Author Topic: Barrel channel tools  (Read 10737 times)

Uncle Alvah

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Barrel channel tools
« on: July 29, 2010, 07:10:40 PM »
Hello!

To get right to the rat killin', I am planning my first longrifle build. It will be a .36 caliber flintlock, swamped barrel.

What specific tools do I need to get, either by purchasing or fabricating, in order to do this job nicely, and as easily, as possible?

At the moment, I have a complete set of good, sharp, straight chisels, but thats about it.

Thanks!

BrownBear

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2010, 07:30:57 PM »
Lots of folks make their own, but I'm not a tool maker.  Instead I use these.  The advantage for me over homemade is the multiple cutter blades in one tool.  I just get smoother results than with any homemade tool I've had the opportunity to try.

Offline Rolf

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2010, 07:37:05 PM »
Brown Bear, can you do swamped barrels with that tool?

Best regards
Rolfkt

Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2010, 07:57:21 PM »
I inlet a barrel by hand in about a week. I mill a rough channel with my mill, but you can use a router. Then it's inlet black and chisels. Ugh.

There are some tutorials on this topic, I believe. Or search. There are some pretty clever methods with bars screwed along the channel, etc.

I now send my barrels out to an inletter to put my barrels in for me. Mark Weader of Jack's Mtn Stocks, Fred Miller, Dave Rase, Dave Keck all do this service.
Tom Curran's web site : http://monstermachineshop.net
Ramrod scrapers are all sold out.

Offline sz

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2010, 08:57:02 PM »
I also highly recommend the Gun-Line tools.  Brownells doesn't carry all the sizes.  You need to contact Gun-Line directly for them all.
But you will never be unhappy with them.
Here are pics of what my barrel channels look like after the tool is used and before.  You can see the part that is roughed out, and the part that is finished.  Look carefully, because I am not a good photographer.



Uncle Alvah

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2010, 09:25:15 PM »
Quote
can you do swamped barrels with that tool?   


Good question, I was wondering that myself........ ???????

Michael

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2010, 09:46:57 PM »
I do swamped barrels with my set all the time.

BrownBear

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2010, 09:49:54 PM »
I do swamped barrels with my set all the time.

Good to know, because I haven't tried a swamp yet.  They're priceless for tapered barrels too!

Uncle Alvah

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2010, 10:25:08 PM »
Quote
  I do swamped barrels with my set all the time. 

Do you just select the next size down from the one that matches the barrel width, or use one considerably smaller or what???????????

Offline Bill of the 45th

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #9 on: July 30, 2010, 12:26:20 AM »
I send my stocks out to Fred Miller, or Dave Rase, that way I don't need any special tools, and the inlet, and ramrod hole are perfect.  I even let them keep the wood chips, and sawdust they make. ;D  Welcome to the ALR.

Bill

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Offline D. Taylor Sapergia

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #10 on: July 30, 2010, 01:08:25 AM »
I use the method that John Bivens described in his article in Rifle Magazine, in the last century.  It takes me less than eight hours to inlet a swamped barrel.
You need two lengths of 3/8" mild steel key stock with holes drilled along the outside edges some 3 1/2" apart...a little closer together in the waist of the swamp.  A handful of gyprock screws to attach the rails to the stock wood.  A piece of saw blade turned backwards and made into aback-saw with the set removed from one side.  A few chisels including two skews in opposite angles, 1" flat, 1/2" flat, 3/8" flat, and 5/16" flat, a big gouge - mine is 1/2".   I made a scraper out of a file to work on the 45 degree angled flats, and this I simply hold vertically, but a handled scraper would make it easier.  You need a Vernier's calipers for a depth gauge, and .... a tutorial is in order if there isn't one already on file.
After doing around 90 or these, I now pay David Rase a ridiculously low fee to inlet my barrels, and drill my rod holes.  His work is even better than mine...HA!
D. Taylor Sapergia
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Offline smallpatch

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #11 on: July 30, 2010, 01:43:20 AM »
Let's see.... Pay Dave R a few dollars plus shipping.  Get back a PERFECT barrel inlet and rod hole in a few days.

OR

Spend many many hours myself to end up with a pretty crappy barrel inlet, cuss at the wife, kick the dog, and say words that my pastor would never say???

I'll be sending him another one next week.
In His grip,

Dane

Offline Jim Filipski

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #12 on: July 30, 2010, 01:53:19 AM »
Unless your a purist / glutten for punishment have the guys mentioned drop the barrel in for you.
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of Providence is behind what is done with good heart."

Offline D. Taylor Sapergia

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #13 on: July 30, 2010, 02:42:02 AM »
i'll never do another myself.
D. Taylor Sapergia
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Art is not an object.  It is the excitement inspired by the object.

Offline John Archer

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #14 on: July 30, 2010, 03:52:14 AM »
Nor will I. I live close enough to deliver the wood to Dave Rase...fantastic work, ridiculously low price as Taylor says, and a joy to just poke around Dave's shop as he works.

Best,
John.
« Last Edit: July 30, 2010, 03:53:19 AM by John Archer »
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Offline Chris in Washington

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #15 on: July 30, 2010, 07:10:41 AM »
Dave Rase is the best and quickest way for me too.... just dropped off a curly Ash stock & Getz barrel Monday after work.  Should have it back in a few days... he said that he had one ahead of me.

Chris
Chris Statz

Offline DutchGramps

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #16 on: July 30, 2010, 11:50:34 AM »
Dave Rase is the best and quickest way for me too.... just dropped off a curly Ash stock & Getz barrel Monday after work.  Should have it back in a few days... he said that he had one ahead of me.

Chris

Oh, why don't I live near Dave, so I could stop struggling inletting that old, handmade twist steel swamped Jaeger barrel, maliciously grinning at me from the bench....
Real bikes are kick-started....

Scott Semmel

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #17 on: July 30, 2010, 02:16:15 PM »
Back to the bedding tool, Do You use a size down from the channel you are doing or the same size as the channel? Would buying one tool and then replacement blades in other sizes be a reasonable way to save a few bucks?

Offline Old Ford2

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #18 on: July 30, 2010, 02:59:32 PM »
Scott !
You should know by now, WE NEVER have enough tools or guns, so, why try to save a little.
That barrel channeling tool certainly looks great, "gotta git" me one.
Old Ford
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Let the Lord pick the good from the bad!

Offline Dphariss

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Re: Barrel channel tools
« Reply #19 on: July 30, 2010, 06:02:52 PM »
If you know how to harden and temper oil hardening steel buy some 1/2" x 3/32 or 1/16 O1 (oil hardening tool steel) flatstock from MSCdirect.com.
This will allow you to make anything you need.
 
The green and red ones are Jerry Fisher scrapers with various regrinds this is another option.

These are the ones I use most.


The long ones are O-1 drawn back to "straw"color. The will scrape wood or steel. These are stoned to a sharp square edge as are the Jerry Fisher scrapers. Sharpened in this way they will cut in held vertically or horizontally as pictured. They can be used to barrel channels and almost anything else needing a small scraper.


The small, thin  rectangular pieces are made from diesel after cooler vanes (I guess) and are shaped to the contour I want and used to shape/smooth the stock. A good scraper, properly contoured will do things a file will not.
These are squared and polished then a burnisher is used to put a burr edge on them as done on a cabinet scraper to do the actual cutting.

In inletting gouges are also very useful, smaller sizes 1/4-3/16-1/8. Not as important if using a precarve though. If all the inletting is done by machine some scrapers will finish the inletting.

Use a leather strop with some chrome polish to final polish chisels after stoning.

Lots of files or various cuts. Wood rasps other them cabinet/pattern makers rasps are too aggressive for stock work. I 12" 1/2 round bastard is a good choice for filing wood where stock has to be removed, if you can't get the pattern makers rasps (about $50 each).
Mill files will do a good job of smoothing wood.

Dan
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