Round barrel finishing

[Chris in SE PA]

I understand,  and have successfully draw filed an octagonal barrel.  I'm now going to build a pistol with a round barrel.  I'm wondering if anyone has any helpful ideas and suggestions for smoothing out a round barrel.  It has minor turning marks on the round portion.  I'll be draw filing the octagonal portion.

[Goo]

Let`s see how well I can describe my method;  You will need two fine grain finishing stones(falcon tool) and some epoxy and two pieces of wood about 1/4 to 1/2 thick ,2 1/2" x 6" .  Bond the 2 1/2" x 6" pieces into an angle by gluing two thin pieces of wood together along the long edge.  I don`t know the exact sizes here but what is important is to to make the angle long enough and wide enough to accommodate the finishing stones without over or under doing it.  Epoxy the stones longways to the inside surface of the angle so that the the centers kind of line up along the center of the barrel.  what you have is basically a fixture that will make contact on two points of the round barrel. As you work the fixture along the length of the barrel the stones will begin to take a concave shape. The stones work better than sandpaper and faster than filing. Use oil or water according to the type of stone you have.
If you have the means you could pre shape the stones for more surface contact in the beginning.       

[Dphariss]

I understand,  and have successfully draw filed an octagonal barrel.  I'm now going to build a pistol with a round barrel.  I'm wondering if anyone has any helpful ideas and suggestions for smoothing out a round barrel.  It has minor turning marks on the round portion.  I'll be draw filing the octagonal portion.

Get some wet or dry paper 180,220 and maybe 320 grit. Get a roll of heavy dict tape. With a sharp cornered straight edge as a guide and “cutter” tear a strip of 180 etc to march the width of the tape stick the tape to the back of the paper and use like an old time shoe shine boy used his buffing cloth. Just be sure the paper covers all the adhesive on the tape, a little over hang is OK. 

[David Rase]

I draw file the round section just like I do the octagon flats, only I use lighter pressure.  I rust brown after filing.  The browning solution will etch everything smooth after a couple of applications.
David

[rich pierce]

I draw file the round section just like I do the octagon flats, only I use lighter pressure.  I rust brown after filing.  The browning solution will etch everything smooth after a couple of applications.
David

Same for me.

[Mike Brooks]

I draw file the round section just like I do the octagon flats, only I use lighter pressure.  I rust brown after filing.  The browning solution will etch everything smooth after a couple of applications.
David

Same for me.

Me too. I don't have time for a lot  of tedious  finishing

[James Rogers]

Jim Kibler has a pretty interesting write-up on his method here....
https://www.jimkibler.net/blog/barrel-finishing

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I use a much smaller file to drawfile a round barrel than an octagonal one.  When I'm satisfied I have all of the machining marks off the round barrel, I use abrasive cloth in 180, 220, 320 grit backed by a pine block that has been prepared to fit over the round barrel...cut a rough trough in a block of pine and then put sand paper upsidedown on the barrel, and slide the wood over the paper to make it the same profile as the barrel.  Always go lengthwise on the round barrel, or the octagonal part for that matter.  For a matte brown, 180 or 220 grit is lots, but for a polished smooth look, I take the barrel to 400 grit.   Probably overkill.