Router Bit?
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Bountyhunter
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You set up a jig and make your bottom flat with a straight cutting bit up the center, then you adjust your jig and cut the sides to the bottom of the side flat with the straight bit. Then you knock the remaining wood out to produce the angled flats with a 45 degree bit. You might have to shim up the sides a tad bit to use a piloted bit.
I make the first center cut in a vertical mill. That way it is for sure straight. I have access to a Bridgeport with a 48" table. It is more precise for me to use the vertical mill than to try to rout it as my hands just arent steady any more. But if you have hands that dont shake, the router will do it.
I make the first center cut in a vertical mill. That way it is for sure straight. I have access to a Bridgeport with a 48" table. It is more precise for me to use the vertical mill than to try to rout it as my hands just arent steady any more. But if you have hands that dont shake, the router will do it.
You can make the bit from a bit designed to cut a V groove about 1-1/4" wide. Sears sells these. grind off the bottom--the point of the V--to a flat the width of one barrel flat, then grind a small inverted v in this flat and grind cutting edges. Grind off each flute to leave a cutter as wide as the barrel is across the flats, and grind cutting edges on the sides. Hard to explain in words, easy to do. Make the tool as wide as the smallest part of a swamped barrel, open up the channel to that width, then finish inletting a swamped barrel with hand tools. I've not seen a store bought tool to cut a barrel channel.
Crockett; I have made barrel channel bits out of spad wood bits. You can get them in the diameter you want to fit the width of the barrel, them I grind the point off and put a 45 degree angle on the corners. Measure the flats on the barrel, this will be the length of the 45 degree side. If the barrel channel is not perfect, you can scrape it in to fit rhe barrel. I grind the shank down to fit the router chuck. You are ready to cut a barrel channel.
Olie
Olie
I just used a carbide straight cutting bit to cut the center flat width to the full depth of the channel. This channel depth was the full thickness of the barrel plus about 1/8.
(This 1/8 inch of extra depth provided material at the breech area so I could bring it down to match the barrel when it was installed.)
Then by adjusting my fence on my router I cut away the wood on both sides to the depth of the bottom of the side flats, and to the width of the barrel.
I then removed the wood in the 45 degree cut on both sides with a chisel.
All cuts were made using multiple passes to help prevent kickback and to keep the router under control.
Perhaps it's my ignorance, but if I were doing this job by hand, I would be afraid of a full width, full form router blade kicking back or gouging in somewhere, even using multiple passes. IMO, in just the blink of an eyelid, a router can turn a very expensive piece of fine wood into a piece of scrap. :results:
(This 1/8 inch of extra depth provided material at the breech area so I could bring it down to match the barrel when it was installed.)
Then by adjusting my fence on my router I cut away the wood on both sides to the depth of the bottom of the side flats, and to the width of the barrel.
I then removed the wood in the 45 degree cut on both sides with a chisel.
All cuts were made using multiple passes to help prevent kickback and to keep the router under control.
Perhaps it's my ignorance, but if I were doing this job by hand, I would be afraid of a full width, full form router blade kicking back or gouging in somewhere, even using multiple passes. IMO, in just the blink of an eyelid, a router can turn a very expensive piece of fine wood into a piece of scrap. :results:
JOHN L. HINNANT
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Greeting Crockett and All,
From 1971 -1980, I was hired to set up and teach a Machine Program at a small community near the coast in Southeast Texas. It was a rural community with 90% plus of our kids coming in to school fro the surrounding farms and ranches via school bus. A number of the older kids. with their own vehicles, ran a trapline before getting to school. Many a student would ask permission to shin out one or two critters at the beginning of the first period.
Hunting, shooting, and fishing were a way of life, and there was no problem in doing gunsmithing work in the shop.
It was the best teaching job, I ever had.
Well to shorten up this long story, we soon got involved in making ML rifles and NOT FROM KITS. The vertical mill was used to inlet the blanks. Under my direction, students made the necessary inletting router bits in octagon shape.
While it was not necessary to do so, the router bits were machined from an 01 tool steel and heat treated so the student got an introduction to basic heat treating.
The design used four flutes (probably not necessary; two or four would probably work just as well) and were machined 0.015 inch over nominal barrel size.
The routers worked to perfection. More time was required to set up the blank in the mill, than needed to mill the barrel channel. Of course we making only half-stock rifles.
The only hand fitting that was required was in the breech area.
If one has access to a vertical mill and lathe, making a router bit is not a problem. It is not necessary to use a heat treatable steel and harden it for wood working. I had the students do this for the educational knowledge involved.
Hope this information will help.
Best regards and good shooting,
John L. Hinnant
If you are not an NRA Member, why not? I am carrying your load.
From 1971 -1980, I was hired to set up and teach a Machine Program at a small community near the coast in Southeast Texas. It was a rural community with 90% plus of our kids coming in to school fro the surrounding farms and ranches via school bus. A number of the older kids. with their own vehicles, ran a trapline before getting to school. Many a student would ask permission to shin out one or two critters at the beginning of the first period.
Hunting, shooting, and fishing were a way of life, and there was no problem in doing gunsmithing work in the shop.
It was the best teaching job, I ever had.
Well to shorten up this long story, we soon got involved in making ML rifles and NOT FROM KITS. The vertical mill was used to inlet the blanks. Under my direction, students made the necessary inletting router bits in octagon shape.
While it was not necessary to do so, the router bits were machined from an 01 tool steel and heat treated so the student got an introduction to basic heat treating.
The design used four flutes (probably not necessary; two or four would probably work just as well) and were machined 0.015 inch over nominal barrel size.
The routers worked to perfection. More time was required to set up the blank in the mill, than needed to mill the barrel channel. Of course we making only half-stock rifles.
The only hand fitting that was required was in the breech area.
If one has access to a vertical mill and lathe, making a router bit is not a problem. It is not necessary to use a heat treatable steel and harden it for wood working. I had the students do this for the educational knowledge involved.
Hope this information will help.
Best regards and good shooting,
John L. Hinnant
If you are not an NRA Member, why not? I am carrying your load.
Guest
John how about a pitcure of one of your four flutes. Haven't seen a four before. I make a two like a spade drill bit. That I use with the mill
David
David
JOHN L. HINNANT
45 Cal.
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Greetings Vieth/Toledo,
I wish I could accomadate you, but I do not have a camera that will down load pictures on the computer or the software and knowledge to do it.
My computer knowledge is limited, with CAD/Engineering Drafting being my only substantial computer knowledge, and that is now beginning to be 5 or 6 years behind current updates and new procedures.
However, my old knowledge still stands me in good stead for many personel projects. Since retiring three years back, I have had little inclination to update my software and computer knowledge.
I have been having more fun corresponding with you guys and just generally enjoying retirement. As much as I am resisting it, I do see the steadly increasing need to get back on the computer learning curve.
Best regards and good shooting,
John L. Hinnant
If you are not an NRA Member, why not? I am carrying your load.
I wish I could accomadate you, but I do not have a camera that will down load pictures on the computer or the software and knowledge to do it.
My computer knowledge is limited, with CAD/Engineering Drafting being my only substantial computer knowledge, and that is now beginning to be 5 or 6 years behind current updates and new procedures.
However, my old knowledge still stands me in good stead for many personel projects. Since retiring three years back, I have had little inclination to update my software and computer knowledge.
I have been having more fun corresponding with you guys and just generally enjoying retirement. As much as I am resisting it, I do see the steadly increasing need to get back on the computer learning curve.
Best regards and good shooting,
John L. Hinnant
If you are not an NRA Member, why not? I am carrying your load.
I have a 45 bit and a straight bit that will allow me to cut a perfect 15/16ths channel on the router table with a careful set up. I can do the same on the mill for short pieces. I also have a panel blade for my table saw that takes different cutter blades to do much the same as a router does, but it is a lot easier to use. All it would need would be the correct cutters and you could cut any sized channel straight with no problem. On the router or mill, I use a round router bit first to remove most of the wood so that the straight and 45 bits are doing small cuts and get lots of air to them.
JOHN L. HINNANT
45 Cal.
- Joined
- May 29, 2004
- Messages
- 711
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Greeting Runner and All,
One of the great things about this forum is all of the good ideas members post about how they solved a problem. Runner is a good example.
My years of teaching a Machine Tool Metal Working gave me a first class opportunity to work with many fine young men. Together, we made many,many special tools for the various rifle projects in their class.
Being surrounded by students who are eager to learn and have outside interest to support their class interest made instruction in making muzzle loading rifles easy.
Making those octagon router cutters for our available equipment was just a natural out-growth of the process. This is not any different than the ideas being posted here.
Somethings, I find the barrel channel on a commercial inletted, sharped stock to be a bit too small for the intended barrel.
I keep all barrel cut-offs. One of these cut-offs 3-5 inches long with one end ground square makes a very good inletting tool to open up a tight barrel channel. The barrel bore allows a bolt and nut to be used to fasten a handle.
Ocassionally the forearm will be warped to one side or the other. I clamp a 2"x2" length of angle iron to the side of the forearm. This holds the forearm straight until the inletting is finished.
Best regards,
John L. Hinnant
If you are not an NRA Member, why not? I am carrying youir load.
One of the great things about this forum is all of the good ideas members post about how they solved a problem. Runner is a good example.
My years of teaching a Machine Tool Metal Working gave me a first class opportunity to work with many fine young men. Together, we made many,many special tools for the various rifle projects in their class.
Being surrounded by students who are eager to learn and have outside interest to support their class interest made instruction in making muzzle loading rifles easy.
Making those octagon router cutters for our available equipment was just a natural out-growth of the process. This is not any different than the ideas being posted here.
Somethings, I find the barrel channel on a commercial inletted, sharped stock to be a bit too small for the intended barrel.
I keep all barrel cut-offs. One of these cut-offs 3-5 inches long with one end ground square makes a very good inletting tool to open up a tight barrel channel. The barrel bore allows a bolt and nut to be used to fasten a handle.
Ocassionally the forearm will be warped to one side or the other. I clamp a 2"x2" length of angle iron to the side of the forearm. This holds the forearm straight until the inletting is finished.
Best regards,
John L. Hinnant
If you are not an NRA Member, why not? I am carrying youir load.
Crockett --
I've routed at least a couple dozen barrel channels using a 1/2" 45 degree bit and a 3/8" straight bit. There are various ways to go at the process, but basically you want to use the straight bit to cut the vertical and bottom flats of the barrel channel, and the 45 to buzz out the two angled flats. The 1/2" 45 bit, incidentally, is the perfect size for cutting the flats for a 15/16" barrel. A sturdy guide to keep the router on a straight line is a must, unless you're heaps better than I am at freehanding a straight line. Sharp bits are also required, and you'll find that carbide is worth the added expense (especially after you've fried two or three high speed steel units). Trying this on a long scrap of hard wood would be advisable, too, so that you're comfortable with what you're trying to do before you risk converting your stock blank into very expensive kindling.
Hope this helps.
I've routed at least a couple dozen barrel channels using a 1/2" 45 degree bit and a 3/8" straight bit. There are various ways to go at the process, but basically you want to use the straight bit to cut the vertical and bottom flats of the barrel channel, and the 45 to buzz out the two angled flats. The 1/2" 45 bit, incidentally, is the perfect size for cutting the flats for a 15/16" barrel. A sturdy guide to keep the router on a straight line is a must, unless you're heaps better than I am at freehanding a straight line. Sharp bits are also required, and you'll find that carbide is worth the added expense (especially after you've fried two or three high speed steel units). Trying this on a long scrap of hard wood would be advisable, too, so that you're comfortable with what you're trying to do before you risk converting your stock blank into very expensive kindling.
Hope this helps.
I am just learning. I have been practicing on other woods getting an idea of what is involved. The router table with the fence and another board to make a channel works ok. You really don't have the fine adjustments you have on the mill, but the setup is solid if you take your time. My mill will only move about 12 inches or so on a cut, so it is out. The table saw with the fence and another board clamped to make a channel seems to be the easiest to work with and get straight. The only good wood I am cutting on I am doing the final inletting by hand and I bought it with the barrel channel cut. I am definately a beginner. I just have some tools in the shop to play with!
Runner --
I'm still learning, too. Every time I build a gun (or anything else) and all-too-often the hard way (hence my remark about expensive kindling).
I've used a tablesaw to hog out the majority of the barrel channel. I don't own or have access to a router table or mill of any sort. Plus I'm sort of a freak about wanting to see what the bit or blade is doing. The tablesaw will make perfectly straight long cuts, though -- if everything goes right. To each his own. The "right way" to do anything is the way that works for you.
I'm still learning, too. Every time I build a gun (or anything else) and all-too-often the hard way (hence my remark about expensive kindling).
I've used a tablesaw to hog out the majority of the barrel channel. I don't own or have access to a router table or mill of any sort. Plus I'm sort of a freak about wanting to see what the bit or blade is doing. The tablesaw will make perfectly straight long cuts, though -- if everything goes right. To each his own. The "right way" to do anything is the way that works for you.
You are in luck, I just had one custom made from a carbide blank to my size specifications. You must have a router that will take bits with a 1/2" shank though. You can look up their web site at the following address[url] http://www.taylortoolworks.com/index.html.[/url] The bits are not cheep though around $350.00 plus shipping. If you decide to get one you'd best contact Glen Taylor and tell him what its for and you could mention that he just made one for me. By the way the design and workmanship is superb. This is the second one I have had him make for me.
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