Making a sharps barrel in my lathe.

Post by **Harold_V** » Sun May 24, 2015 5:16 am

homebrew .357 wrote: Now is this thread getting to long?, should I keep it going or post a new thread, (Making a Sharps receiver on my lathe ), don`t want to be in trouble with the administrators . Homebrew.357.

Length of the thread isn't an issue. My personal choice would be to continue with the same thread, but if you feel a new one for the receiver would be a good choice, that would be acceptable, too.

Harold

hammermill · Post by **hammermill** » Sun May 24, 2015 4:02 pm

i would keep all the eggs together. good to see you back posting and on your feet

homebrew .357 · Post by **homebrew .357** » Tue May 26, 2015 2:45 am

Ok then guys, I`ll keep all in one basket. Have just got my receiver back the breech block fits a snug oily fit , great, this is the bit I could not do with the precision required and it has been ground true and square. So , as they say, I`v got my work cut out for me, but a heap more to do. Some pic`s before I stuff it up,

,it`s all go in N Z, Cheers, Homebrew.357.

Ed of all trades · Post by **Ed of all trades** » Tue May 26, 2015 6:01 am

Just found this and it is wonderful, Just starting toward machine work, as a hobby, and it is good to see what can be done. Thanks, Ed Will Keep watching!

homebrew .357 · Post by **homebrew .357** » Wed May 27, 2015 2:17 am

Hi Ed, Yep it`s a fantastic hobby, just love spending a few hours on my lathe, beats the google box. A hobby can become a cottage industry , I`m being asked if I can drill some stock for muzzle loading barrels. Have added a another egg to my basket , just finished threading my Sharps barrel on my lathe, 1.5m , came out nice, now just have to setup the receiver block to cut hole and thread it for the barrel. I think solving the problems is half the fun,

,Homebrew.357.

homebrew .357 · Post by **homebrew .357** » Mon Jun 01, 2015 2:06 am

Hi, I thought the best idea would be to drill and thread the receiver block, so set it up on the cross slide to drill the hole for the barrel to screw into. With centre lined up I locked the cross slide so it would not move and then with centre drill , a series of small to large drills and followed by some mill cutters , it was cut out till I could fit in a boring bar , then finial size of 1.070"id. Now had to think of how to mount it for cutting the thread on my lathe, there`s ways and means.

, Homebrew.357.

homebrew .357 · Post by **homebrew .357** » Tue Jun 02, 2015 2:36 am

So with a bit of a brain flash I figured a way to thread the receiver , first I removed the lathe bed gap block, then using my faceplate I bolted on the angle bracket, The receiver block was bolted to this and set up to run true to the hole ready for threading and this I will be doing nice and slowly, also can test the barrel for fit, when it threads in half way or so will leave it at that as I want a firm fit of the barrel in the receiver. So this is a case of using what you have got to achieve what you want.

, Homebrew.357.

homebrew .357 · Post by **homebrew .357** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 3:08 am

Hi, Have finished threading the receiver block and the barrel fits in nice and firmly , with a .052" head space gap so I can finale machine it to fit. Have to have a barrel flat on top, with the breech space at .002-3" and the barrel up nice and tight. Next is machining the rest of the receiver, about 70% will be cut off, so don`t want any mistakes, you can't put it back.

Cheers,Homebrew.357.

TRX · Post by **TRX** » Sat Jun 13, 2015 11:27 am

"We want... progress reports!

homebrew .357 · Post by **homebrew .357** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:38 am

OK OK , T R X, Had to have a break, so went up to KeriKeri in the bay of Islands for a few days in my small caravan, relaxed, had a few beers with some fish and chips, yer hard work but some one has to do it.

So set up the receiver on my angle bracket on the cross slide to machine the top radis , using a boring bar and infeed with the slide. Came out good, now will make up a stub to screw into the receiver for holding in the lathe. Things are hotting up, I`m fielding orders for drilled out blank muzzle loading barrels as no one makes them over here in New Zealand and a hassle to import, the start of a cottage industry?,

Homebrew357.

homebrew .357 · Post by **homebrew .357** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 2:54 am

Hi all, Like I said this is going to be slower, I`m at real time now, so the receiver is 1.969" wide and at the front face it is 1.510" where the barrel screws in. Set up and clamped on my angle bracket I milled off .230" on both sides with a radis on the mill so no sharp corners, I think this stops stress cracking. Had to stop work on it for a bit as a customer wanted a 33" x 1" shaft drilled out for a muzzle loader he is making , carn`t get then in N Z, so my fame is getting out there,

. Pics of the hoj poj set up, Cheers, Homebrew.357.

homebrew .357 · Post by **homebrew .357** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 3:00 am

Hi all, Been doing a bit more work on the receiver , finished milling the front on both sides and reset up to mill the left side with a large area to cut out. I first milled a slot then using a fly cutter I slowly and with small cuts milled out the large area. Also there is a radis on the receiver front, to do this I set up in my drill press with a small grinding wheel that was the right size and slowly up and down with the grinding wheel and in feed with the vice I ground out a nice radis. It`s coming on, Homebrew.357.