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General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: Rasch Chronicles on January 29, 2011, 06:49:24 PM

Title: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Rasch Chronicles on January 29, 2011, 06:49:24 PM
Well hello again!

So now that the fiine, upstanding gentlemen smiths of the forum have taken the time to expostulate on the best emporiums where one might find files, the second half of the costs involved with building up a rifle are now exposed!

Actually, many of the tools are once in a lifetime purchases, like marking gauges and chisels. Some can be made at home; scrapers and jigs come to mind. Others are expendable,with a limited lifespan, like drills and files.

I am fortunate in that I have accumulated a substantial number of tools over the years. But there are many that I still need, and files are certainly an area I am somewhat deficient in.

What tools do you all find indispensible for gun making?

Again, I appreciate everyones help!

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™ (http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/)
The Best Turkey Hunting Tips! (http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-nine-turkey-hunting-tips.html)
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Blacksmoke on January 29, 2011, 07:12:45 PM
A good set of files and a good hacksaw! ;D  Made in the good old USA! not in the farway place that begins with the letter "C"!  ;) The hacksaw blades will be in a variety of tooth numbers per inch.  The files will, also , be a variety from double cut course to single cut fine all the way down to small needle files.  I've recently found a brand of files made in" Portugal" - the name is" Bahco".   These are excellent files and  not too pricey.   Hugh Toenjes    P. S.  They also make hacksaw blades!  Good stuff!  ;)
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Paddlefoot on January 29, 2011, 07:44:57 PM
Might be too basic but a good bench with proper vises and lighting helped my work more than most tools.
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: 38_Cal on January 29, 2011, 08:24:05 PM
Most important tool in my shop is my library.  Don't matter how smart you are, you can't know it all!  But if you can remember where the information is, you're three steps ahead of the herd.  Second would be a very solid workbench with a good swivel vise.  Next, lighting.  If you can't see, you can't work.  After that it's up to your skills, desires & budget.

David
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: P.W.Berkuta on January 29, 2011, 08:29:14 PM
I agree -- this is the BEST tool you can have --- along with planes, spokeshaves, sharpening stones, X-Acto, I like a "Yankee Drill" also -- and good eyes don't hurt  :D!

Quote from: Paddlefoot on January 29, 2011, 07:44:57 PM
Might be too basic but a good bench with proper vises and lighting helped my work more than most tools.
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: ERH on January 29, 2011, 09:03:24 PM
good sharp chisels are worth the money. I like Swiss that just my preference
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Scott Semmel on January 29, 2011, 10:30:25 PM
Things I would dearly miss: cross travel vise and drill press, digital caliper, large diamond sharpening stones, Starret rule type depth gage( It is just so darn well made), 49&50 rasps, Stockmakers vise(just not into the versa and or parrot vise tried em, like stockmakers better) ,spoke shave.
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Rasch Chronicles on January 29, 2011, 11:06:31 PM
I'm a firm believer in getting the best tool you can afford! They will always outlast the cheap stuff. I would by Japanese chisels 'cept they ain't American!

Here's the bench I am building at home to replace the triple stack of 3/4 inch plywood on old kitchen cabinets I've been useing.

(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_UyiffDFtfIU%2FTURuXkAMFYI%2FAAAAAAAADPo%2Fnqa6LMBBF1c%2Fs320%2FRoubo.jpg&hash=e1083c5087dd51d8fb74918c0f0a6005c21bea0c)

It's called a Roubo, and the top is Southern Yellow Pine as are the legs and stretchers. I would have built it out of Hard Rock Maple, but the price becomes astronomical! The top is a full six inches thick, and will weigh about 220 lbs, and you can see that the legs are 6 inches square. It's meant to be solid and stable while you work.

One thing you can't tell is that it is pretty low compared to most work benches. Since it is primarily designed as a woodworking bench, it only reaches up to your knuckles. Stand up real quick and see where that is on you. It's actually pretty low. But for planing sawing, and assembly it is just right.

For gunmaking though maybe not so much! So that's a part I will have to really consider before I finalize my plans. I like the overall design, it is just the height I have to decide upon.

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™ (http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/)
A Chronicles’ Project: How to Smoke Fish! (http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-smoke-fish-two-methods.html)
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: okieboy on January 29, 2011, 11:29:56 PM
 As a "Tool Man", it is hard to say that you would have this and do without that. A good bench is great, my first gun was built on a dining table. Because of my machine shop background, it is hard to imagine not having a good pair of calipers. Mallets of different weights for different work are important to me and as you can build as good or better than you can buy, they are not expensive and a pleasant project on their own. No one has mentioned a calculator, which is kept handy and often used in my shop. It is generally good advise to buy what is required to accomplish the work that you are doing, rather than buy something on speculation. As time and money permit, you find yourself upgrading certain tools in conjunction with developing skills and techniques. Its funny, but I only recently acquired my first set of gunsmith screwdrivers; now I can't figure out why I waited for them.
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Paddlefoot on January 30, 2011, 02:10:41 AM
It's called a Roubo, and the top is Southern Yellow Pine as are the legs and stretchers. I would have built it out of Hard Rock Maple, but the price becomes astronomical! The top is a full six inches thick, and will weigh about 220 lbs, and you can see that the legs are 6 inches square. It's meant to be solid and stable while you work.

One thing you can't tell is that it is pretty low compared to most work benches. Since it is primarily designed as a woodworking bench, it only reaches up to your knuckles. Stand up real quick and see where that is on you. It's actually pretty low. But for planing sawing, and assembly it is just right.
I'm building one of the also. Made mine out of maple plywood and a 3" butcher block maple top. I have the legs set up to have a coaster or a lift block go under them if I want it higher or need to move it. It will have jack points on the leg strechers so you can lift it with a car jack. From the "Workbenches " book by Christopher Schwarz.  The vises will be a bit different but I think it will be a bench for all seasons. Schwarz calls it his 450 lb. clamp.
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: A.Merrill on January 30, 2011, 03:22:23 AM
    The one tool you will find in everybodies shop, Inletting Black, either store bought or home made. Does not matter how sharp your tools are if you don't know what to cut. ::) ??? And it is the tool I dislike the most, once its on something its on everything. >:(    AL
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Blacksmoke on January 31, 2011, 01:21:00 AM
Albert:  This is not a criticism just an observation - the nice looking bench that you are making seems fairly low from the photos.  When I designed and built my latest shop, I built most of my benches several inches above waist high.  This eliminates the pain in the back when standing at the bench. I have one work area that is table height for working on things that you want to up and over the top of.  Something more to ponder!? ;)   Hugh Toenjes
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi117.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fo77%2FBlacksmoke_2007%2FMyshop07.jpg&hash=e1dddda890a27bf15f991e0899c46cbb5452d28f)
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi117.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fo77%2FBlacksmoke_2007%2FMyshop01.jpg&hash=10a43ac93d0f79c5f5f7b5e800a73f7a528a0e4a)
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Paddlefoot on January 31, 2011, 01:44:27 AM
Now that is a shop. Very nice.
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Dave B on January 31, 2011, 02:05:39 AM
Hey, How do I get one of those? I don't suppose your single and don't have any kids at home ;D

That is just way too clean for me to be comfortable.  I think it looks like your expecting company and the whole team went to work to scrub the decks.

I am experiencing shop envy
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: David Rase on January 31, 2011, 02:23:48 AM
I do like the way the desk lamps are mounted.  Other then that, I will take my new shop.
DMR
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Roger Fisher on January 31, 2011, 03:00:53 AM
Quote from: Paddlefoot on January 31, 2011, 01:44:27 AM
Now that is a shop. Very nice.
I'm wondering how in the world he can possibly lose anything in that shop ::) ;D
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: bama on January 31, 2011, 03:09:44 AM
Hugh that is a nice shop, do you ever do any work in there? ;D Just  kidding I know you do, mine looked that clean once. ::) I could not do without a good bench and vice but there are so many tools required that it is hard to say just one or two. I will say over the years I have narrowed my tools down to the set of tools that I think are a minimum required to build a rifle. Most of these fit into one good tool box, not all but most.
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Blacksmoke on January 31, 2011, 03:37:57 AM
Guys:  The photos of my shop were staged ;D  It had never looked like that before nor since!  I was expecting a new "understudy" at the time and thought I should take some photos before the shop gets messy again!      Hugh Toenjes
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: A.Merrill on January 31, 2011, 04:23:02 AM
    I have a friend that has a flatbed it will fit on when your done with the shop ;D ;D  Very nice shop. Understudy, Oh you mean somebody to keep your shop clean ;D  Thanks for the pic's.    AL
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Paddlefoot on January 31, 2011, 06:59:04 AM
I like the row of moulding planes up near the ceiling. I would not do as my shop though. I have to have at least 50 lbs. in a 10lb. bag before I start feeling at home. Too much open space on the walls.
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: DutchGramps on January 31, 2011, 10:17:46 AM
When wall space is at a premium, use the hinged panel system:
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi225.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd242%2FGrampsHans%2FWorkshop%2FToolboard1.jpg&hash=660f928dc08a6d3d2ce7f483e8162bfcca6a55f9)

It will triple your space to store files and other tools!

(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi225.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd242%2FGrampsHans%2FWorkshop%2FToolboard5.jpg&hash=2ca6d3b36a82fd9b4a340547911c48a5797273c6)
Title: Re: Tooling up! or... You spent HOW much!
Post by: Rasch Chronicles on February 01, 2011, 05:18:29 AM
I caught the molding planes on Black Smok's wall too! I knew right then and there we were dealing with an artisan! LOL! And Gramps has his worked out pretty nicely too!

I think it looks greta and the long window let's in lots of light. I got to thinking that I really have to hunker down and work some magic on the old one car garage space I have. My two biggest concerns are the bench and lighting. For that I'll cobble up a bench with what I have, and temporarily clamp lighting to different spots until I get it right and see how it works out .

Thanks for sharing all your ideas fellows!

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™ (http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/)
The Best Turkey Hunting Tips! (http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-nine-turkey-hunting-tips.html)