I have done just that. Set up the barrel on center. (Normally I set up the barrel so my cutter follows the taper, i.e., no offset.) With the barrel on center, the cutter does not follow the taper but as the taper thins, so does the flutes. I didn't like the look so went back to offsetting the barrel so the cutter follows the taper.
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Barrel fluting
- Thread starter Earl
- Start date
I just read my last post and it confuses me. Please allow me to start over. I have done what you suggest. I did that by setting up the barrel on center. (no offset). Without the offset, the cutter starts out at the full depth and tapers to nothing as you get toward the muzzle. When I want the flutes the same depth beginning to end, I have to offset both the chamber end and the muzzle end (each in opposite directions to get the amount of offset I need) With the barrel offset by the amount of the taper, I just run the cutter in the full depth, engage the power feed, and wait till the flute is done.
I do have an issue with the power feed that I intend to fix. I adjust the speed to somewhere around an inch and a half per minute. When I get to the end of the cut and start to return, the direction lever on the power feed, changes the speed. quite annoying. I return with the "fast feed button" so no speed adjusting should be required. I have taken the power feed apart and lubed the speed control shaft. No help. Marking the "sweet spot" doesn't help. the speed control is much too sensitive for an easy fix like that. I intend to find the "sweet spot" and measure the resistance of the potentiometer and use a fixed resistor to set the speed while fluting. One switch and one resistor should do it.
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2019
- Messages
- 2,066
I am not looking at fluting for cosmetics, Just weight reduction. The deer think all of my guns are so ugly they tend to try to run away when they see one. 
Try replacing that speed pot with a multi turn pot, It will give you much better speed control. Not to mention that your changing speed issue might just be a bad pot.
Try replacing that speed pot with a multi turn pot, It will give you much better speed control. Not to mention that your changing speed issue might just be a bad pot.
I am not looking at fluting for cosmetics, Just weight reduction. The deer think all of my guns are so ugly they tend to try to run away when they see one.
Try replacing that speed pot with a multi turn pot, It will give you much better speed control. Not to mention that your changing speed issue might just be a bad pot.
I am not looking at fluting for cosmetics, Just weight reduction. The deer think all of my guns are so ugly they tend to try to run away when they see one.
Try replacing that speed pot with a multi turn pot, It will give you much better speed control. Not to mention that your changing speed issue might just be a bad pot.
This is a bad flute. It is bad enough to make a freight train jump in the ditch! That happened when I forgot to tighten things up before cutting and had to go back and start over. That barrel shot pretty well. I finally chopped about 6 inches off the chamber end so I would be sure and not show up at a match with it.
As for the pot. I checked for noise and found none. A ten turn would be a pita to use all the time. The 3 balls in a 10 turn make the case significantly larger as well. I dont really want to externally mount the solution. I haven't looked to see the value of the pot but my thoughts were to put the new resistor in series with the original pot and use the switch to short out the original pot for fluting. That would only work if the resistor was a much a lower resistance value than the pot. One of the two things I learned in engineering school - "twinkle twinkle little star E is equal to IR." The other thing I learned there was "Smoke is an excellent troubleshooting aid."
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2019
- Messages
- 2,066
That sure looks like it would still make a fine hunting rifle.
My favorite to remember is P=IE, I can always remember PIE?
I was thinking a 3 or 3.5 turn pot to not be as obnoxious.
Something like......
Just for giggles I looked up the fluting cutters and an arbor to hold it. Now I am in sticker shock. at first I thought that 4168 for the cutter was bad, then I looked up a 1 inch arbor, it was $527. ARE THEY NUTS??? To be fair, I only looked at MSC.
Got on the CAD and drew up an arbor to make. Aint no way I am paying $500+ for a simple 1.00 inch arbor with 3/4" shank that I can make in a few hours for under $50 including enough 41L40 to make 3 of them. So maybe I'll make a 1-1/4 arbor at the same time.
My favorite to remember is P=IE, I can always remember PIE?
I was thinking a 3 or 3.5 turn pot to not be as obnoxious.
Something like......
Just for giggles I looked up the fluting cutters and an arbor to hold it. Now I am in sticker shock. at first I thought that 4168 for the cutter was bad, then I looked up a 1 inch arbor, it was $527. ARE THEY NUTS??? To be fair, I only looked at MSC.
Got on the CAD and drew up an arbor to make. Aint no way I am paying $500+ for a simple 1.00 inch arbor with 3/4" shank that I can make in a few hours for under $50 including enough 41L40 to make 3 of them. So maybe I'll make a 1-1/4 arbor at the same time.
the R8 Chineseium arbors work just fine. I have two. I think they are under $40. (cant build one for that if you count time) I think the quarter inch cutter from Travers was $75 and the 3/16 one was a bit less. The quarter inch cutter is 12 tooth and the 3/16 is 14. I have a couple of 7/8 cutters that I kept when I sold my little horizontal mill. I cannot find an arbor like the ones I have for the 1 inch cutters. I have arbors for slitting saws that could possibly work but I want something keyed for the fluting operation. The one pictured came with my mill (used) Looks like it had a hard life. It runs pretty true if you put the cutter as high on it as you can get. I do need one small spacer above the cutter to keep the nut from hitting the table.
One inch R8 with key, nut and 4 spacers.