Boring Job

[RobertS]

This has been a very interesting topic to follow and thank you for sharing it with the rest of us.

[shortbarrel]

James good post. I can't get the pictures to come up. You are good on a computer, am doing something wrong. Would love to see the pictures. Have brought about eight wrought barrels back to life over the years with tools I made. Twisted and square and drills to bore bar stock, The last barrel I made was a 42 inch deeply swamped 60 cal. for a match lock smooth bore. It was swamped with large files and draw filed with 10 inch files. Hope you read this post and can help me get pictures Thanks Dick

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

I have re-installed the photos.  I don't know what happened to the original photos - gone to internet heaven?

Jim

[45-110]

Perhaps a cast iron flywheel would be more efficient.  However, it is most certainly not of the period.

Jim:
I just re watched The gunsmith of Williamsburg movie and see that their boring machine has a iron flywheel.
Been a few years since I have been back to the shop, wondering if they been convinced it is not period correct?
best
kw

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

As you have noted, that old movie from Colonial Williamsburg does show an early 20th century cast iron valve wheel on the boring machine.   However, the current boring machine uses a much larger wagon wheel complete with wood spokes and an iron rim.  It appears to me that the current one may result in too high a level of momentum which may result in damage or breakage of the boring bit when the cutter gets jammed.  The current tool looks really nice, a work of art by itself.  They were correct in replacing the cast iron valve wheel machine with a more period correct machine.

Jim