bluewater euro

    no need to glue them together before and some epoxy will get into the tube but it's just a matter of using a small screw driver to chisel it out once the top is cut off. just make sure the two pieces of tube are cut clean and relatively straight and push them together as you clamp down on the filler piece that covers them.


    you do get a slight seam that you have to sand down to make the transition smooth but a little epoxy coat hides both the seam and the portion you sand. as for both pieces lining up straight, the tubes will be forces to the bottom of the track you cut with the 7/16'' bull nose bit even though the tube is a bit thinner the filler piece will keep them centered as long as it and the track is cut straight.


    hope that helps.

    steve veros


    in loving memory of paolo

    yah you're welcome. of course you know that the info above only applies when the gun you're making has a track longer than the 54'' length that the tube come in. for shorter tracks install it as is and cut the rest off after the epoxy dries.

    steve veros


    in loving memory of paolo

    Good point, I wasn't calculating a wider open muzzle to make loading easier. 54" might be long enough for a 60" gun with 6" of wide track for loading purposes.


    Thanks again for you thread, it is very helpful.


    -Lance

    While I'm still working on my build I wanted to add a link to this thread for the bit to cut the tube track. I think there is a typo in that what you have pictured appears to be a ball end mill, not a bull nose bit. I had a hard time finding ball nose router bits that were 7/16", but there are plenty of milling bits.


    Mill bits typically have shafts that are the diameter of the cut. I found stainless steel tubeing at Ace Hardware that had and outside diameter of 1/2" and inside of 7/16" that made a perfect bushing for using in a 1/2" router. Afterwards I found this one from Mcmaster that appears to have a 1/2" shaft http://www.mcmaster.com/#ball-end-mills/=ar1gzw


    Hope this helps anyone trying to follow Steve's build. Now I have to finish straightening my blank...


    -Lance


    sorry about that lance, you're absolutely right. here's the bit i use http://www.mcmaster.com/#ball-end-mills/=arc7z3.


    send some pics of your gun when done.

    steve veros


    in loving memory of paolo

    Quote from Wishihadgills

    Steve how did you cut the angles on the stock (chamfer)? Did you just adjust the angle on the table saw and run it through?


    you could do that, i have a 45 degree bit (look at the pics on post #10, the bit is installed in the router) so i do it on the router table.

    steve veros


    in loving memory of paolo

    Finally back on track for my gun build based on Steve's design. I'm ready to cut the slot in the tube, but I'm not sure what size shaft I'll be using, 5/16" or 9/32". Would a 1/4" slot be too big for a 9/32" shaft? I was thinking about using a 3/16" bit instead.


    -Lance

    Sorry to drop in on you, but I just cut a track with a 1/4" bit and it will hold a 9/32" shaft in pretty well (but no more). 3/16" should also work as well as 1/8" as I trust Davie.

    I ended up using a 3/16 bit and it looks pretty good. I did have a scare as a 5/16" shaft would get jammed going down the track. After a lot of swearing I figured out that some epoxy had dripped down the tube. It was difficult to see where the epoxy was because it was near the top of the tube. I was able to use a small pin to get under the epoxy and pop off a strip the length of the tube.Just like Steve said the epoxy did not stick to the tube. I did give a quick sand to the outside of the tube so hopefully the epoxy does stick well there.


    -Lance

    3/16'' is fine i actually use 1/4'' for both 9/32'' and 5/16'' shafts.


    lets see some pics.

    steve veros


    in loving memory of paolo

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