Machine tools for revolver smithing?

[P89DC]

I'm fixing to expand my hobby interests to include metal working. I plan on buy a metal lathe and mill, probably Grizzly product and a welder (Miller).

Any tips on what I'll need? I'd like to be able to fit grip frames, cut barrels, rethread barrels and clock them, change caliber/rebarrel, make flattops. General screwing around like I do with woodworking.

 

[woodsy]

What kind of machine tool training do you have? That's the very first order of business.

 

[jsh]

You darn sure won't learn any younger, but as mentioned it is a far cry from working with wood.
I am pressed for space myself, I have pretty much settled on the grizzly G0602 for what I am wanting to do. It is not so much the equipment as it is the operator. There is a thread over at AR a gent built a rifle with a small lathe that was set up on the tailgate of his truck. The lathe was found in a barn and had some issues which he worked around and got everything square with the world.
I myself will leave the gun work to those that do it for a living.

You will get all kinds of advice on equipment. Some will push you towards a used American made lathe. My thoughts on that is you have no idea how it has been used or cared for. A new foreign made will run you + or - some $, depending on several things. This part of the country there are not a lot of lathes laying around. The used ones are usually huge and in bad shape. The home shop models bring a premium. Deals can be found though, especially if there is tooling thrown in.
If you have the room in your shop, don't be scared of the three phase motors. They can be switched to run on 220 and ran with a VFD for reasonable money.
I have been advised by my three mentors, all machinist/gunsmiths that tooling can get in your pocket pretty quick.
There is a fair bit more to it than spinning a piece of steel and making chips fly.

 

[Hondo44]

You have the right gear for working on Ruger revolvers at least. For barrel work you'll want a live center for the tailstock. And a center brace. You want a chuck that will open enough to take a cylinder. And 3 jaw and 4 jaw chuck.

A tig welder is preferred.

When you're ready to do some barrel work and barrel swapping, I can send you a step by step if you need it for clocking, etc., just ask.

 

[contender]

The biggest tip I can offer is get one thing. Knowledge.
I'd study the things I want to do, before buying any equipment, and make sure you get the right stuff to do the job(s) you desire. Schooling by studying with a gunsmith, going to school, getting the proper books to learn from & use as a reference are all things I'd invest in before I spent a large amount of money on equipment.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Order several books online about lathe,mill operation for beginners and read. Most gunsmithing operations are simple, dont overthink them. Precision is the goal.

My lathe is a 13"X 40" Jet. My mill is a Grizzley 8" X 32" table 1 1/2 hp. Belt drive.
These machines are not top of the line US made units but they cost 1/4 the price of
Those machines and will get the job done.
When you are ready for the top of the line tools they will sell used for almost what you payed for them. At this point, learning how to use them is the main thing.
Again, most operations are simple. If you can learn woodworking machines you will not have any trouble with metal working machines.
Get to it pard!

 

[P89DC]

Thanks for all the excellent responses. I've been contemplating this step for a few decades. I understand the idea of learning before buying, at my age (55) and workload I feel my best path is too jump in and learn by doing.

My oldest son is a professional welder, he assures me he'll be able to teach me to weld specific metals. An amateur can weld a few things well, a professional can weld anything.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

Thanks for all the excellent responses. I've been contemplating this step for a few decades. I understand the idea of learning before buying, at my age (55) and workload I feel my best path is too jump in and learn by doing.

My oldest son is a professional welder, he assures me he'll be able to teach me to weld specific metals. An amateur can weld a few things well, a professional can weld anything.

Learning by doing can be a very costly experience. If you have some good machinist who will stand by and give you advice AS you are doing, that would be a far better way to go. During my training as a toolmaker, I had several machinists who were chased from their homeland by a dirty bass turd named Hitler. These Polish, Lithuanian, Czechoslovakian and German toolmakers taught me a whole lot of stuff involved with manual mills, shapers, lathes and drill press operation in the four years that I followed their lead, and way more than any book will teach you. It's a good thing that Al Gore invented the internet, 'cause now, at least, we some fairly good You Tube videos that will give some means to at least learn some of the basics involved with manual machining.

 

[P89DC]

After some research I've arrived at this milling machine, a Grizzly G8689:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Mini-Milling-Machine/G8689?utm_campaign=zPage

Should work for general gunsmithing, reaming chambers, milling frames and drill/tapping, etc.

With regards to a lathe, I'm not sure if this one will work for general gunsmithing, machining barrels and cutting threads, etc:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/7-x-12-Mini-Metal-Lathe/G8688?utm_campaign=zPage

http://www.grizzly.com/products/7-X-14-Variable-Speed-Benchtop-Lathe/G0765?utm_campaign=zPage

Any and all comments appreciated. Please note, with regards to the milling machine, it's not much more than a drill press and has the features I need. With regards to the lathe, $500~$700 isn't that much $$ to me and I'll have a nice project to work on.

 

[5of7]

You would be well advised to get a good pedestal grinder for sharpening drills and making tooling for the lathe.

I am a journeyman machinist retired and in my opinion, a small lathe and a vertical spindle mill should be all you need in terms of machine tools.

If you are going to cut threads, then you should single point those threads in the lathe, make sure the lathe is equipped for that. Get a machinist to school you on that operation and if you are fairly mechanically inclined, you should have no problems that you can't fix. 8)

 

[aciera]

I'm old so bear with me.
There is nothing wrong with well cared for old iron.
Many are better than you can buy today new short of $20,000. Actually $50,000.

Research. Look at European machines.

Then find a GOOD machine rebuilder. Ask his opinion and if he has any leads.

And then have him look at the machine. Yup. $75-100 an hour and buy him a good lunch.

Why pay that??!!!!

He will tell you what is wrong,worn and the price to do it. Invaluable in price dickering.

If ya don't get the lathe you are out a couple of hundred. Not thousand, but you made a good friend.

He will see hidden problems. Like no parts to fix a pretty machine.

I got a lil 12x30 Graziano. Drove from Mo to SoCal to get it.

SMOOTH. Dual ways. 4HP. 2400 lbs.

Go to Lathes.UK to research what is out there.

I daily use a machine that was built in the 60s. Last year the cross slide was rescraped. Otherwise one turret piece replaced and a Rapids chain broke.

2 10 hr shifts a day and often weekends. 40 hp. It moves metal and I have +.0000-.0005 at times.

Ain't nothing wrong with old iron. But only GOOD old iron.

And any of the grizzly stuff is fine. The lathe will get littl use.

One tip. Drain the oil when you get it and put it thru a coffee filter.

Fill with new oil and warm it up. Repeat till clean.

The little Rockwell mill with R-8 collets are great. Sub size BPort..

I'll help if I can.