Ramrod channel issue

[JimCunn]

I know that feeling - sounds like what happens to me with a steelie ball and a bucket of grease
One of my friends recently told me I get more use out of a dremel than he thought possible. I wish I had a nickle for every worn out dremel I have lying around.

 

[stewart.leach]

Many, if not most, of the ramrods from the times when MLs were the high tech of the day were tapered, especially in the inner 3-5 inches. I speculate that this was done to avoid front lock screws, and perhaps to be able to leave just a bit more wood in a complex area. I have tapered ramrods using scrapers and sandpapers. Made up a jig to support both ends of a rod, then had daughter spin rod with electric drill while I used fine rasp, caliper and sandpaper. Excellent results.

 

[Flintandsteel]

There is absolutely nothing precision about a dremel. It'll,grab and go wherever it wants to.

 

[dave_person]

Well boys this should scare the bejeezuz out of you. Using a Dremel and round burr to widen a ramrod groove freehand.

Requires nerves of steel it does!

dave

 

[user 34300]

Stock making a much higher standard of precision. Dremil tools cut to fast and have no control. An experienced stock maker generally avoids using them them for any significant wood removal. It seems like a great idea. Beginners have to try. When they try it they find out for themselves what normally goes wrong, rough irregular cuts huge insetting gaps, and a general mess. Sometime worse and the stock is ruined. After they make the mess some of them wise up. Dremils are not precision tools. Not to be too mean but, there is a name for the guy to ruined a gun with a Dremil tool. He is the Dremilfool. It happens so often there is a name for it.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Dave, I would trust you to be able to use a Dremel, me, not so much.

 

[user 34300]

I think Dave is messing with us.

 

[Walkingeagle]

I think Dave is messing with us.

I don’t.
Walk

 

[JimCunn]

Interesting that Dremels are non-precision. I use them for sculpting stuff.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Interesting that Dremels are non-precision. I use them for sculpting stuff.

A tool is just that, a tool. The job is done by the user of the tool. Some hands are more skilled and precise than others.
Walk

 

[Billy Boy]

Interesting that Dremels are non-precision. I use them for sculpting stuff.

My insurance man won’t let me have one in the house...

 

[Treestalker]

Talented people often assume the rest of us share their inherent skill; T'aint so, the rarified atmosphere occupied by the gifted does not tolerate idiots and the clumsy.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Talented people often assume the rest of us share their inherent skill; T'aint so, the rarified atmosphere occupied by the gifted does not tolerate idiots and the clumsy.

That I 100% agree with. Skilled and precision work is not my gift, however watching someone whom is gifted work is a sight to see. They do make it look sooooo easy!
Walk

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
See how I am holding the Dremel tool. I have it just supported by my fingers and am letting the cutter work the path with no force up, down, left, or right. That's how I got his done.

Anyway guys, use the tools you are comfortable with but don't assume your experiences are universal. They are not!

dave

 

[Cruzatte]

Thanks for the tip, Dave. Me? I think I'll stick with rasps, files, scrapers, and hand tools generally, a drill press and a bench grinder being the exceptions.

 

[EC121]

One time I deepened a ramrod groove by dragging a 3/8" drill bit down the groove with an electric drill. Then I sanded it smooth. You just have to be careful with fast moving things.

 

[JimCunn]

Dave, that's right purty.

 

[Robby]

Assuming the groove and thimbles are set for a three eighth's ramrod, and you want to use the plastic ramrod you will either have to drill out the hole from the entry thimble to the breech or make a tool from from five sixteenths round stock, peen the end over so it has a fairly sharp lip shove it home and pull it our flexing the rod to put tension on the bearing or scraping edge, you will have to remove the thimbles to do this. I have done it and it will work, but I would suggest that you make another hickory rod and tapir it as already said.
Robin

 

[beardedhorse]

Simple is sometimes safer. I have a full set of drill bits and find the right one to wrap sandpaper around and hand sand the channel until it is the size I want.

 

[bud in pa]

How about a rat tailed file with the tang bent up?