Making your own chamber reamers
#11
Forgot to add: holding the temp too long will result in scale. (Ask how I found that out!) You'll notice the scale on the pilot in the pic above.
pamrick, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun since Jul 2012.
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#12
Nice writeup Rick! One of these days I'll have to make my first home-made reamer. I need a 7.62x25 reamer and I think I have the 'knowledge' to do it now, I just need the nerve to start cutting metal. (heat would be nice too... cold shop)

So, I really like those soft jaws in one of the pics above. Did you make those? They look really useful.
Ken
An old tired/retired/wanna-be machinist. Cool
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#13
Rick,
Excellent write up and photos a job well done Smiley-signs107 Worthy
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DaveH
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#14
Thanks guys. Ken, those are old barrel jaws for an AR. I can't remember where I got them, but places like Midway and Brownell's still carry them. Not bad on an AR in a bench vise, but great on most round stock in the milling machine!
pamrick, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun since Jul 2012.
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#15
I have read that coating in liquid soap will prevent scale build up. Haven't tried it myself though, so could be total crap!
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#16
I've not heard that. I may try it on a piece of drop. just any type of liquid soap?
pamrick, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun since Jul 2012.
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#17
Honestly I cannot remember. Best to Google it...
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#18
Thanks Rick, I think I'll take some of my aluminum drops and make a pair of jaws for my larger vise.
Ken
An old tired/retired/wanna-be machinist. Cool
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#19
Nice job on the reamer Rick and a great write-up.

The way to prevent scale is to keep oxygen away from the part as it's heated. If you have a furnace, you can fashion an air tight box for the part or use a stainless steel envelope which you can purchase just for that purpose. Since you are using a torch, you might try putting the reamer in a pipe nipple with capped ends. An old timers way to consume any oxygen in the heating receptacle is to place a piece of paper in with the part. As the paper burns, it will consume any oxygen that is present and keep scale from building on the part.

Tom
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#20
Thanks Tom. I seem to remember the paper in the crucible trick mentioned sometime long ago. I think I actually moved the torch too close to the reamer. A friend of mine swears by the "bean can" furnace for things like this. I may have to try that one next. He uses a Mapp torch and gets things plenty hot. No scale.
Ken, if I had some drop of suitable size, I would make another pair like these. I have a pair of jaws made from plain old aluminum angle that I use a lot too.
pamrick, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun since Jul 2012.
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