Martini machined on mini lathe

[Pitchfire]

Not to pull up an old post, but I had to commend you for doing this on the mini-mill and posting it! I just finished reading a thread elsewhere where the consensus was that you couldn't even attempt to do anything without at least a 1.5" spindle bore, 36" bed, 1000lb, multi-hp machine (the guy wanted to use a G0602 with a 1" bore and 22" bed to do a limited amount of hobby gunsmithing). One brave poster asked if in fact he couldn't do a pithy bit of work and was denounced as a heretic. So here's to defying convention! (insert applause here).

 

[Les B]

Not to pull up an old post, but I had to commend you for doing this on the mini-mill and posting it! I just finished reading a thread elsewhere where the consensus was that you couldn't even attempt to do anything without at least a 1.5" spindle bore, 36" bed, 1000lb, multi-hp machine (the guy wanted to use a G0602 with a 1" bore and 22" bed to do a limited amount of hobby gunsmithing). One brave poster asked if in fact he couldn't do a pithy bit of work and was denounced as a heretic. So here's to defying convention! (insert applause here).

Most of the true die hards on machinery will tell you that it can't be done on a mini mill or lathe. Go to my post in the Downloads section in Plans and Drawnings you will find several rifles made with these small machines. As a hobby you are not trying to finish a rifle in order to make $50-100 per hour to pay the rent. I see these prices being quoted when different jobs are priced on the internet. If you are going to impress someone with all these fancy machines with all the new paint you may have to charge the high prices to make the payments on the equipment. Most shops have old lathes and mills bought after WW11 which were worn out when bought used. You are not trying to machine a part in mass production, but make a one of a kind product. If you only have a limited amount of work room buy small machines. Buy what you can afford and if you want to up grade to larger machines talk to a good banker which will let you have a long term loan.

Here are some more things that I wrote to another person and it is true about becoming a gunsmith as a pro or as a hobby.

Stocks are in a different class of ability than machine operations. The machine will cut exactly as you want by dialing in the dimensions a few thousands at a time. Anyone with normal ability can learn this process. It takes a person with artistic abilities to make stocks and I mean ones made without a duplicator.
The use of chisels to make cuts with a trained eye takes hand and eye coordination. This is my own sense of what is going on by observing people in classes when I taught stock making at TSJC. Only about 5% of the people had the ability become pro stock makers. Inletting and fitting metal to wood requires lots of practice in learning which way the grain runs in the area where you are working. In straight grain areas you can use a large chisel, but in cross grained areas you need to use smaller chisels to cut smoothly. In straight areas you could use a ½ inch gauge, but in crossgrain you would need to use a ¼ inch chisel or smaller. I use scrapers to cut very small amounts when necessary in the final fit. A chisel needs to be very thin and sharp as a razor blade to cut well.
I see so many guys using the same style classic stocks cut on the same duplicator. I have made all styles from ultra modern , Weatherby western,muzzleloader, and classic stocks. Most of the stock makers would not try to make an ultra modern like Guyman made in the ’50. If a person could show me a picture of what he wanted I would make it for him without any drawings.


Hope this helps with your machine selection and making your own firearms. I started learning this trade in 1957. I never caught up on work in all these years until I stopped working.

Les Brooks