Hi ,guys , can you help ?
Ive always admired the fine screw slots of quality firearms.I have a couple of rifles which would be enhanced by thin slots in the screws.
But.. what is the best way to do this if you are a home handyman type gunsmith as I am .
I know you can get files from Brownells but they are expensive and , apparently , they bend and break easily ...and I suspect I will break a file in the first five minutes.
I saw a fellow on Youtube , I think , who used a milling machine and what I believe is a slot cutter but I dont really want to get a milling machine just to slot a dozen or so screws.
Might a Dremel type tool with a slot cutter be a good idea. ?
How do the pro s do it ?
Thanks

I don't know for sure how the pros do it, but one way that I have done it that is within the reach of most home craftsman is to use a drill press.

I have an X-Y axis positioning vise for my drill press. I clamp the screw in the vise jaws, and put a dremel mandrel with a cutoff disk in the drill chuck. Position the quill with the cutter on centerline of the screw, and lock it in place. Use the XY motion of the vise to move the screw across the cutter slowly. You can cut full depth at one cut slowly, or make multiple passes at a faster feed. You will need to make a cleanup cut or two to get the depth uniform, as the damascus cutoff disk wears quickly.

Makes a beautiful cut, as good as a slitting saw on the mill, just slower. I have a mill, and still do it this way. It works, so I've never invested in the cutters to do it on the mill.

Below I've attached a picture of using this method to slot a hammer for a fly for a set trigger on a single shot rolling block.

dave

I've been using a Jewelers Saw for many years.
About as low tech and inexpensive as you can get.

Blades are available in many different thicknesses and cuts.

Put that slot right where you want it and as deep as you want it with nothing more than the saw with the screw held in the vise.

I've used a screw slot file and the side of a vee block as a guide with fair results.

I don't know that the result would be as narrow as you're looking for.

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quote:

Originally posted by ssdave:
I don't know for sure how the pros do it, but one way that I have done it that is within the reach of most home craftsman is to use a drill press.

-nice

I use a drill press with a 90 degree angle plate that has three slots(3x3 inches)and a small chuck that i put threaded rod thru and nuts on both sides. I then clamp a straight edge to center of the plate on the press and use a slotting saw the thickness of the slot I want. To get the depth I use pin gauges between the angle plate and the straight edge. turn on the press and reomve the pin gauge an cut merrily away

A screw slot guide is available from Brownells....get the little hacksaw and you make perfect slots

Thank you all so much ...some great ideas here .
I now know the options available to me so I will do my research about costs and availability.
Thanks , guys.

I stone the kerf off a fine cut hacksaw blade so the teeth are the same width as the blade.
This blade only gets used for screw slots.

If you have a milling machine, you can buy a slitting saw most any size to fit your needs. It is a simple matter to set it up correctly.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Kobe:
If you have a milling machine, you can buy a slitting saw most any size to fit your needs. It is a simple matter to set it up correctly.

Jim

+1
Thats what I use.