Taper turning

[Denver]

I want to rebarrel one of my Ruger single action 357s with a 7.5 inch barrel. Thought I'd pick up a suitable blank from Numrich or someplace and have at it. The problem is, I don't have a taper attachment on my lathe, and haven't before tried off setting the tailstock to create a taper. Just wondering if it can be done that way and get satisfactory results. Don't want to screw up my lathe either. I'd definitely practice on some scrap to set up the lathe first. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance, Denver

[JSnover]

If you have a dead center for the headstock and a lathe dog, the tailstock offset method will work fine. Get the correct taper dialed in with a piece of scrap first. You'll find it's not complicated.
Good luck!

[floodgate]

I adapted a boring head made for 1/2" boring bars, with an MT3 taper, for use as a controlled-offset tailstock, by having a hardened center made up to fit the central boring bar socket. Set it into the tailstock socket with the travel horizontal, and just dial-in the offset you need (1/2 the difference between the breech and muzzle diameters you want).

floodgate

[Nueces]

A small refinement to floodgate's fine idea is to use a Sherline live center (part 1191) in the tailstock boring head.

Mark

[floodgate]

Mark:

Good thought! Is the Sherline live center a straight 1/2" and not a Morse taper? If so, that makes it even better.

Thanks

Doug

[jhrosier]

Thanks Floodgate!
I learn something interesting and usefull just about every time I browse this forum.

The only downside is that I'm getting so smart that when I talk to myself, sometimes I don't understand me.:confused:

Jack

[Denver]

Thanks for the ideas guys. The boring bar holder sounds like a great idea and my catalog show them available for under a $100. Didn't find the Sherline center tho.
Is the shank straight or is it changeable ?
I have the center, lathe dog, etc., so I'll try that route first.

:drinks:

[Nueces]

Fellas, the Sherline center has a shortened Morse taper zero, so an adapter must be made to fit it to the boring head. Mild PITA. I've intended to do this for a long time, and it may be that the center body could be held in the lathe chuck and the taper turned straight for easier fitting. Here is a link to the Sherline catalog page showing the center:

http://www.sherline.com/1191pg.htm

I love this stuff,

Mark

[SwedeNelson]

I have been wanting to do something like this for some time.
Hate to change the tail stock.

Grizzly 2008 catalog:
MT#3 Live Center G5787 $29.95 (Hope I can turn it down)
Boring Head for 3/4" bar G93323 $59.95
MT#3 Boring Head Shank G9326 $19.95.
Total $109.85

If I cant turn down the Live Center I may need a:
Extension Socket H5899 $15.95.

Thanks for the idea.
Swede Nelson

[codarnall]

Thanks for the ideas guys. The boring bar holder sounds like a great idea and my catalog show them available for under a $100. Didn't find the Sherline center tho.
Is the shank straight or is it changeable ?
I have the center, lathe dog, etc., so I'll try that route first.

:drinks:

www.use-enco.com their 2008 catalog has a complete line of these product and gratly expanded this year. Do watch out for some of the made in India things like bits, seems the steel is very brittle.

[John Taylor]

I made this up years back and have made a few for others. It has a live center and can be flipped over to turn the taper the other way.http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l132/johnptaylor/Newoffsetcenter.jpg

[Denver]

I made this up years back and have made a few for others. It has a live center and can be flipped over to turn the taper the other way.http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l132/johnptaylor/Newoffsetcenter.jpg

Looks like just the ticket. How would this compare in cost to the other tools needed for a setup like in SwedeNelson's post?

[John Taylor]

Denver, The last one I made for sale was $175. I have made a few using the boring heads. Instead of using a live center I bored out the area that holds the boring tool and inserted 2 bearings then made a center cone to fit out of an old axle that was hard enough to hold it's shape. Some of the boring heads are hardened and don't machine well, need to be annealed. The one in the picture took a lot of time. It is made out of 4140 steel. The taper is a screw in but I have also welded some on.

[JIMinPHX]

Can't you just kick the compound off at an angle & use that?

[Morgan Astorbilt]

Most compound's have a short length of feed, requiring doing the barrel in steps, and you wouldn't be able to use auto long feed. The easiest way, without a taper attachment, would be to offset the tailstock. It's no big deal to dial it back in when you're done.

Morgan

[richbug]

Can't you just kick the compound off at an angle & use that?

My compound is only good for 4 inches or so. Contouring a barrel 4" at a time hand cranked would have to be one of the most painful things I have ever done. That was only an 8" pistol barrel. Getting the joint perfect is tougher than you would think.


If this works out that will save me buying a $600 taper attachment. I think I already have 1/2 the parts in my junk box.


thanks much,
rich

[SwedeNelson]

The easiest way, without a taper attachment, would be to offset the tailstock. It's no big deal to dial it back in when you're done.

Morgan

Unless you just got it set up to cut a chamber with little or no run out.

That's what I hate!
Practice does make perfect but I only have so much hair.

I'm a sucker for "Rub Goldberg" things any way.

Swede Nelson

[John Taylor]

I work on barrels all day long and moving the tail stock was taking to much time and starting to show ware on the locking bolts. I have 3 lathes and the newest one has never had the tail stock moved because I made an off set center for it before I used it. On longer barrels a steady rest is used to help reduce chatter, also the tool bit is ground with no radius.

[John Taylor]

thought a couple more pics were in orderhttp://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l132/johnptaylor/Offsetcenter1.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l132/johnptaylor/offsetcenterparts.jpg

[Denver]

Beautiful work John. I think I'll try the offset tailstock method for the first try. That is if I can find the barrel material I want. Numrich seems to be all sold out of everything, and I don't know where else to look unless I buy a full length blank from Brownells.

Thanks, Denver

[Catshooter]

For just a one-off, you could just use a file and cut the taper you like.


Cat

[leftiye]

Rugers (in my way of seeing it) are badly light in the nose. Why not make a heavier barrel without any taper? I know them folks that like 4" barrels wouldn't agree that they need more weight in the nose, but ever since I had a straight 6" barrel put on my Officer's Model I've been hooked. While yer at it, how about an 8, 9, or 10 inch barrel? Course I love my Ragging (sp) Bool too (but it just might be sum too heavy)!