Making my first gun related tool (pics added)

[handirifle]

I am slowly getting the hang of this little lathe.  I needed to make a tool to hold a metal cutting blade for my dremmel.  I want to use the blade/dremmel set-up to cut the tips off the Barnes TSX bullets to make them flat points for use in leverguns.

The problem is not having a tool able to properly hold the little cut-off blade.

The blade is circular, about 2 1/2" in dia with a .370 arbor hole.  I couldn't find anything suitable, already meade for use with the dremmel, so I decided to make my own.

I started with a 5/8" bolt cause that was what I had handy.  I then cut the bolt down to three steps, well four actually.  I started by cutting the head to make it concentric.  The head is about 3/8" deep and .450 in dia.  Then it steps down to the screw shank that is about .300 in dia (I didn't measure this yet) and 3/8" long.  From there is steps down to the shaft dia of .110".  This section goes into the chuck of the dremmel tool.

The fourth step is the step down section in the face of the head, that will accept the blade.  That part is not complete yet.  Once the dia is correct, I'll drill and tap the center of the head, down into the screw shank.  The screw will go through a flat washer that will apply pressure to the caw blaw keeping it in place.

I hope to finish it tomorrow and will take pics of it when complete.

[handirifle]

Well here is my first lathe project.

I took shots of it with the saw blade in place.  I could have made the shelf the blade sits on a couple .001" deeper, but it works.  The shaft that goes into the dremmel could have been slightly thicker as well, less prone to bending.  But hey, live and learn huh.








The cuts seem a bit rough, but I think the tools were a tad dull.  I got my bench grinder and stand, but haven't put it together yet.  I drilled and tapped a hole for an 8X32 screw.  The hole in the washer was too small so I stuck it in the lathe chuck, in the slots on the inside of the jaws, and used a drill to open the hole.  Worked slick.  The lathe stuff is fun!

Oh yea, the saw works great at cutting the copper bullets.

Where do you guys get the HSS for making tools?

[quickdtoo]

Nice work Handi!!

Tim

[handirifle]

Thanks Tim, Like I said, it's rough but it works!

[gunnut69]

I get several catalogs from machine shop supply houses. ENCO is the only one I remember just now but a Google search should find more.. The local machine shop also sells material and supplies.

[handirifle]

I can't FIND any local machine shops.  Every number I call has been disconnected.

[DDelle338]

  Try this place.
       www.onlinemetals.com

[bluebayou]

YOU THE MAN, Handirifle.

I dig it whenever someone makes their own.  I COULD do some things easier by paying someone or buying the part, but I wouldn't learn how it works.

Drives my wife nuts.

Have you looked at O-1 and O-2 steels?

[bluebayou]

I could ask my brother the Master Machinist if you like.  Got to love the USMC for giving him a trade even if he is laid off half of the year.  Will get back with you. 

[handirifle]

Have you looked at O-1 and O-2 steels?

English please? ?  what is 0-1 and 0-2?

Yea, I like making my own, someone else has usually made a better one but I like doing things the hard way.

[quickdtoo]

If 0-1, D-2 tool steel will work, smallparts.com has that.

Tim

http://www.smallparts.com/products/descriptions/cgdr_cgfs.cfm

http://www.smallparts.com/products/descriptions/rd2%2C%20sd2%2C%20fd2.cfm

[bluebayou]

They are "oil hardening" steels used to make tools.  They are cheaper than HSS probably.  They can then be heat treated by you at home seeing has you are a handy kind of guy.  Buy a toaster oven with a good thermostat.  I am dabbling in knife making right now, so it rang a bell with me.

Enco has some steel as gunnut mentioned.  Here is a link where a guy makes woodworking tools.  Worth a read, don't know if you could use the steels.

http://www.threeplanes.net/toolsteel.html

I will ask my bro some questions.

I am in Texas right now, but can send you some links when I get back to Oklahoma.  Steel is apparently pretty complicated subject. 

[bluebayou]

Brother says most tool steels will be the same (Chinese) from different vendors.

Recommends
http://grizzlyindustrial.com/
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRHM
http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/nnsrhm


Says grizzly would be good choice. 

Says at work they use:
http://www.crucibleservice.com/

Maybe it will help

[handirifle]

Tim and bluebayou

Thanks for the links and info.  Yes steel is a lot more complicated than I can aver hope to understand.   Found THAT out when I started hobby welding, that AFTER taking a college class on it.

I have some reading to do now.

I'm gonna try and make a few bullets tonight with my new tools
Learning curve or not this is still fun.

Tim
Did you get the lathe/mill unit you posted about?

[quickdtoo]

No, I couldn't justify the cost for the hobby things I'd do with it, even with it on sale before Christmas and the 15% discount, it would still cost over $500 just for the machine, then tooling on top of that. I've been getting along with my 10yr old drill press as a basic milling machine, bought a set of end mills and a mister from LittleMachineShop.com and it's working fine so far, bearings are still tight!! Next thing I'm getting is a 4" cross slide machinist's vice. 

Tim

[handirifle]

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Update!

OK I got some more 235 TSX's so I'm at it again.

Did several different profiles to see what actually worked in the gun and this is the one that cycled flawlessly every time.  Convienently, it's also the most difficult :cry: .

Here's a pic of a dummy loaded round.



This one also looks like it would perform the best in both ballistics and expansion.  Time will tell.

I'm having some issues (called learning curve) at times when I go a tad too fast, it would grab the bullet and stop the lathe, also putting a not so nice gouge in the side of the bullet, raising my heart rate, blood pressure and causing all sorts of frustration.

Keep in mind fast here is a realitive term.  to me, I'm crawling, but either doing something wrong or still too fast.

[quickdtoo]

Looks like it will work fine and I'm sure you'll expedite the process as you get more proficient and get the bugs worked out!

Tim

[handirifle]

Tim
Yea I hope so!  The little dremmel saw tool I made works fine, by the way.  I just cut the tip off with the saw and clean it up real quick on the lathe.