Ian got my Rice barrel

[B.Barker]

Ian got my A weight  barrel from Rice yesterday. I ordered mine the same time you were talking to them at the CLA show. They said four or five weeks but only took about three. I a happy camper. Ian have you decided when the rifle building class will start. Looking forward to it.
I wish the out side of the barrel was finnished a little nicer. The milling seems a little rough.

[Dennis Glazener]

I wish the out side of the barrel was finnished a little nicer. The milling seems a little rough.

That is surprising! One of the things that I thought so great about using the Rice barrels was the finish. Mine, even the gun maker line, have been excellent. I believe I would give them a call. That's not the quality I have received from Rice.

Now my buddy bought one of their straight barrels and it was full of tool marks and I thought that was strange! I hope this is something unusual and not the norm.
Dennis

[Blackpowder Barbie]

Some times I get barrels that have a few more machine lines than the batch before and then sometimes they are a little smoother.  Guess it depends on the age of the finishing bits.  Either way, they've never been anything that would warrant a call from me.  The barrels need to be draw filed anyway so I wouldn't worry too much about the outside - it's the inside that really counts!!

[rdillon]

Barbie is right.  You will have to draw file it any way so don't worry about it.  It doesn't matter how pretty it is on the out side when you get it, by the time your done building its UGLY anyway.

As Barbie says,"The inside is that really counts counts"

[Karl Kunkel]

My first Rice barrel was so smooth it only needed minor sanding to remove the marks I put in building the rifle.  The second Rice barrel I received had tool marks you could feel with your finger nail.  Draw filing was simple, their steel works easily.

[Ky-Flinter]

My first Rice barrel was so smooth......  The second Rice barrel I received had tool marks you could feel with your finger nail.

I had the same experience, barrel looked like it was pin-striped.  In addition, the transition where the waist ends and the flare toward the muzzle starts was very visible, looked odd.  I didn't notice this until I got home.  Rice swapped it out for a new barrel.  It has the same tool marks and still has a noticeable transition, but less abrupt than the one I turned in.  I had a hard time finding the transition point on the very first barrel I got from them.... very smooth.   I wonder if this is due to increased production demands causing work to be hurried up?

With all that said, I still like Rice barrels, they shoot great and Rice's level of customer service is tops....  and, as said before, you usually have to draw file them some anyway.

-Ron

[rich pierce]

sometimes a cutter or machine just gets worn etc.  machinist can get new tools and charge more or keep on keeping on.

[Don Getz]

I think Rice uses a Planer to take the metal off.   We used a milling machine.   I don't know that one method is better than the other.     Someone made the statement that the change at the end of the small part, where it flaired at the muzzle was abrupt, but you got a second one and it was slightly better.   While I have never seen their machine, I think
the cutter basically follows a pattern that they have in a fixture on the mill.   If they have a pattern in the mill to do lets's
say for the 38" series of barrels, all of the different weights of barrels in this series would have the same profile on the outside, they would merely raise that planer cutter to make the larger series of barrels, or lower it make the A and B series of barrels....simple.   Now get out that file and draw file it, shouldn't take more than a half hour........Don

[ironwolf]

  You guys are whiners .  Get out those tools and get 'er done just like ole' Don said.  It's a skill all builders need to know anyway.  And remember to hold that file handle in your left hand if you're pulling.

 no charge, KW

[Dennis Glazener]

It's a skill all builders need to know anyway.  And remember to hold that file handle in your left hand if you're pulling.

I am self taught and have draw filed many barrels and I always have held the handle in my right hand and pulled the file toward me. May not be the right way but it sure works for me.
Dennis

[Don Getz]

Dennis.......what was your name before you changed it?   To "draw" file, you must hold the handle in your left hand,.....if
you hold the handle in your right hand, you are pulling against the back side of the file.   Single cut files are made to cut in
only one direction.  You can hold the handle in your right hand, but, you must "push" the file to make it cut..........Don

[Robert Wolfe]

I have to admit, being ignorant I have always "push filed"! I guess I'll have to try "draw filing". It is called draw filing after all......

[Dennis Glazener]

Dennis.......what was your name before you changed it?   To "draw" file, you must hold the handle in your left hand,.....if
you hold the handle in your right hand, you are pulling against the back side of the file.   Single cut files are made to cut in
only one direction.  You can hold the handle in your right hand, but, you must "push" the file to make it cut..........Don

Boy am I embarrassed! I had to go into the shop and get a file to check how I held the file and Don is right, I would have sworn I held the tang (I don't have a handle on the file I use to draw file) in my right hand but you are right its in my left hand. I guess I was thinking about one of those left hand files Sorry!
Dennis

[C Wallingford]

I guess I push file. I have always held the handle/tang in my right hand and pushed the file away from me. Pulling the file toward me feels awkward. Seems that I get the same result.

[flintman-tx]

Well, I'LL BE!! After all these years I learn something! Guess I am a slow learner. Thanks, DON!!!

[ironwolf]

  You're welcome.

   Kevin

[Don Getz]

Don't feel too bad.   When we bought the Paris barrel business, they instructed us in how to run the machines , and draw
file barrels.    At the time I didn't give it much thought, but, after trying to do it with the tang in my right hand, they soon
corrected me...........Don

[rdillon]

Don't feel too bad.   When we bought the Paris barrel business, they instructed us in how to run the machines , and draw
file barrels.    At the time I didn't give it much thought, but, after trying to do it with the tang in my right hand, they soon
corrected me...........Don

So, I'm left handed, and I stand on the other side of the bench, do I still use my left hand or can I use my right hand??

I'm confused now

[Blacksmoke]

Rich:  I guess it all depends on whether you want to "push" or "pull" when you "draw" file!   Personally I do both when I am draw filing.  As my old pappy used to say:  "a change is as good as a rest".  So I will change from "push" to "pull" and back again just to relieve the monotony and make it easier on my arms.  That's the way I do it,    Hugh

[billd]

Push, pull, left, right......is everyone using the same style file?  Some cut both ways.

Bill

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Well,

I use this draw file from Brownell's,,..I did a barrel yesterday..I got the blister to prove it..Pulls one way ..turn it around and push it..

[B.Barker]

I wasn't whinning about the finnish of the barrel just commenting. I had read how smooth there finnish was inside and out and was surprised to see the rough finnish.