing.  I don't know what the purpose would be.  The reason I draw file is to remove machine marks left on the barrel and even up the finish, so it takes as many strokes as it takes.  You guys are getting too wrapped around the axle in all the minutia.  I don't ever recall any photos of the old gunsmiths standing over their bench with a micrometer measuring a barrel.
David 

[Mike Lyons]

I have never measured a barrel while draw filing.  I don't know what the purpose would be.  The reason I draw file is to remove machine marks left on the barrel and even up the finish, so it takes as many strokes as it takes.  You guys are getting too wrapped around the axle in all the minutia.  I don't ever recall any photos of the old gunsmiths standing over their bench with a micrometer measuring a barrel.
David

We used to put aircraft bearings in liquid nitrogen so they would drop right in place. If the barrel is a little big, you could always cryo it!!

[Bob Roller]

I have never measured a barrel while draw filing.  I don't know what the purpose would be.  The reason I draw file is to remove machine marks left on the barrel and even up the finish, so it takes as many strokes as it takes.  You guys are getting too wrapped around the axle in all the minutia.  I don't ever recall any photos of the old gunsmiths standing over their bench with a micrometer measuring a barrel.
David

We used to put aircraft bearings in liquid nitrogen so they would drop right in place. If the barrel is a little big, you could always cryo it!!

When I worked in another shop we made some very precise bearing fits for a machine
that pushed a quarter mile of heavy railroad and fit the bearings by heating them in hot oil
and then let them return to ambient air temp in the shop.There were only two of us that
liked that kind of work,Charlie Williams and me.A good machine and fine material and not
being rushed works every time.The shop owner said he was glad to have ONE man that
could do that work and TWO was almost unheard of.

Bob Roller