Well this is the first of the tooling threads on accurate reloading. I figure I will start the first one and perhaps as we go along others will come up with a tooling problems or a problem part that we can all talk about and find a solution.
Most machine tools that a gunsmith buys is a lathe, perhaps it the only machine tool. With it you can make screws, turn barrel contours, thread and chamber for action rebarreling. If you bought a lathe with a milling attachment this opens up more possibilities.
When I was a student back at Trinidad State College, when I was turning a tapered round barrel was the transition section between the tapered barrel and the cylinder section of the barrel. The instructors said to use a file and a radius gage and hand file the contour. In my mind’s eye that was never good enough or perfect enough. I was going through a tooling catalog one day and saw a carriage mounted tool that was used to cut both concaved and convex radii. Now this tool would cut either 180 degree internal or external radius. The section of barrel I needed to turn was less than 90 degrees more like 45 degrees. But I got enough of an idea to design and make a tool that would work and fit my lathe. It was hand operated so I could control the speed of the cut by having the lever rest on my side and control the cutter speed by shifting my body weight. It worked out well. Now you, more than likely have a different band of lathe and you might have to adjust the thickness of the steel plates to get the tip of the cutter just under the centerline of the part. Or you might grind the cutters edge so it cuts well.
The cutter holder pivots around a grounded shoulder bolt. You can add additional reamed holes the cutter holder to increase or decrease the size of the radius. You can also move the cutter in or out of its slot to change the size of the radius. Here are some photos:

The first photo is the tool mounted on the carriage with the tail stock moved out of the way. The small photo is the tool laying on the work bench. The third photo is the tool cutting the transition for a ½ round barrel. If you put a radius on end on the of a ½ round flat, the flat will have a radius on the end.
Now I don’t care if you have any machine experience and there are NO stupid questions. If you don’t understand what going on please tell me so. This thread is all about raising the gunmaking art. Whether you’re a professional gunsmith or a home hobbyist you are welcome to join us here on this thread.
<a href="http://s1096.photobucket.com/albums/g325/octbarrel/Gunsmithing%20Tools/?action=view&current=Barrelcontourradiusfixture-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g325/octbarrel/Gunsmithing%20Tools/Barrelcontourradiusfixture-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Radius on bench"></a>
<a href="http://s1096.photobucket.com/albums/g325/octbarrel/Gunsmithing%20Tools/?action=view&current=Contourradiusmountedtool.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g325/octbarrel/Gunsmithing%20Tools/Contourradiusmountedtool.jpg" border="0" alt="Radius cutter cutting taper to cylinder"></a><a href="http://s1096.photobucket.com/albums/g325/octbarrel/Gunsmithing%20Tools/?action=view&current=Contourradiustoolforhalf-roundbarrel.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g325/octbarrel/Gunsmithing%20Tools/Contourradiustoolforhalf-roundbarrel.jpg" border="0" alt="Radius cutter/ 1/2 round octago"></a><a href="http://s1096.photobucket.com/albums/g325/octbarrel/Gunsmithing%20Tools/?action=view&current=Halfroundbarrelturningcuttingcontourradius.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g325/octbarrel/Gunsmithing%20Tools/Halfroundbarrelturningcuttingcontourradius.jpg" border="0" alt="1/2 round contour radius"></a>

OK, it's been several years since I posted a photo here..... Help!

Here you go
http://forums.accuratereloadin...22101325/m/951100671

In a shop I used to work at we built a radius cutter pretty much the same as you mention with one exception. we attached a screw thread to the lever and installed a pivot point of to one side with a small hand wheel. This allowed you to feed the cutter into the part just like you would feed the cross slide.

Now for those with more money then time there is a simple tool but rather expensive even on ebay and that is a tool post mounted radii cutter. they cut a large range of radii and are very handy. They are also a little time consuming to set up.

My first project in trade school was a ball peen hammer all cut on the lathe with a radius cuter. no form tools used.

Photos will come some time tomorrow...

I'm sorry, I have no idea on how to get the photos posted. I read the instruction and nothing works. I guess I'm a computer failure.......

on photo bucket, click on the image.. on the right side, click "direct link" this puts it in your clipboard

in your message, click the image icon, then PASTE the link in ..

or, "quote" this message, cut from the first img and to the last /img section

Wow Nice ! where can this be purchased ? or prints to make ! Thanks for the great pictures !
concho

I may moke this in a size B toolholder!

Mark
Your lathe is way to clean !!!

Thanks Jeff for solving the photo issue, I would also like to thank all of those who gave me advice along the way.

I made this for my lathe ! Look it's not clean which means I use it often !

A good machine shop usually has issues. I'm the only one who works in mine so I usually know where I left a tool. When several people are working in the shop that's when thing need to be put back in there place.

One quick note, in the third photo from the top, I'm machining a 1/2 round barrel. I'm turning the front round first. I will mill the octagon next. But before I cut the octagon I want to create the tranision between the two. If you want to have the end of the octagon flats to have a radius that's what I'm doing in the photo. I have almost no taper in the octagon and all of the taper is in the round part of the barrel. Now before you start cutting the octagon, polish the radius of the contour. It's almost impossible after the octagon is cut. You want sharp lines on both the octagon and the radius of the round barrel. It easier to draw file and polish the flats of the octagon after the round section of the barrel is done.

Mark I asked above where to buy your device or get a print to make one ?

Conho,
that looks like a frejoth 13x36 gap bed... several names .. mine is a frejoth 13x36 (might be rated 37).. though many imports look alike .. though it really looks like mine ...

varispeed gear head, d1-4 .. nice taper setup

Concho
Pretty cool taper attachment. Is that a 20 horse motor on that lathe or are you running single phase?
Nothing wrong with a clean shop. I think my most important tools are my tool boxes. If you put it back where it goes you know where to find it.
I have made similiar radius cutter. Not as nice as yours though.
Picked up a Holdridge 12 for 20 bucks at an auction a few years ago, but have never used it. A lot more set up than your system.

oh, yeah.. mine is a 2HP 110 .. and i too had to replace the cap.. and relays

Concho,

My book has all mthe drawnings for all my tools, plus a CD that has 209 digital photos. It can be had at:

Mark Stratton Gunmaker
PO Box 91
Marysville, Washington 98270

Or with a credit card:

Call 360-657-7141

The cost is $80 plus $10 shipping.

Thanks for asking...

Doesn't Concho have a great tapering attachment on his lathe. I haven't seen one built like that before. Nice tool..

Thanks fellows My lathe is a 12X36 gear head , I designed the taper attachment the top rod is tytanium , Probably spelled wrong ? and the rest is aluminum , Thanks for the info Mark and the praise !

If we're going to have some great threads like this, should we see about a separate section/sub-section? We have so many little sections already, it would make sense to me, versus having to search them out all the time. Machining/Fixtures maybe?

Red

Good idea

You have my vote !

I hate having to work on a machine that the previous operator was too lazy to clean. Artisans that keep the machine clean usually care tremendously about their parts too! I like working in shops where machines are taken care of. Your lathe being clean is a BIG PLUS in my book!

Andy

I think having a place where we can talk about machines, cutters,setups and the general health of the gunsmithing and gunbuilding state of affairs would be a help to everyone. When I taught summer classes at Trinidad the average age of the student was about 50. Im 59 and a youngster in the GUNMAKERS GUILD. I would like to see the trade pass from generation to generation, I'm not sure that happening now.

Mark I dont remember a cd being in the older editions, If so I dont recall haveing one...can one be purchased?

Your book should have had a CD, If I missed adding it to your book,let me know and I will send you one for free.

Mark PM sent...and thanks for doing these threads. The book is a good one and maybe we can figure (come up with) other ways to skin the cat!

No Problem, I will get one in the mail, free of charge. I have your address...Mark

ttt for future reference.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark_Stratton:
Concho,

My book has all mthe drawnings for all my tools, plus a CD that has 209 digital photos. It can be had at:

Mark Stratton Gunmaker
PO Box 91
Marysville, Washington 98270

Or with a credit card:

Call 360-657-7141

The cost is $80 plus $10 shipping.

Thanks for asking...

By chance are there any plans/drawings for a taper attachment? Would love to have one on my 12x36 Grizzly.

Sorry, there isn't a taper attachment drawning, but if you look at the attachment that concho42 made a few replies back. I think that would work on your lathe.