What tools are needed for Beginner Project?
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pistonslap
Pilgrim
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The tool that saved me the most aggravation in building my long rifle was an outers gun vise. $25 dollars at Gander Mountain, has rubber feet so you can use it on your table without marking it.
Boy! The list keeps growing!!
If your only going to build a GPR, you really don't need this but if you intend to stay in the black powder game you will be very glad you bought a Dial Caliper.
There are several on the market and any of them made of real steel or stainless, with a real dial on them are worth having.
I'm not saying their all the same. Some are much better than others, but for about $35 you can get one which is good enough for home hobby style gunsmithing.
Not only will it replace a micrometer an inside caliper and a depth gauge but it makes a good little hammer! :: Just kidding about the hammer. It makes a lousy hammer, but when your child or wife dumps all of your .530 and .535 balls into a paper sack a Dial Caliper is a super fast way to seperate them back into the boxes they belong in.
I would say in all honesty that my dial caliper is one of the most used tools I have.
If your only going to build a GPR, you really don't need this but if you intend to stay in the black powder game you will be very glad you bought a Dial Caliper.
There are several on the market and any of them made of real steel or stainless, with a real dial on them are worth having.
I'm not saying their all the same. Some are much better than others, but for about $35 you can get one which is good enough for home hobby style gunsmithing.
Not only will it replace a micrometer an inside caliper and a depth gauge but it makes a good little hammer! :: Just kidding about the hammer. It makes a lousy hammer, but when your child or wife dumps all of your .530 and .535 balls into a paper sack a Dial Caliper is a super fast way to seperate them back into the boxes they belong in.
I would say in all honesty that my dial caliper is one of the most used tools I have.
I found a 6" dial caliper at Harbor Freight (Harbor[url] Freight.com[/url]) that works pretty well, for about $15. Most of their eqiupment is made in Asia, but if you watch yourself, you can come up with some pretty good tools at a good price. But it's strictly "buyer beware" when shopping there.
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seems to me the best thing you could get to start with would be the book "Gunsmith of Grenville County" by Peter Alexander...its full of usefull information with all the tools you'll ever need listed and then some; also how to make a number of jigs that are helpful.
For screwdrivers,although they are a pain, Stanley makes one with interchangeable bits that Home Depot sells for $10. The bits are hollow ground instead of flat ground and tend to hold the screw slot instead of riding out and buggering your screw heads. HD also has a small screwdriver with 4 bits for small screws.
I buy a lot from Harbor Freight. They had a digital 6" caliper for $20 that is great.
Their brass punches are something to stay away from, white metal with brass plating.
I bought their high carbon 110 pc drill set cheap and it was worth it. Made a couple spring bolsters for my Rolling Block out of Starrett Green Stripe industrial hacksaw blades which is tough steel. Nice to have all tap drill sizes and about every drill you need 1/2" and under for $30.
They have a Dremel type tool $20 and tons of accessories but stay away from their abrasives as they are soft. Sears has these.
Their stores are popping up all over, worth looking into for cheap tools. I've been a machinist and diemaker for 30 years and they have stuff that works, not the best but does the job. I would buy their big lathe for $2000 also, looks like a good machine.
Their brass punches are something to stay away from, white metal with brass plating.
I bought their high carbon 110 pc drill set cheap and it was worth it. Made a couple spring bolsters for my Rolling Block out of Starrett Green Stripe industrial hacksaw blades which is tough steel. Nice to have all tap drill sizes and about every drill you need 1/2" and under for $30.
They have a Dremel type tool $20 and tons of accessories but stay away from their abrasives as they are soft. Sears has these.
Their stores are popping up all over, worth looking into for cheap tools. I've been a machinist and diemaker for 30 years and they have stuff that works, not the best but does the job. I would buy their big lathe for $2000 also, looks like a good machine.
