| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 12/08/19 03:58 AM |
Falling block action build along
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Building the first run of sidelever falling block actions, I've documented the process so far.
The first step obviously is to extract the action from the plate of 8620 steel in which it is contained. I am fortunate to have a wire EDM in house. While it is capable of far greater accuracy than is required for simply profiling the action, precision is never wasted.
Once the batch of action bodies are all profiled, holes are drilled to located the starting point for the wire path to cut the breech block cavity, and a fixture is made to hole the actions during the cut.
Breech blocks were wire cut before I started on the actions. The fit is extremely precise with .001" clearance for movement. Wire EDM is a very slow process and it's done under a powerful flush of water to cool the wire and clear eroded metal from the cut.
The tang surfaces are machined with tapers in both horizontal and vertical axis. There are also flats left on the interior edges of the tangs to index onto the inletting of the stock to negate any movement of the action once it's seated. Actions are secured to the stock with a drawbolt.
From there the pockets for the trigger group, cocking lever and extractor are machined. Also the hole in the side of the action for the sidelever stem.
Actions are flipped over and the cartridge trough is machined in. A mock assembly of the sidelever, breech block and trigger group housing ( also made before the action bodies were started) is hard to resist.
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 12/08/19 04:02 AM |
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The trigger group is removeable and tuneable for pull weight and sear engagement. The rim of a cartridge can be used to push back the locking plunger at the rear of the trigger group pocket in the bottom tang.
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 12/08/19 04:05 AM |
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Set in another fixture dedicated to the machining of the face of the action and associated steps. A 2" deep hole is drilled at the center of the hole for the barrel. This establishes the center of the bore and the center of the pocket for the striker and that the two are perfectly aligned.
The face of the action is trued to ensure it is perfectly perpendicular to the bore. This is where the barrel seats and is a very important step to ensure accuracy. Not unlike facing the end of a bolt rifle action.
Now the hole for the barrel can be machined. The breech block is in the action during this setup, so the bottom of the barrel hole will form the face for the breech block in a very precise manner. Not only will it be perpendicular, it is also machined to a known depth allowing the machining of the barrel shank to be done to the exact length. The breech block is tilted forward 3 degrees, so accurately cutting the breech block face any other way would be far more time consuming and wouldn't yield the precision this setup offers.
Also, the picture below shows the location of the center of the bore is well below the top edge of the breech block pocket. This allows the full diameter of the chamber, and case thrust for firing, are fully supported in the action. Even though the breech block extends to the bottom of the action, this helps prevent the case thrust from torquing the breech block and further localizing the area of the action that would absorb the case thrust. Having the camber area fully supported keeps the distribution of the case thrust over a much more broad area.
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 12/08/19 04:07 AM |
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With the barrel hole machined, the threads can be machined with a thread mill. Precision threads cut in perfect alignment with the hole, the action face and breech block face.
The finished barrel shank hole and threads
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 12/08/19 05:02 AM |
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Nice!
| TH44 |
| (.375 member) |
| 12/08/19 08:44 AM |
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Wow! as Tinker says very nice, as well as interesting to me, a considerably less talented metalworker
Many thanks for posting
TH44
| Ash |
| (.400 member) |
| 12/08/19 12:41 PM |
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TH44: May I ask what your job is?
Nice work on the above! Fantastic to watch. Do you sell individual actions?
| DoubleD |
| (.400 member) |
| 13/08/19 12:27 AM |
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A thread mill! I have only ever read about that in school 35 years ago. I have never seen it done. Wow.
Interesting shop you have there.
Youtube video on thread milling:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEy_Uq2Q8eM
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 13/08/19 12:54 AM |
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Quote:
A thread mill! I have only ever read about that in school 35 years ago. I have never seen it done. Wow.
Interesting shop you have there.
Youtube video on thread milling:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEy_Uq2Q8eM
Exactly! amazing work, Bailey.
| 93x64mm |
| (.416 member) |
| 13/08/19 06:25 AM |
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Quote:
Wow! as Tinker says very nice, as well as interesting to me, a considerably less talented metalworker
Many thanks for posting
TH44
Oh you must be referring most definitely to me then TH44 - bloody hopeless I am!
Truly amazing work Bradley!
Please keep the sessions going a lot of us here really do appreciate work such as this!
| Ash |
| (.400 member) |
| 13/08/19 08:43 AM |
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Quote:
A thread mill! I have only ever read about that in school 35 years ago. I have never seen it done. Wow.
Interesting shop you have there.
Youtube video on thread milling:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEy_Uq2Q8eM
Interesting, that’s a different tool to what I use for thread milling. I use these:
https://i.imgur.com/3NUimXH_d.jpg?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium
| TH44 |
| (.375 member) |
| 13/08/19 08:46 AM |
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Ash - I am semi-retired, brought up in the motor trade and played with lathes etc. for many years (I have a medium size one in my workshop)
Most of my life I have been in the commercial diving industry and still dive and service diving equipment
My standard could be referred to as a MODERATE amateur, but the excellent work here is way beyond me
TH44
| Taylor416 |
| (.300 member) |
| 13/08/19 05:27 PM |
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Very talented, love it!
cheers
| Louis |
| (.375 member) |
| 15/08/19 02:58 AM |
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Much impressive and talented work; thank you for posting!
Please keep us updated on the next steps.
Louis
| lancaster |
| (.470 member) |
| 15/08/19 01:59 PM |
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allways wonder why such actions not available in all sizes from 22 lr to 4 ga
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 15/08/19 11:59 PM |
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Quote:
allways wonder why such actions not available in all sizes from 22 lr to 4 ga
.22 lr is no problem. The action can be slimmed down with minimal change to the internal mechanism. Scaling up to 4 bore size is a different story. It can be deceptively challenging.
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 16/08/19 09:47 AM |
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trigger group housings. First profiled out of 1/2" plate, holes spotted for the pivot points of the trigger and sear, and a window that displays the trigger/ sear engagement.
The housings are then surface ground to final thickness, slotted to accept internal parts, holes drilled and reamed, and the parts are deburred.
.
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 16/08/19 11:26 AM |
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Looking good!
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 18/08/19 09:20 AM |
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Triggered.....
Triggers and sears installed in the housings. Next will be to install springs, adjustment and set screws. The triggers are adjustable for pull and seat engagement. The larger house in the housing is for viewing the sear/trigger engagement.
Also, the pivot point for the trigger is towards the rear. This reduces the amount of travel at the blade of the trigger, but amplifies the travel at the front. This reduces felt creep. The forces acting on the trigger from the mainspring to the sear are perpendicular to the pivot point of the trigger. Again, to reduce drag, creep and helps make the trigger more crisp
| Homer |
| (.416 member) |
| 19/08/19 06:37 PM |
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G'Day Fella's,
Thanks for sharing Bailey Bradshaw.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmost impressive and Donut's!
D'oh!
Homer
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 21/08/19 11:43 AM |
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Organization always helps productivity especially when working on several at a time. Just a few components left to make and assembling then begins
| Homer |
| (.416 member) |
| 21/08/19 06:23 PM |
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Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmore Donuts!
D'oh!
Homer
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 21/08/19 11:40 PM |
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I agree - WOW
| 93x64mm |
| (.416 member) |
| 22/08/19 06:14 AM |
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Getting there Bailey!
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 23/08/19 02:11 PM |
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Shot of few videos filing up one of the sidelevers. This just gets the lever to shape and ready to start polishing.
https://youtu.be/MA8YVJESIqE
https://youtu.be/wJ1drdP_5Kc
https://youtu.be/WgkgPIrKei8
https://youtu.be/h0hvQlxwR0E
https://youtu.be/t9VYpmslZc0
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 28/08/19 01:46 PM |
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Making more progress on the sidelever actions. Safety is installed and operates smoothly and crisp. It blocks both the sear and trigger.
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 30/08/19 12:30 PM |
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Filed up the trigger guard and trigger. Sure makes a difference to add some shape
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 30/08/19 12:33 PM |
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This action is ready to harden the internal components and polish every surface. It cocks, fires, extractor is timed and stout, safety works and it opens and closes like butter. I'll polish it up and get on to the next action. One at a time at this point
| Ash |
| (.400 member) |
| 30/08/19 03:13 PM |
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Will you be building any into full rifles yourself? I’d love to see what you create from them.
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 30/08/19 11:33 PM |
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Yes, I will. I have one in progress on the prototype sidelever action
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 31/08/19 12:52 PM |
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Let the polishing begin. Start with files where needed, then stone from 220 to 400 and move to paper up to 400. A little wd-40 for lubricant.
| Ash |
| (.400 member) |
| 31/08/19 06:21 PM |
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The length of that tang makes them very elegant looking.
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 05/09/19 01:26 PM |
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This one is 99% finished. Amazing what a good polish will do. Fully functional and ready to barrel. It will wear a Brux barrel and be chambered for the 6.5x65R cartridge. Very comparable to the 6.5-06 but with a rim. It also has an incredibly beautiful stock blank of curly Turkish walnut selected.
I will make a video that goes through all of the features and operation in the next day or so.
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 05/09/19 02:06 PM |
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Excellent!
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 06/09/19 02:43 AM |
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Tks Bailey - wonderful action.
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 17/09/19 11:42 PM |
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The action is barreled with a Brux 6.5 chrome molly, chambered in 6.5X65R. It's fully funtional and ready for stocking.
https://youtu.be/6WbFkeThzLA
CptCurl
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| (.450 member) |
| 18/09/19 08:18 AM |
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Looks good!!!
Curl
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 18/09/19 09:57 AM |
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Looks wonderful to me. Nice job on the trigger guard filing, Bailey - very svelte indeed.
| baileybradshaw |
| (.333 member) |
| 18/09/19 11:34 AM |
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Here is the stock blank for the 6.5X65R barreled action. Well selected by the customer. Should turn a stunner of a stock. I won't be stocking it. That will be done by Aaron Little. Very talented and will do a fantastic job.
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CptCurl
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| (.450 member) |
| 18/09/19 07:55 PM |
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Maybe Aaron will share progress on the build to complete this thread.
Nice looking wood. I think I would turn over the butt piece for the best layout. Aaron knows what to do!
Curl
| vykkagur |
| (.300 member) |
| 16/04/20 09:50 PM |
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Just curious to know if you've got any updates on this impressive project. Your work so far has been a fine testament to your craftsmanship!
| Tom_H |
| (.333 member) |
| 28/04/20 11:56 AM |
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Thanks for breaking it down. Seeing the work in progress is a treat.
Tom