Lathe for general gunsmithing?

Slackdaddy · Dec 14, 2020

What is the smallest lathe for general gunsmithing?
I am thinking threading a barrel is the largest "project" associated with gunsmithing?
Any recommendations?

Harrys · Dec 14, 2020

It all depends on your barrel lengths, you will need bearing spindle support, chucks on both ends, reverse and FWD controls, your tool gages to cut your tool to cut your threads, micrometers, drill bits, etc. Not sure what skills you have so pleas for give me if you are a machinist. I did lots of lathe work when I was in the USCG back in the 70s. Spray welding, truing boat shafts, tapering 36L SST stock for UT boat shafts, cutting threads, cutting in key ways.

Joseph · Dec 14, 2020

Another thing to consider is if you will be doing your work between centers you need a longer bed length. If you get a lathe with a spindle bore large enough to pass the work through the spindle you can have a shorter bed.

Slackdaddy · Dec 14, 2020

Thanks for the reply's (Joe and Harry)
It has been many year since I used a metal lathe. So I would be re-learning. Though I do a lot of fabricating in my shop, and lathe would be a new tool that I would have to learn.

That said, do any of the smaller lathes have pass through spindles ? 1" would cover anything I would need.

Slackdaddy · Dec 14, 2020

What gunsmithing operations would require a chuck on both ends.
the few full length barrel operations I have seen, they had the breach end in the chuck and the tailstock center in the end of the barrel.

Thanks for any insight,
Slack

Harrys said:
It all depends on your barrel lengths, you will need bearing spindle support, chucks on both ends, reverse and FWD controls, your tool gages to cut your tool to cut your threads, micrometers, drill bits, etc. Not sure what skills you have so pleas for give me if you are a machinist. I did lots of lathe work when I was in the USCG back in the 70s. Spray welding, truing boat shafts, tapering 36L SST stock for UT boat shafts, cutting threads, cutting in key ways.

Joseph · Dec 14, 2020

Let me preface my answers here by saying that I am not a machinist or a gunsmith. I just like to fiddle fart around with mostly vintage manual machine tools.

1” spindle bore is not very big and should be available on a lathe that can take 5C collets in the spindle which is fairly common.

I don’t know of an operation where you would want to have a chuck on the spindle and one in the tail stock at the same time. Typically you would have a live or dead center in the tailstock if you were supporting the outboard end of the work.

If you were to do work on the end of a barrel you would want to hold the breech end in a chuck on the spindle (or collet if it is not tapered) and do your work on the free end. For a long barrel you would want a steady rest to provide support and prevent deflection near the end you are working on.

I am not familiar with the various imported hobby grade lathes (Grizzly, etc.) so I can not offer any suggestions on those.

The lathes I would recommend would be a South Bend “heavy 10” model or an 11” Logan lathe or a similar sized Sheldon lathe. Also look at the Clausing 5900 series lathes.

GunBum · Dec 14, 2020

A 1” spindle bore isn’t enough for most barrel work. With a few exceptions, most barrel blanks for rifle work are 1.2” or larger. And a 5C collet won’t fit in a 1” hole. It just won’t. Even with a really big hammer.

You also need to think about the width of the headstock. If you have a lathe that has a 30” wide headstock, it doesn’t matter if you have a hole the size of Texas through the damned thing.

GunBum · Dec 14, 2020

And, the easy answer to the original question is a 12x36 lathe with a 1-3/8” spindle through hole.

Joseph · Dec 14, 2020

GunBum said:
A 1” spindle bore isn’t enough for most barrel work. With a few exceptions, most barrel blanks for rifle work are 1.2” or larger. And a 5C collet won’t fit in a 1” hole. It just won’t. Even with a really big hammer.

You also need to think about the width of the headstock. If you have a lathe that has a 30” wide headstock, it doesn’t matter if you have a hole the size of Texas through the damned thing.

I did not mean to imply that a 5C collet will fit INTO a 1” hole just that a spindle that can take those collets will have at least 1” of pass through. Maybe I didn’t phrase it clearly.

mauser58 · Dec 14, 2020

I would like to have a 36" lathe myself. Dont need a large swing because I need to thread and set back barrels. I saw one for sale today and was a very heavy commercial older one. Was $800 and cheapest I have seen a used metal lathe in a long time. I have seen most go for a like maybe $2000 at max in the 36" inch range. This guy was selling his dads old lath with all accessories and chucks and more. I look at it as if I do myself a few jobs it will pay for itself. I usually get John up in Sparks to do my lathe work.

mauser58 · Dec 14, 2020

GunBum said:
And, the easy answer to the original question is a 12x36 lathe with a 1-3/8” spindle through hole.

That sounds perfect to me.

smdub · Dec 15, 2020

GunBum said:
You also need to think about the width of the headstock. If you have a lathe that has a 30” wide headstock, it doesn’t matter if you have a hole the size of Texas through the damned thing.

I don't understand this comment. Could you explain what the width of the headstock has to do w/ anything?

Slackdaddy · Dec 15, 2020

Thanks,
That will narrow my search.

GunBum said:
And, the easy answer to the original question is a 12x36 lathe with a 1-3/8” spindle through hole.

Doco Overboard · Dec 15, 2020

With cash in hand I’ve been after my son for over a year now to pick up a gunsmith lathe.
He’s adamant on go big or go home for bore size just for all the additional work that can be done with a slightly larger machine.
He claims that at any additional cost can be paid for the whole rig with all the small work that his shop turns down.
I just want to mess around to learn and make some tools and do small projects but evidently the cost with the machinery is commensurate with the type of work that can be performed for profit.

Joseph · Dec 15, 2020

Doco Overboard said:
With cash in hand I’ve been after my son for over a year now to pick up a gunsmith lathe.
He’s adamant on go big or go home for bore size just for all the additional work that can be done with a slightly larger machine.
He claims that at any additional cost can be paid for the whole rig with all the small work that his shop turns down.
I just want to mess around to learn and make some tools and do small projects but evidently the cost with the machinery is commensurate with the type of work that can be performed for profit.

The cost of the machine is one thing but don’t forget about the cost of tooling and attachments.

PapiBarcelona · Dec 15, 2020

You can probably drop $10,000-$15,000 and have a brand new tooled up import lathe with enough hand tool metrology for hobbyist level work.

If you got money to burn and rather have that over a muscle car or something that's cool. Unless your experience is in the equipment you might be in for a rude awakening after watching some YouTube Machine Shop videos and then turning on the power switch. Lol

Doco Overboard · Dec 15, 2020

Yeah your not kidding, luckily being in the trade for a number of years he can acquire tooling/materials at jobber cost.

I would just be bottom feeding the sloppy seconds for farting around in my shop with the type of junk I work on.

Slackdaddy · Dec 15, 2020

I have seen enough old american machines with boxes of tooling go for 1-2K
Sold my 70 Javelin and AMX years ago, 15K is not going to touch a classic American Muscle car.
I have no illusions to what it takes to become proficient in any skill/trade, weather it be gear making with a sewing machine, Tig/Mig/OA welding, engine building, laser cutting/etching, etc. All of them I have mastered. (OK, mastered is a stretch )

Will I be threading barrels in 2 days? nope. in 3 months? maybe.

PapiBarcelona said:
You can probably drop $10,000-$15,000 and have a brand new tooled up import lathe with enough hand tool metrology for hobbyist level work.

If you got money to burn and rather have that over a muscle car or something that's cool. Unless your experience is in the equipment you might be in for a rude awakening after watching some YouTube Machine Shop videos and then turning on the power switch. Lol

Harrys · Dec 15, 2020

Slackdaddy said:
What gunsmithing operations would require a chuck on both ends.
the few full length barrel operations I have seen, they had the breach end in the chuck and the tailstock center in the end of the barrel.

Thanks for any insight,
Slack

When you buy raw rifle gun barrel stock you can purchase it with OEM rifling. Some manufacturers will let you spec the rifling. When tapering a barrel you will need a chuck at both ends to hold your stock. This keeps the stock steady and true. When working on pistol barrels since it is a short distance you can use the main chuck.

Cap and ball or flintlock barrels usually come with rifling already done. You can buy it in round or octagon in different lengths. I watched a guy many years ago build them from scratch. He did some lathe work but mainly milling work on his barrel designs. He also had the capability to take raw barrel stock and install his own rifling.

If you are just putting threads on the end of a barrel for a suppressor, it would be cheaper to have it done professionally. If you are looking to do work for others that is a whole new ball game. If you are tinkering and hobby lobbying then buy standard steel stock for practice before you work on a real barrel.

It took me 2 years of training by a machinist to work comfortably with a lathe.

PapiBarcelona · Dec 15, 2020

Slackdaddy said:
I have seen enough old american machines with boxes of tooling go for 1-2K
Sold my 70 Javelin and AMX years ago, 15K is not going to touch a classic American Muscle car.
I have no illusions to what it takes to become proficient in any skill/trade, weather it be gear making with a sewing machine, Tig/Mig/OA welding, engine building, laser cutting/etching, etc. All of them I have mastered. (OK, mastered is a stretch )

Will I be threading barrels in 2 days? nope. in 3 months? maybe.

Yeah, I've seen all that old junk past it's prime too. Most of the time all that old stuff is worth just enough to be in the way and take up space somewhere else instead of the scrap yard a few more years

Lathe for general gunsmithing?

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