Building the Stevens Favorite

[aametalmaster]

Very nice work there Tom. I too will be learning something from this...Bob

 

[Tom Griffin]

I have been following this build from the start. True craftmanship! One question about centering the workpiece. The s pin you mentioned,is this chucked and then put into the hole? How did you mount the piece to the subplate? (sorry,2 questions).
keep posting. We hope to see a video of the finished product in action.

Thanks Knifer-one.

The block has several through holes which I drilled undersize and tapped, then it was mounted to the sub-plate with counter-sunk screws from the back.

Each radius is located as follows:

1) Center the spindle on the rotary table.
2) Place a pin in the spindle and use it to locate the part on the center of the radius to be machined using the appropriate previously reamed hole in the sub-plate. Clamp the part to the table.
3) Indicate the part parallel to the table if necessary by turning the rotary table and zeroing the dial.
4) Offset the table (either X or Y) the amount the radius plus half the diameter the cutter (allowing for roughing and finishing cuts).
5) Cut the radius.

On the breechblock I avoided having to indicate the part parallel to the table and calculate the endpoints of the arcs by machining the two arcs that end off the part first and then eyeballing the tangent points of the arcs adjacent to them. In other words, I cheated.

Tom

 

[Tom Griffin]

Very nice work there Tom. I too will be learning something from this...Bob

Thanks Bob!

 

[mranum]

I've been looking for a while now for documented rifle builds like this. Very instructive and not to mention inspirational. Someday I'll get the proper equipment and courage to try this.:thumbzup:

 

[Tom Griffin]

I've been looking for a while now for documented rifle builds like this. Very instructive and not to mention inspirational. Someday I'll get the proper equipment and courage to try this.:thumbzup:

Thanks Matt.

I looked for quite a while myself and there wasn't much available which is why I decided to do it myself. I guess the best way to learn something new is to jump in with both feet.

Tom

 

[AJB]

Congrats on a great thread

TLGriff,

I "joined" this forum just to tell you how much I am enjoying watching your Favorite project unfold. I find your comments to be enjoyable and educational. One of my "bucket list" items is to build a rifle as you are doing and I find your comments and accompanying photographs to be very helpful and informative.

Tony

 

[Tom Griffin]

Re: Building the Stevens Favorite Rifle

Thanks Tony.

It's good to hear people are watching. I enjoy projects like this and if documenting them can help others get started on their own, then all the better.

Tom

 

[Tom Griffin]

Re: Building the Stevens Favorite Rifle

So, mistake #1 is under the bridge. I made a dimensioning error on the lever drawing and then like an idiot, made the lever exactly to print . But, the good thing about working with steel is that all it takes is a little weld to make it right.

After squaring up the stock, I drilled the two holes, cut the internal radii with a boring bar and milled an angled surface while it was held in the vise. Next, I set up the 1 1/2º per side taper to the lever with a sine bar and milled them tangent to the two radii that I previously bored. Next, it'll be back to the rotary table for a couple of external radii and then a bunch of hand filing to get the elliptical shape of the lever. I could make another radius cutter, but for this part it would take less time just to file the shape.

I had to knock off early tonight because I managed to get a chip in my eye. It landed on top of my safety glasses, fell down behind them and then flipped right in my eye. I saw it coming but not quite soon enough. Luckily, even though it was steel, it wasn't hot enough to stick but it still irritated the heck out of my eye. Oh well, it wasn't the first and it likely won't be the last, just one of the hazards of the trade. :huh: WEAR THOSE SAFETY GLASSES!



Just a little weld to make it right.




Sitting on a sine bar to machine the taped part or the lever. Did one side first, then doubled the angle on the sine bar and did the flip side after sawing off the excess stock.







Next, the sides will be tapered on the belt sander, the end radiused and the elliptical shape filed.

 

[Tom Griffin]

Re: Building the Stevens Favorite Rifle

After a day off for house painting, back on the lever...



The rough shaping on the lever was done with the belt sander, files and strips of emery cloth.



The rest of the radii were cut on the rotary table (getting rid of the weld evidence ). At the same time, the curved shape around the pivot point was approximated by using three different tapered end mills.



This is a quick and dirty fixture I made up to bend the scroll shape on the lever.



The first curve was tough. It took a lot more heat than I expected because of the thickness of the part and the tight bend.


Bending it around the second and third form rolls.



It still needs some hand finishing, but I couldn't wait to try it on the gun. The shape is pretty close, but it still needs to be tweaked a bit. Next time I'll add more form rolls to make it easier to hold the shape.

 

[ScrapMetal]

Re: Building the Stevens Favorite Rifle

I was looking forward to see how you were going to do that one. Now that it's "bent" to roughly where you want it will you need to harden it?

Thanks,

-Ron