Larry B asked about the Bald Eagle Floating Holder in another post. Below photo is a Bald Eagle Holder I have modified by installing two longer handles to replace the single short handle (the black rod in the photo). The No. 3 Morse shank on the right has a ball radius projection that pushes against a handened button inside the holder body. Works sort of like the old tap wrench method where the tailstock center is used to push the reamer in the barrel. Some gents use the Bald Eagle holder by resting the original single handle on the compound rest.







Below is a Clymer holder. As it has a No. 2 Morse shank, it fits my small South Bend Lathe and I sometimes use it for making bullet seat gauges with the chamber reamer, where you only have to go in up to the shoulder of the reamer. Manson makes a holder similar to the Clymer.







Below is a heavy duty commercial floating reamer holder as used in machine shops. Made by a company called Ziegler. This one has a No. 3 Morse shank and a No. 3 Morse socket, requiring use of a No. 3 Morse adapter with 7/16" bore to accept the reamer shank. This one works very well, the reamer pilot does not "sag or tip" when the reamer is withdrawn from the barrel, and is the best one I have ever used. Only problem is I cannot locate the manufacturer, I think they are out of business. I sure would like to buy another! I bought this holder many moons ago at a machine shop auction.

The piece of red rubber on the reamer shank diverts the coolant into the catch pan and keeps coolant from spraying all over the lathe. I routinely run reamers at 300 RPM with this holder and the muzzle flush forced coolant system. Don't try this speed with the "wipe and brush" method!!!!







Below we have all three of the holders in a lineup. Note the size of the Ziegler holder. In the "old world school" of machining, size, rigidity and robustness are important. So, for any lathe shoppers reading this post, be sure to buy a lathe with at least a No. 3 Morse taper in the tailstock.



JGS offers a floating holder, but I have not had one in my hands yet.

Here we have a "not so good" method of holding the reamer. Some folks claim success with this method, I have used it in the past and have had success, but better methods exist. "Rubber band effect" can chatter a chamber. Plus, although the pilot "floats", the rear of the reamer is restrained from radial movement by the tailstock center and may cut an out of round chamber. With a perfectly aligned tailstock (who has one?) this is minimized.

John
Good use for blue RTV. Kinda a inside joke between my father and myself that you can fix anything with RTV.

RNS

RTV!!! Good Goop. Should have silver soldered the outlet fitting, but went with the "A dab will do you" shortcut. The RTV is just for a seal, as the fitting has a nut on each side of the pan.

Why the catch pan? Keeps the "Witches brew" reaming mix from getting contaminated with the regular cutting fluids and coolants. There is a separate 10 gallon sump behind the lathe for the chamber reamer coolant. Catch pan is plumbed to this sump's inlet screen.

John,
My first floating reamer holder was a Clymer. I also use it now in my old South Bend for making bullet seating guage's. I bought two Bald Eagle holder's. One stayed on a 6ppc reamer all the time. I did not modify them as you did. I ran min with the pin in and didn't radius the arbor. Out of I don't know how many barrel's but a pile of them I have only had chatter on 3 and they were all with the Bald Eagle. I bought a JGS and I Think I am now in heaven. I love it. Looking at your picture's it look's like it might be bigger than your Ziegler. It come's with a ten year warranty. I think you would be pleased with it.
I also chamber up to 300 RPM with my coolant system and the JGS is up to it.

Ron, I bought a JGS last summer and I like it also. I did not have to go through all the trials and tribulations but relied on the advice of a trusted and very well qualified friend.

Nice pictures John!

Nice setup John.



If I remember correctly Wisner's was using a Clymer floating reamer holder when I was doing the barrel work for them. I also seem to remember that LeeRoy had to do some "remachining" as it was out of square. Their setup was used on the cross slide with a quick change tool holder.

It was very simple to dial the reamer holder 0/0 and chamber depth was very accurate also.



Anyway, LeeRoy and Jim had the bugs all worked out by the time I went to work for them and it must have been pretty fool proof for a jughead like me to turn out quality barrel jobs.



By the way, they used a similar coolant flush and we chambered at a fairly fast rpm also. It left a beautiful finish in the chamber.