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Gunsmithing Can you thread and chamber between centers?

raceorshoot

Private
Minuteman
Oct 23, 2007
30
0
42
West Plains, MO
I'm new to this. Can you thread and chamber between centers? My headstock is to wide on my lathe to use a spider to indacate and dial in the bore thru the headstock. What do I do??? Any pictures would be great. Thanks
 
Re: Can you thread and chamber between centers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Just Shoot</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> My headstock is to wide on my lathe to use a spider to indacate and dial in the bore thru the headstock. </div></div>

What do you mean?
I don't have a spider on mine,
I spin a slip fit bushing I tap on the barrel (muzzle end)
to center it in the spindle....
I have done it with a steady rest, just a little more tedious IMHO....
but definitely doable...
 
Re: Can you thread and chamber between centers?

From the face of the jaws on my chuck back is over 30in.
Keep the advice coming I need all the help I can get.
 
Re: Can you thread and chamber between centers?

Wow,
big lathe huh?
wink.gif


I've had good luck with the bushing setup YMMV.....
If you verify that the outer diameter is concentric to the inner diameter,
you could chuck the muzzle end in a four jaw and use the center steady..
 
Re: Can you thread and chamber between centers?

What if the bore isn't concentric with the outer diameter? Not a big lathe it's a 1340 Jet.
 
Re: Can you thread and chamber between centers?

I have heard .001 is close enough as well. And one of the videos I have says that anything more than that is just wasting your time. This is one cat that I have got to learn to skin. I'm tired of paying out the $#@ and waiting months. So I figured I'd pay out the %#& once for a lathe and make up for it in the long run. All that being said is 1/4 to 1/2 m.o.a. a problem doing it this way? Thanks
 
Re: Can you thread and chamber between centers?

I strive for .0005" or less, which is doable,
just to cut down on the "compounding of runout"

You could press/tap an oversized OD bushing on the muzzle end,
then cut it true and to size between centers
(sized for the ID of the spindle)
then slip it in the spindle dial it in and thread/chamber...

Here's a good book

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=213961

Shows simple ways of doing accurate work...
 
Re: Can you thread and chamber between centers?

Yes, just indicate it in the steady rest to thread and chamber.
 
Re: Can you thread and chamber between centers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: chpprguy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Just Shoot</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> My headstock is to wide on my lathe to use a spider to indacate and dial in the bore thru the headstock. </div></div>

What do you mean?
I don't have a spider on mine,
I spin a slip fit bushing I tap on the barrel (muzzle end)
to center it in the spindle....
I have done it with a steady rest, just a little more tedious IMHO....
but definitely doable... </div></div>

I think maybe you don't realize that the bore and the OD of the barrel are not concentric. Real poor procedure here.
 
Re: Can you thread and chamber between centers?

I ensure the bore is concentric to the od first...
if it isn't I press an oversized bushing on the OD, (muzzle end)
dial in the bore, then turn the bushing to fit in the spindle..
So the od of the bushing is concentric with the id of the bore...
then with the muzzle end (with freshly turned bushing) in the spindle, I dial in the chamber end of the bore.
Then thread/chamber,etc....
Andy