Chip weld…

[Judd]

What is it a symptom of, pushing the reamer too hard? Does case size have anything to do with it?

I did a 338 Lapua mag barrel this weekend and it was bad…the only other time I have seen it was on a 30 Nosler. Two different barrel manufacturers or I’d ask about steel hardness.

 

[FireMedic]

Typically when taking too big of a peck without clearing chips. Chips build and that creates heat and then a chip weld can form. Higher RPM can amplify it.

The wrong lube can contribute as well.

Preboring and a flush system will cure a bunch of ills when chambering.

 

[DaveTooley]

It's called a finish reamer for a reason. This is one thing a flush system helps avoid. I didn't plan or expect my flush system to reliably vacate chips. I did plan on proper lubrication during reaming though. The reamers we use will never reliably allow for chip removal. They're not designed for that. If your system does then keep plenty of paper towels handy , one day you'll have a mess to clean up. When I do get chip weld I use a hard knife edge India stone bottomed out in the flute and stone the face of the flutes. This includes the entire length including the throat. You will feel it smooth up as the chip is removed.

 

[Judd]

Thank you…exactly as I suspected and when I slowed it down and took smaller chunks between clearing it definitely got better and that is the main reason I asked the question. I wanted someone to confirm what I thought I had figured out.

I have a diamond shaped stone that fit perfectly in between the flutes that was fairly easy to remove. I did prebore but not as much as I would’ve normally because it was a sharp brand new reamer and I got scared of it chattering…so I only prebored enough that the pilot still reached the rifling….which was no where near where I would’ve normally.

As always…thank you, the knowledge shared here is appreciated and amazing!

 

[DaveTooley]

Thank you…exactly as I suspected and when I slowed it down and took smaller chunks between clearing it definitely got better and that is the main reason I asked the question. I wanted someone to confirm what I thought I had figured out.

I have a diamond shaped stone that fit perfectly in between the flutes that was fairly easy to remove. I did prebore but not as much as I would’ve normally because it was a sharp brand new reamer and I got scared of it chattering…so I only prebored enough that the pilot still reached the rifling….which was no where near where I would’ve normally.

As always…thank you, the knowledge shared here is appreciated and amazing!

A trick I learned with Ackley Imp reamers. Cut about .100" of the body first. Then go in and hog out all the metal you can.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Scoring a chamber from a clogged flute is different than chip weld. Chip weld is better desribed as built up edge or bue. The first is simple, learn the reamer. Some can go for inches and not clog others need to be pulled every .050. Bue can largely be cured with good lube and speeds and feeds