Unleash the Lathe dogs!!!!!!! who knew?

[Runs With Scissors]

A few weeks ago I ordered some parts from Taylor Freelance for this "Race Gun" that I am playing around with.

Nothing major, just a mag extension, a bigger mag release button and slide rack.

Everything went well except the "slide racker" was hitting the optic before it was seated.

So it was either return them, which would involve postage and packing them up, and then hunting for ones that fit. (They are only 15 bucks)

Or modify them.

I chose the latter.

Here is a pic of the problem. Although it's a bad pic, you can see at the base of the slide racker, a small gap

So I figure if I "trim" a little in the area where the slide racker is hitting the optic, I should be good to go.

So here is my dilemma, I have to figure out how to hold it is the lathe with out scratching it all up.

As you can see its kind of an odd shape ( the photo was an after thought so I snapped a "before' photo of the other one I have.

Well after some experimenting I come up with this homemade "mandrel"......(I don't know what else to call it...LOL)

So in my head the taper of the screw should "center" it and I'm hoping the washer will "pull it up tight" so it won't spin.

So after a few goes at it, my "mandrel" keeps coming loose as soon as the bit touches it.

It must be something like "as soon as it touches, it is basically "unscrewing" my mandrel" situation.

Damn......but at least I haven't scratched it .......yet.

 

[woodman55]

Can you run your lathe in reverse ?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Can you run your lathe in reverse ?

I probably could, but then i would have to set up the bit "upside down".

Not only that but I did not think of it...hahahah

 

[Runs With Scissors]

So now I am running through different ideas to "get'r done".

Since this is only aluminum, and its a very small cut, I think I can get away with "taping" it up to prevent scratching and being careful not to over-tighten it.

That kind of works, but I cant get "quite enough" and the cut does not look very good.

At this point I am super glad these are only 15 bucks because it's not looking good. I simply can't figure out how to hold it properly.

If there was only a way to hold it in the "center"....Hmmmm??????????

 

[lynnmor]

Couldn't you just make a spacer (washer) to get the clearance you need?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Then I start looking through my "machinist" tool box.

(thats the box I got with the lathe and it has all kinds of "doo-dads" and "gizmos" that I will probably never figure out what they are for, and some guy will buy for 10 dollars at my estate sale.... )

Anyhow, I see these little "lathe dogs" and that jiggles a thought loose.

Now keep in mind, using "lathe dogs" is only a theoretical concept to me. I have never tried using one, but I have seen videos.

Off to Youtube for a quick education.

For the life of me I can not figure out how to mount a "dead center" in my 3 jaw because they are tapered.

Hmmmmmm.......WTF????????

Then I look at my Chineseium lathe and see a "flat face plate" with slots in it. (I have no idea what its called), but the odds of it being the same thread as my 1,000 year old Craftsman are about 10,000,000 to 1.

But it does not cost anything to try.

Well, I be damned............it actually fits........Now I am hoping I can find a "dead center" that will fit my lathe spindle.

FOUND IT!!!!!!!!

Now I tape up the part to protect the finish and tighen the "dog" up being careful to try and get it "tight nuf" without damaging the paint/anodizing.

Now the next part is trying to find a damn bit that will work. So I start sorting through bits and trying all kinds of different combos.....Here are pics of a sampling of my various tries.

Most set ups fail because of obvious "interference issues" with either the "lathe dog" or the "live center".

This next one was my "most promising fail"

It's nice and "beefy" compared to my "normal" sized bits, but I'll be damned if I can get it to work......

 

[Flintknapper]

Don't use a cutting tool, just let the lathe turn the piece and address it with a file.

Or dispense with the idea of a 'slide racker' altogether, you already have a red dot on the slide, just use it.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I figure that I am probably going to have to "custom grind" a cutting bit. (which I am not very good at btw)

Well after a little while at the grinder, and a few minutes with some sharpening stones, this bad boy appears.

The camera angle makes it look like it will hit, but I spun it by hand a few time and it was close, but it ends up working.

Hahahahah.......after all that bullsh!t, (probably to 4 or 5 hours) It ends up taking about 6 seconds to make the cut.

He she is.....I just gotta tape and paint it.

Perfect-O!!!!!!!

Not a scratch on it and it fits beautifully....(both of them)

Now if I could only afford the ammo for practicing the "El Pesidente"

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Couldn't you just make a spacer (washer) to get the clearance you need?

I thought about that.

The "nagging thought" in my head was that there would not be enough threads into the base.

Which would have been easily solved with a "longer screw"

Then, the ODC OCD monster that lurks in my head, thought that it would be "too long"......I know...I know.....stupid.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Don't use a cutting tool, just let the lathe turn the piece and address it with a file.

Or dispense with the idea of a 'slide racker' altogether, you already have a red dot on the slide, just use it.

In my head, I have to have a slide racker.......It just looks too cool.

 

[D2Cat]

I thought about that.

The "nagging thought" in my head was that there would not be enough threads into the base.

Which would have been easily solved with a "longer screw"

Then, the ODC monster that lurks in my head, thought that it would be "too long"......I know...I know.....stupid.

Is ODC ozone depleting chemical?

 

[MOOTS]

Could just file a flat spot to fit under optic vs. having that gap all the way around now.

 

[Showmedata]

RWS, I highly recommend buying a kit like this: https://www.shars.com/1-2-x-4-sclc-turning-tool-1-2-x-7-sclcr-boring-bar-7pcs-set
(be sure to get the size compatible with your QCTP).

I almost never use HSS lathe cutters having these on hand. The steel bar stock allows you stick it pretty far out from the tool post if really needed - they'll still chatter if you're too aggro but for that little cut it probably would have saved you a few hours of fiddling.

 

[Sidekick]

I would have clamped it in my milling machine and just cut a flat in that area. Isn't that thing going to possibly hang up on clothing and slow you down in an emergency situation? Looks like tit's on a bull to me .

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

Obviously not for a concealed carry. LOL

There are grooves on the sides of the slide. Those are to help you grip the slide.

Look into an HK SP5 or similar for what you think you want.

If you are disabled, look into a Glock with extended charging extensions on the rear of the slide.

But if you have the time and bread to do exactly what floats your boat... Odd stuff. And / Or if you are trying to reinvent the wheel... Never mind.

SP5 - Heckler & Koch (hk-usa.com) A big 'Ol - lock back charging handle.

Glock shown in the pic below.

 

[woodman55]

I probably could, but then i would have to set up the bit "upside down".

Not only that but I did not think of it...hahahah

Maybe not, ( mounting to cutter upside down). I watch a u - tube channel called Howees machine shop. He just did a short video about running a lathe in reverse with the cutter in normal. It seemed to work, it did chip the cutter a bit, but not as bad as he thought it would. It's a interesting channel, lots of great advice.

 

[Flintknapper]

In my head, I have to have a slide racker.......It just looks too cool.

Good enough for me. I love firearms and any modifications or accessories you want....is entirely up to you. They don't have to make sense to ME.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Then I start looking through my "machinist" tool box.

(thats the box I got with the lathe and it has all kinds of "doo-dads" and "gizmos" that I will probably never figure out what they are for, and some guy will buy for 10 dollars at my estate sale.... )

Anyhow, I see these little "lathe dogs" and that jiggles a thought loose.

Now keep in mind, using "lathe dogs" is only a theoretical concept to me. I have never tried using one, but I have seen videos.

Off to Youtube for a quick education.

For the life of me I can not figure out how to mount a "dead center" in my 3 jaw because they are tapered.

Hmmmmmm.......WTF????????

Then I look at my Chineseium lathe and see a "flat face plate" with slots in it. (I have no idea what its called), but the odds of it being the same thread as my 1,000 year old Craftsman are about 10,000,000 to 1.

But it does not cost anything to try.

Well, I be damned............it actually fits........Now I am hoping I can find a "dead center" that will fit my lathe spindle.

For future reference the conventional solution to mounting a dead center in a scroll chuck is to chuck up a scrap of round bar and turn a 60 degree point on the end. Instant dead center and as long as you dont reposition it perfectly matched to your chuck. If you do reposition it simply touch the tip up with a light truing cut.

Lathe dogs can then be driven off the chuck jaws.

Dan

 

[Runs With Scissors]

For future reference the conventional solution to mounting a dead center in a scroll chuck is to chuck up a scrap of round bar and turn a 60 degree point on the end. Instant dead center and as long as you dont reposition it perfectly matched to your chuck. If you do reposition it simply touch the tip up with a light truing cut.

Lathe dogs can then be driven off the chuck jaws.

Dan

Hmm...that's a great idea.

I will keep that in mind.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

RWS, I highly recommend buying a kit like this: https://www.shars.com/1-2-x-4-sclc-turning-tool-1-2-x-7-sclcr-boring-bar-7pcs-set
(be sure to get the size compatible with your QCTP).

I almost never use HSS lathe cutters having these on hand. The steel bar stock allows you stick it pretty far out from the tool post if really needed - they'll still chatter if you're too aggro but for that little cut it probably would have saved you a few hours of fiddling.

I have often wondered about those types of bits.

The biggest problem I have with them is my "cheapness".

When I got this lathe and tool box combo, it was "chocked full" of HSS blanks.....I probably have 2-300 of them. So I gotta at least try to put a dent in them before I trade-up.