Wildfowler Posted April 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 I did go and pick up a band saw for cutting steel after work this evening (another bay bargain!) It should make cutting the billets a bit easier!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted April 26, 2013 Report Share Posted April 26, 2013 (edited) Nice Thread this. do you use Holstein as a saw lubricant? Keep it up Edited April 26, 2013 by shaun4860 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted April 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2013 That's the best thing it for it in my opinion! They were left overs from a BBQ last year but I hung on to them to use as air rifle targets for my boys. I thought they'd probably make quite interesting targets when theyre really shaken up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted April 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 I spent most of the day yesterday cleaning off the rest of the mill and got the head sitting true again. I also gave the lathe a bit of a run up... I ordered the material on Friday so next weekend should see the gun started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted April 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 As i'm a bit of a tight *** i didn't want to spend another £150 on a tool trolley i knocked one up so a can put my toolbox, spare chucks and steadies, etc on it. I also put up a couple of small shelves to put the milling bits and pieces on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 Looking forward to seeing them in use on your gun. Did you buy some cheap material for a trial run first? Figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted April 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 No... I've got a few offcuts to set up tools on but spare material would be pretty steep cost wise. I'll just have to make sure I don't mess it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 Looking forward to seeing the big gun made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted May 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 (edited) Here is the workbench... the legs are too big and wood isn't the ideal material but its made from some old skirting board and fence posts and took an hour or so to knock up... The saw i bough came on a platform with castors to make it easy to move about so i used this as the base so i can get it out of the way nice an easily but also move it in so all my tools are close to hand when i'm on the machines... Edited May 2, 2013 by Wildfowler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 Cracking workshop set-up! Really looking forward to the gun build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted May 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 I was emailed saying the barrel is in, now i'm waiting on the rest of the steel for the action, breach plug and the barrel sleeve to arrive. I'm overseas with work for the rest of the week so will collect it on Sunday and hopefully spend some of bank holiday getting started! I got some new bearings for the fixed steady yesterday and put them in so it's all pretty much ready to go. I just do still need a bench grinder but can't seem to find a cheap one (again, me being tight i'm sure) I might just go and buy a new one on Saturday... i definitely need one to grind the HSS tools. I'll use indexable tip tools for the majority of the work but some of the tooling for undercuts and threading will have to be ground specifically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 I love this thread but sometimes wonder if a new gun would have been cheaper! Keep it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 I love this thread but sometimes wonder if a new gun would have been cheaper! Keep it up! It wouldn't be true DIY if it worked out cheaper to get someone else to do it, now would it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted May 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 (edited) Your right, A new gun would have been cheaper and easier, without question! However... If I had paid someone to make it for me I'm sure they would have made a nice job but I guarantee they wouldn't put the thought and care into it that I will purely because it isn't there's, its human nature. It would have been done to a price. Additionally, once I'd paid the engineer to make the gun, yes I'd have the item to use but that would be that... This way Ive spent maybe a few hundred pounds more but will have the gun and all the machines to make yet another gun, and another and anything else I may wish to make, all of which will cost comparatively peanuts as its just raw material. Coincidentally there was an old punt on the bay recently just a few miles from my house for £900. I did think i could have just bought that and renovated it with considerably less effort than building a new one, BUT, it wouldn't be to my spec and the end result wouldn't be what I really wanted. That just served to remind me of the whole point of the project... To build a punt and gun completely from scratch that is truly unique, so my boys and I can use it together and make some great momories and when the time comes they will have something to keep and hopefully pass the knowledge on to their kids. (The gun will of course outlast the punt) That's the plan anyway... They might just sell it and go for a night out! Who knows! Edited to say, this way my boys also get to learn some valuable engineering skills and have access to machines (when they're old enough) to make things and be creative rather than sit inside playing computer games. You never know what they will be when they're older so I want to give them as many opportunities and skills for them to fall back on as possible... Edited May 4, 2013 by Wildfowler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanj Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 Your right, A new gun would have been cheaper and easier, without question! However... If I had paid someone to make it for me I'm sure they would have made a nice job but I guarantee they wouldn't put the thought and care into it that I will purely because it isn't there's, its human nature. It would have been done to a price. Additionally, once I'd paid the engineer to make the gun, yes I'd have the item to use but that would be that... This way Ive spent maybe a few hundred pounds more but will have the gun and all the machines to make yet another gun, and another and anything else I may wish to make, all of which will cost comparatively peanuts as its just raw material. Coincidentally there was an old punt on the bay recently just a few miles from my house for £900. I did think i could have just bought that and renovated it with considerably less effort than building a new one, BUT, it wouldn't be to my spec and the end result wouldn't be what I really wanted. That just served to remind me of the whole point of the project... To build a punt and gun completely from scratch that is truly unique, so my boys and I can use it together and make some great momories and when the time comes they will have something to keep and hopefully pass the knowledge on to their kids. (The gun will of course outlast the punt) That's the plan anyway... They might just sell it and go for a night out! Who knows! Edited to say, this way my boys also get to learn some valuable engineering skills and have access to machines (when they're old enough) to make things and be creative rather than sit inside playing computer games. You never know what they will be when they're older so I want to give them as many opportunities and skills for them to fall back on as possible... Good fathering that mate, wish I had the skills you have to do the same........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 I remember telling my wife that making my own fishing flies would be cheaper...... Several vices and draws full of feathers later..... Mmmmm! Great project enjoy life's not about the price if everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted May 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 All our little projects will save money! Well of course that's what we tell the mrs! I doubt any wife would embrace these projects if we told them the truth... 'Well... It will cost twice as much, take 3 times as long and you won't see me for months' - sounds like a winner! or maybe she would??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 I think we all do this sort of thing to varying degrees! I don't ever lie, I just leave important bits out! Keep up the good work W.F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted May 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 I picked up the material this morning... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted May 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 I cut a hole in the walls that line up with the spindle today too so i can put the barrel in through the wall whilst i'm machining it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazle Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 Mrs C just walked in as I was viewing this thread, and asked what the pipe on the top of the car was. I explained that the author was building a modern version of a punt gun, and how an old school shooter would row a boat out towards a flock of birds and shoot a large gun in order to bag a few. Mrs C assumed that the car would be driven to the foreshore and pointed at the ducks, before firing the gun. I have corrected her, once I stopped laughing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy H Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 (edited) Just a few questions , How long is the piece of tube you are machining , (have you any bar steady's and will that fit through the headstock bore also bearing in mind the chuck will only grip about 2" of it) If you get any oscillation on that length of tube unless you are on a seriously low speed it could turn into a nightmare big time. Edited May 5, 2013 by Andy H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted May 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 (edited) Yes I have a fixed steady with bearings to clamp to the bed of the lathe and there is a steady each end which is hard mounted to the structure of the building to keep the bar as ridged as possible. I bought the lathe specifically for the project, hence requiring a Colchester Triumph as it quite a small lathe in comparison to spindle bore, which will take 2 1/8". I will run it at fairly low speed from the start as the second you get resonance it is very difficult to get rid of as the tool will pick up on it when you try to machine it out. So I guess we will see how it goes! I've tried to mitigate as many opportunities for it to go wrong as possible, but who knows! As the OD of the barrel is only a small element of the build I'm not too concerned that it will take a while... Edited to say, the tube is 3m long in that picture but it will end at about 2.75 I think. Edited May 6, 2013 by Wildfowler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry69koi Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 WOW B) sat up a 2am this morning reading this thread man you use tools that i used to but to a way higher skill degree i bow to ur skill old wise one Lee ps im older than you lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted May 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 WOW B) sat up a 2am this morning reading this thread man you use tools that i used to but to a way higher skill degree i bow to ur skill old wise one Lee ps im older than you lol cos you found it interesting or you're using it to send you to sleep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.