From: Russ Kepler <russ@kepler-eng.com>
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: Problem turning taper
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 08:24:36 -0700

Harold Vordos wrote:

> On the subject of turning long slender items, what about gun barrels?
> Though P.O. Ackley was not only known by me, but was a friend that had
> visited my home, I never did see how he cut barrels.  Anyone out there like
> to talk about how the gunsmiths turn these long slender items?  It is
> important to look good as well as be good.  These guys must have a great
> answer for this one.

The tool I copied from a gunsmith friend is an odd looking too.
Basically take a square HSS tool and grind (looking from the top) 5-7
deg relief left to right and top to bottom (upper left corner of the
tool touches the work.  Grind a chip breaker groove (even if you don't
believe in them) on that left side parallel to the left edge, then grind
in the front relief until you have about 5 degrees relief and have begun
to kiss the chipbreaker groove.  After all that you should have a tool
that's made to hog metal off barrels; just keep it perpendicular to the
work, turn slowly and take deep cuts.  The finish will be nasty, for the
last pass take the tool and pop a little tiny flat on the upper left
front of the tool to rub the work and take off that last bit to give a
finish that can be worked into a barrel.

--
Russ Kepler                                          russ@kepler-eng.com

                      Please Don't Feed the Engineers