Need a Spider.

[Nvreloader]

I have a lathe with a 22" overall length bore for a 1-3/8 hole for collet setup + 4 jaw chuck.
This is the minimum/shortest length I can go to.

How can I make a spider for doing bbls? I don't like the present set up I am using.

Anything over 22" is no problem, it's the 14 to 22" bbls that are a problem.

Any suggestions/Ideas??

Tia,
Don

 

[Erik Cortina]

I made one that slips over the outboard side of the spindle and has two set screws 90° apart to tighten it in place and 4 set screws about an inch further out for indicating the barrels. It's pretty simple.

 

[jonbearman]

Holland gunsmithing will make you one.

 

[rayjay]

If you have a face plate you could drill and tap it for screws and use it in place of the chuck. Gains a couple of inches.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/T10109

 

[Nvreloader]

Thanks for the info,

I have a D-4 chuck set up, I had planned on doing this conversion, but the main problem is the 1-3/8" diameter hole thru the 22" long headstock from the end of the collet head/adaptor to the D-4 adaptor end.

I have not been able to figure out how to get a spider made for the shorter bbls I chamber, 14" to 22" long, Main headache.

Tia,
Don

 

[rayjay]

I just needed to crown a 21" reverse taper bbl in my 4003G Grizzly and needed to use the faceplate spider along with the spider at the other end.

 

[X Ring Accuracy]

Make your own is my first answer....you have a lathe so go for it. Second. we machinist sit and look at a problem from ALOT of angles. We cry, kick our dog, drink beer to ease the pain of the problem......but ultimately we figure out a way to do it and make our own tooling / jigs / fixtures. If I had a nickle for every............... You get the idea. Use that nogging and tell us what you made

 

[Hal]

There is a couple to deal with a long headstock.

Gre-Tan sells an 8" x 4" dia aluminum cylinder, drilled like a spider, that is clamped in a 4 jaw chuck and used to a line your work with the spindle. I think PT&G makes these also set up to fit in place of your chuck. The Viper is using one he made on a utube video.

You can also make a sleeve to center your barrel inside your lathe spindle.

or thread between centers and chamber using a steady rest.

Hal

 

[jscandale]

Erik Cornita's idea is a slick one. He posted a pic of it on another thread and I have to say "why didn't I think of that??".
If you really want the Cadillac of solutions to your problem, Straight Shot Gunsmithing make a very very nice item called the true bore alignment system. About $1100, but worth it.

JS

 

[Erik Cortina]

Erik Cornita's idea is a slick one. He posted a pic of it on another thread and I have to say "why didn't I think of that??".
If you really want the Cadillac of solutions to your problem, Straight Shot Gunsmithing make a very very nice item called the true bore alignment system. About $1100, but worth it.

JS

I finished the cathead that I showed on the other thread. I'll try to remember to take a picture and post it here. I can do short barrels and true actions with that set up and never have to remove anything.

 

[Nvreloader]

The option I use now is,

I turned a piece of Alum to just fit inside the spindle hole, less than .005" clearance, inside the alum base I turned/fitted a HD piece of Teflon plastic that has a 30* tapered point, and inserted into this Teflon point, is turned 30* brass point to fit the tip.

When I do a short bbl, I have plug made to fit a HD spring about 12-14" long x 1-1/4" diameter, this plug/spring is inserted into the bore and then I insert this alum/Teflon cone into the bore and the bore of the bbl is centered on the brass tip.

The bbl is then pushed into the spindle bore until the spring plug hits the collet closer attachment inside the spindle hole. The barrel is then centered on the tail stock, and the bbl is pushed into the spindle bore untill there is about 4"+ sticking out, then centered in the spindle bore using a bore rod, as close as I can get it, before chambering or threading etc.

I would like to get the muzzle end centered as close as possible and the chamber end also, as I know the muzzle end is not running true because of muzzle end is not held within the .005" spec's of the spindle plug etc.

Tia,
Don