Chamber Reaming Using the Carraige

M

mpatti

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I noticed that they sell a Morse Taper holder that fits on a quick change tool holder. I have a floating reamer pusher that could fit in this. Is there any benefit to using the Tool post instead of the Tailstock to Ream a chamber.
I was thinking that it would be easier to use a dial indicator on the Carraige of my lathe but be a bit of a pain to center each time. With the floating pusher, close should be good enough though. Anyone ever chamber this way or is it just a bad idea???
 
Bad idea!

There would be no way of feeling what the reamer is doing. Also cranking the carriage back and forth to clear the chips would be a pain.

But, everyone needs to try all methods and see what works for them. Don
 
I am just beginning, so what you are saying is using the handle to feed with the tailstock is better then using the handle on the carraige. I have actually not done my first chamber yet but I was told that the reamer pusher I bought (the bald eagle) enables you to feel the reamer pretty well. It was even suggested to me to get a piece of tubing for the handle and hold on to that to feel it better.
What is the best way to indicate off of the tailstock? On my lathe there does not seem to be a good place.
 
I agree with Don, imagine that.
I chamber on two different lathes depending on the size barrels. It took me several years to understand the feedback the tailstock on my 14" lathe was telling me. I had chambered well over 700 barrels on my small lathe and it was along time before I was really comfortable using that larger lathe. It is a lot more than just hitting a number. Different diameter cases will have a certain feel and then inside each of those groups there will be a different feel depending on caliber. Then throw in differences between reamer makers and how much of the chamber you cut with the finish reamer which leads to dull reamers, etc etc you get the idea. To some degree it's all about hitting numbers but supreme accuracy is a black box, that once inside it's all about feel and intuiton. Use the tailstock, use a reamer pusher and hold it so you get the feedback. Use an extension on your holder but once in the barrel put your fingers under it.

Does your tailstock have a graduated handwheel? If not make a bracket that clamps on the the spindle and comes up high enough to catch the indicator when it's on top of the tailstock. I have one made of flat stock that I set up in a 4 jaw and bored to fit, then split and added a clamp screw. The other one is a piece of round stock bored to fit and this confession goes way back, 20 plus years , a bolt screwed into it going through another piece for the indicator to contact. Very very very crude looking but it works. Flat stock looks more professional.

here's a picture

Dave
 

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The do it yourself DRO. As related to me by SKIP OTTO. This requires a cheap pair of digital calipers and drilling two holes to mount the calipers to the top of the tail stock and the second hole in the quill for a screw to push against. I only pass this along for the nostalgia.

You measure off of the face of the action and the gap between the barrel tenon. If you are lucky and own a travel dial, life becomes much easier as you ream the hole for getting closer. When you get close with your feeler gages, you switch over to your head space gage.

Now I'm sure there are at least 15 more guys here that will tell you that is wrong. It works for me!:D
 
I use my Trav A Dial for cutting the tenon and threading. I wouldn't take for it. I adapted a Bridgeport .100 dial off the knee and put it on my crank on my tailstock. I can set it just like the cross feed dials on the lathe. I lock my carriage and use it as a stop for my tailstock. I can slide my tailstock back at anytime and just push it back to the carriage without losing my measurement. I made an aluminum rod that fits over my reamer and is held with a set screw. It has a rounded point on the back. I have a handle threaded into the side to hold and feel the reamer. I machined a round rod to fit in the tailstock. It has a flat on it that bares on the back of my floating holder or aluminum holder, whatever you call it. I have tools similar to Dave's that allow me to take measurements on the barrel for headspace, cone depth, and so on while it is in the lathe. It is necessary to have these tools on a glue in.
Butch
 
Hi Butch

I have never been concerned with getting the tailstock back in the same place. I use the travel indicator to help me pay attention to how far I've fed the reamer on that pass. When I get close I throw the go gage in for a quick visual and don't take a measurement until I'm within the thickness of the rim. Then I take a measurement, at that point usually two more passes are needed. I put the reamer into the barrel, push the tailstock up against the pusher, turn the handle on the tailstock until the indicator shows the number I want to remove. Lock the taillstock down, feed the reamer in and stop on zero. If I'm showing off for a customer I stop .0005" short and bolt will drag on the go gage. Before I started using the travel indicator I used a graduated handwheel on the tailstock. There probably was no difference in my work, I've just done it this way so long I don't remember anything else.

Dave
 
I appreciate all of your suggestions. Everytime I think I am ready to try something I find out how far away I am. ( and usually I need to spend a few more bucks) I am going to try and go with my tailstock. I need to come up with a way to indicate off of it. The picture was helpful.
 
There is a "famous" metalsmith who is a member of a gun guild who chambers this way. He puts his reamer in the Jacob's chuck that is mounted in his toolholder and then lines it up by putting the pilot of the reamer in the three jaw chuck, tightens the chuck and adjusts the play out of the tool holder. He even has a picture of his setup in his book.

HMMMMMMM!
 
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