Draw filing barrel?

[jamesthomas]

Thanks everyone for the "How To" My barrel is a swamped Colerain .950 .750 .660 .660 .835 "A" .40 cal. Early American. I think I will try the wet dry emery paper first, I'm thinking that I wouldn't want to mess up the swamped part of the barrel to much, the .660 is a concern to me, wouldn't want to take off to much of this part. The breech plug is already installed. Its just the barrel so far I have no wood or other components for the build yet.

 

[smil]

I promise you: you won't make your barrel too thin by drawfiling.

Grab a file, grab a piece of metal and file it like explained above. It takes a couple minutes to learn, that's it.

If you skip steps when finishing metal, you will work too hard or have scratches that show.

Good luck and just do it.

 

[okawbow]

Just how authentic is getting a perfectly smooth, draw filed finish on the barrel?

I'm starting on a colonial long rifle, and close up pictures of the original that inspired my build, shows what looks like grindstone or forging marks on the barrel flats. My Charles Burton made barrel is already much smoother than the original barrel. If anything, I need to rough it up a bit to match the original.

 

[GANGGREEN]

I don't know the answer to your question but I've seen a number of guns done when the barrel wasn't draw-filed and left manufacturing marks or lines the length of the barrel and I didn't find that look objectionable at all. That's just me and I don't really know which way is "right".

Just how authentic is getting a perfectly smooth, draw filed finish on the barrel?

I'm starting on a colonial long rifle, and close up pictures of the original that inspired my build, shows what looks like grindstone or forging marks on the barrel flats. My Charles Burton made barrel is already much smoother than the original barrel. If anything, I need to rough it up a bit to match the original.

 

[crockett]

M.D. tell me more about the barrel spinning- how to do it.

 

[Billnpatti]

This "barrel spinner" is a great mystery to me. I want to understand it. Could you post some good pictures and a careful explanation of just how it works?

 

[Zonie]

I'm curious too.

I've heard of "spinners of truth", bass and trout spinners and spinners on top of a hat but "barrel spinner"? Never heard of one before.

 

[M. De Land]

The fifth picture down is the spinner with a barrel being draw filed in it.
It has bearings on the end of the cast aluminum uprights with delrin centers through the bearing holes. The other ends of the uprights are split and fit a one inch square tube of aluminum or steel and adjust to barrel length and then tighten with allen head bolts. The body is held in vice jaws leaning out toward you and easily adjusted to any angle desired.
It is designed to spin a round barrel against a flat belt sander for radial sanding. I use it for that on occasion but found out it was even more useful for draw filing.
Brownell's sells them. I've had this one for a good fifteen years or so. Mike D.

 

[don hepler]

No I'm not talking about cross filing, I went back and looked closer at Larry Poterfields filing and he has the file at a slight angle as he pulls the file toward him. You're pulling the file straight, but with the correct angle you can feel the file "bite" and see the ribbons shaving off. I only been doing this 43 years.

 

[crockett]

Although I said "cross" I also hold the file at a slight angle- you sort of have to (for me at least) to remove material.
It should also be pointed out that draw filing with a heavy file can remove a lot of metal very quickly.

 

[30coupe]

I think the biggest mistake most make is putting too much pressure on the file. Remember, you are trying to finish the barrel, not file through it!

It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it down, draw filing is really not all that difficult. Start with light strokes and increase pressure slightly until you feel the file bite. You will then also see the curls of metal mentioned. Once you feel that bite, do not increase file pressure. Keep it consistent.

Don't try to rush through the job. It does take time. Trying to rush can lead to a poor finish. As has been said, stop to clean your file often. I use a 10" file and move it to a different spot every couple of strokes. Then I flip it over and do the same thing. This allows for quite a bit of filing before chip cleaning. Also make sure you keep the chips cleared off the barrel as well. If you don't have a file card, get one before you start.

This is a job that requires concentration, so don't try to do too much at one time. If it is your first attempt, doing one flat per session/per day is plenty. If you find your mind wandering, take a break. I've done quite a bit of draw filing, and I rarely do more than a couple flats without taking a break. I always seem to find plenty of other things to do in the mean time.

I find that very little time with the emery cloth is needed if you take your time with the file. My current project is a TC Hawken kit I've had around for years but never got around to putting together. I used to do gunsmith work on modern firearms but never had much interest in BP arms. Now that I'm semi-retired, I have become more intrigued by simpler arms. I've been a traditional bowhunter for years and love the simplicity of a stick and string. I'm thinking maybe muzzleloaders will offer the same. The high tech, inline, shotgun primered, scoped, plastic stocked, "muzzle loaders" seem like a way of cheating the system to me.

Sorry to get off track there. My intent was to mention that draw filing and finishing with fine emery cloth has given me a finish that is almost too smooth. I want this rifle to be a hunting arm, so it doesn't need to shine. I "antiqued" the brass using Brownell's Oxphoblue, which is what I also used on the steel parts. Oxpho gives a nice deep blue that is very durable. I've used it in the past on double barreled shotguns that can't be hot blued.