A First!

[Mark Elliott]

 I just breeched my first wrought iron barrel from scratch.  Of course,  it is only 2" long and I breeched both ends.   LOL..... Actually,  it intended to hold pre-fitted breech plugs while I forge out the tang.   However,  I figured I would use it as practice in breeching a wrought iron barrel with hand tools.    I used a 2" section of 1 1/4" wrought iron bar stock.   I faced both ends in the lathe and bored a 50 cal    hole through it.   I then used a hand drill,  twist drill bits, and carbon taps (plug and bottom) to drill and tap one end for 3/4 - 16 and the the other end for 5/8 - 18.   I used to opportunity to grind my bottom taps to run the threads all the way to the shoulder.   The result was better than I expected.   All in all,  it was a very productive 2 hours.  I am now confident I can properly breech a hand forged barrel when I get it made.    I just need to forge it, ream it, and rifle it. 





By the way,  if you missed my birthday last month.   I would really like a decent metal lathe.   The little 7"x12" that I have really wasn't made for heavy work. 

[Acer Saccharum]

Happy Birthday, Mark!

Get a lathe with a 1 3/8 spindle hole, minimum 10"swing. You don't need much distance between centers when the spindle has a decent thru-hole.

I have a brute of a lathe, 10" swing, with only 20" between centers. The key is the spindle hole, where a barrel can be loaded into the lathe thru the spindle hole, and set 1/2 beyond a 4 jaw chuck. Steady up the free end of the barrel with some long tapered pine wedges, or make yourself a centering collar to steady the barrel with.

[bob in the woods]

That 1 1/4 inch wrought iron bar looks just like the one I got from Brad Emig a couple of years ago. It has supplied the wrought iron for a lot of parts so far.   How was it to bore ? 

[Mark Elliott]

I got that bar also from Brad Emig.  I bought 12 feet of it.   I was horrible to bore.    I kept hitting slag inclusions that would leave a rough surface.   It was just like drilling southern yellow  pine.   There were soft spots and hard spots and the bit didn't necessarily want to go straight.   

Tom,  Maybe one of these days I can afford a decent lathe.  Grizzly has a couple of nice lathes made just for gunsmiths that cost about $5000 new.    I got my little lathe from Grizzly for about $600.     I don't see much use for a mill, but I would find a good lathe really usefull.    I do have a really good wood lathe that I use for horn work, pens, tools and such.

[Captchee]

 Congrad’s Mark on the breeching .
 Im with you on the lathe.  Like you have both the lathe and the vertical mill.
 I made a  extension  on the lathe so I could move the center out to 15 .
I agree with Acer a larger through hole would be nice .  But I have managed to turn a couple pistol barrels on it . I also have an issue of trying to do to large of items and often push both the mill and lathe to do way more then they were intended to do . As such , The Little machine shop has become   my friend

I actually use  the mill more then the lathe and have gotten to where I cut my dove tails on it ,  rough out my sights on it . I have even cut barrel channels for a few pistols and a couple ½ stock rifles on it .
 But like you , I long for something bigger . Which in reality will probably find me wanting something even bigger LOL , it just never ends

Again though congrads on your breeching . Im I correct in understanding you used you period taps  and such ?

[Mark Elliott]

I used modern plain carbon taps with the bottom taps reground.   Although, there is little difference between modern hand taps and 18th or 19th century taps.     I did use twist drills.  I think that 18th or 19th century metal drills might be cleaner.   I will have to made two and try it.