Can anyone make me a 50BMG wheel for a Ken Light annealer?

[JRS]

The Light 50 BMG wheel is 2" thick.

 

[BOLTED]

Thank you JRS! I knew it was a fairly hefty plate.

jaclthr, I'm anxious to hear how your plate comes out. If you could send me a message or a couple pictures when you are done, I would very much appreciate it.

Dave

 

[jaclthr]

Hello Dave,

Plates just arrived and they look like they are going to work perfectly. As soon as I get started I'll try to load pictures.

jaclthr

 

[BOLTED]

jaclthr,

Nice! I hope it all goes well for you, and I bet it will turn out great.

Are you making two 50 BMG wheels? You said plate(s) so I was just wondering. If you need a template for the 223, 308 or the 338, I can loan you one. Or at least give you any measurements you need. I have a feeling you already have a template wheel though, and that you know exactly what you are doing.

I just ordered the 338 plate last week from Ken Light, so hopefully it will be here soon.

I also renewed my FCSA membership, so I'm betting someone over there has a 50 wheel. As soon as my membership # gets here so I can log on, I will ask.

 

[jaclthr]

Hello Sir,

I said plates because I ordered a 1 1/2" thick and a 2" thick plate to see which would be best and I am going with the 2" first. I do have a Ken Light set up so I have plates, that is how I new I would have to make the ring with the holes wider to take the much bigger hole size required for the 50 BMG and still have plenty of wall thickness on the holes. I am hoping to get started later this week.

jaclthr

 

[lkydvl]

Any progress on the 50 wheel?

 

[jaclthr]

Hello All,

Changed to 8" round stock, 2" thick, they arrived about 2 weeks back and with good luck will have time to start cutting wheel next week. Hope to post photos as work goes along .

jaclthr

 

[BOLTED]

Any progress on the wheel?

 

[jaclthr]

Hello Guys,

Finally got caught up enough to get started on the 50 BMG wheel. I changed to an 8" round stock so I wouldn't have to knock the corners off. I went with a 2" piece as it seems to be the better thickness for the case than a 2 1/2" piece. I changed to my 10" adjustable chuck and dialed it in to zero and turned the jaws around to mount the 8" stock. I drilled a starter hole and then faced off the stock piece before drilling and finish boring the center hole to 1.5" to match the original wheel. I also took some truing passes on the outside to clean up the outside diameter so that it will be true to the inside once I finish and turn it around in the jaws to finish the wheel up. I hope I can get some pictures I took as I went about this, my first time but I will give it a try. I'm at a stopping point while I grind tool to cut out the center part for the water to sit. This my not be the best way but for my humble little shop it is what I came up with to try. Sorry for the delay in getting to this. Well I'm having trouble sizing my pictures to fit. I will continue to work on it and add later I hope.

Thanks

jaclthr

 

[jaclthr]

 

[jaclthr]

Finally, I don't know how I did it but here are the pictures I have so far.

 

[BOLTED]

Looking good!

What is the finished wheel in the second and third pictures? Is that your template wheel?

Thanks for taking the time to post some pics. I am always amazed at how someone can turn a hunk of metal into a shiny perfect useful object.

 

[jaclthr]

Hello Guys,

The wheel in the 2nd & 3rd pictures is a Lapua plate I was using as a guide. I'm making the outer ring for the holes about .300 bigger to except the 50 BMG holes needed for the brass to flow through easily. I did more work today until I got called away, the wheel is starting to take shape, I'll try to get more pictures posted. I forgot just how messy aluminum can be it is all over the place, YIKES ! ! !

jaclthr

 

[BOLTED]

Ken told me the holes on his plates for the 50 were .802

I'm just throwing that in. I know you have it figured out already.

I remember helping a friend at a machine shop gather all the chips and curls from a big job, and yes what a mess. The great thing was that most of it was magnesium, and boy does it light up a campfire!!

 

[jaclthr]

Hello All,

Really starting to take shape. Here are the latest pictures. Still a little more to do but starting to look like a usable wheel.

jaclthr

 

[lkydvl]

looking goood!

 

[jaclthr]

Hello All,

Back at it today to true up the back of the plate and cut the outside diameter to size. It finished up pretty good, the outer ring needs to be trimmed a bit and I want to go a bit deeper on the water channel and then it will be time to drill holes. WOW ! ! What a mess aluminum makes when cutting so much of it. Anyway here are some pictures of todays progress.

 

[BOLTED]

Awesome. Many beer cans gave their lives to be sacrificed to the aluminum gods for this project. I'll raise one in praise when this is completed.

 

[jaclthr]

Hello All,

I finally finished all the machining and all that is left is drilling the holes. It actually fits on the Ken Light Machine and runs. Great ! ! !

jaclthr

 

[lkydvl]

Now you just need to make a few more for the rest of us!