Another bolt handle

[Bob Mc Alice]

I made this handle for my heavy gun about fifteen years ago. My gun was pushing the weight limit the way I wanted it set up, so a nip here and a tuck there was in order. I lopped off a big piece of the factory handle . I set the bolt in a Kurt vise with some blocking to hold the stub straight up . My plan was to mill a round .250 diameter 1/2 inch long threaded stud so I could screw on the two new shiny aluminum handles I had just made. The Bridgeport mill has a Proto Trax NC system on it. All was going to plan until the the machine ignored a math error entry I had made.

My .250 diameter stud was down to a useless .200.....shit. Now what!!!!??

EMERGENCY .....go to plan B...quick!!

I ran a .250 diameter ball end mill thru the center of the stub to a depth of .375. I got a 1/4-20 tool steel cap screw and cut off the allen head to the appropriate length. It fit snugly in the cut I had made in the stub. The plan was to weld the screw stud to what was left of the handle. I am a decent welder, but this was bordering on my ability to have it look good as well as be strong. The handle is silver soldered to the bolt body, so keeping it cool was of ut most importance. I wrapped the entire bolt in a big soaking wet rag to act as a heat sink. I set the amperage on our TIG welder down to 100 and applied heat and fill rod in tiny time and fill increments to avoid over heating and risking the silver solder melting. I had to fill both sides, too.

An hour later the job was done....no problems. After some light grinding of the over fill and some blend work it was ready for touch up blueing. Overall it came out looking pretty good for a repair job.

http://s766.photobucket.com/albums/xx302/seveno8/

[caseyboy]

Nice recovery!

[Another Dang 9]

sounds like someone forgot to set his cutter comp! nice job just the same.

[Bob Mc Alice]

Oh yeah..it was a cutter comp error big time. If memory serves me correct, I grabbed a 4 flute HSS tool out of the regrind cabinet marked at .355 or so. All my moves were set for this diameter. Trouble was that it was a new .375 tool that had gotten onto the bin some how. I carelessly did not mic it for size and ran with it. So, it wasn't really my fault after all.

[Another Dang 9]

yeah thats a good story. try selling that one to my boss! Thats the one good advantage of having your own shop, if you can cover up your oops no one will ever know. ;) the old saying just came to me, check twice cut once.

[Bob Mc Alice]

While I am on a roll showing off stuff I made, here is one of seven receiver hitch plugs I gave away as prizes at one of our State HP matches several years ago. They are made of solid 6061 aluminum with a solid 304SS retainer pin. The ram is bonded to the black anodize finish with the same aerospace epoxy used on the Mars Rovers. The rams were wire EDM cut from the same freehand program I wrote for the now famous "Grand Slam Ram" shown on this website a few years ago. They are also made from 3/16" 304SS. I display mine proudly on the way to special matches. I may insure it on my auto policy!!

[Bob259]

Damn Bob that is sweet!!!!!

[mary10]

Great Job Bob!!!!!!

[Jim Beckley]

Banging our own drum alittle are we, Bob? Are you planning on coming here for the state HP match?

[Bob259]

Banging our own drum alittle are we, Bob? Are you planning on coming here for the state HP match?

Heck Jim, I believe he'll be to busy, as I hope he realizes that he is going to be very busy making those hitch covers for all of us.

[Innocent]

Aw come McAlice should show up for HP....
Innocent

[Another Dang 9]

Sweet work Bob. Do you still have the program from the EDM for the ram?

[Bob Mc Alice]

Thanks for the compliments Mary10 and 259.



JB, you better sit down. I think I will be skipping the AZ HP this year in favor of going to the Missoula Iron Man again. Have not been there since 02. A rough plan is to take two weeks vacation , hit Montana then slowly work down to Rogers match in Lander,WY the following weekend. I have been to AZ six or seven times in a row, time for a little change. Money and time off only go so far. Now wipe those tears from your eyes and cheer up 'ol buddy.

[Bob Mc Alice]

Negative AD...I don't work at that shop anymore. We don't have wire or sinkers at the place I am at now. All we have is a tap burner for that all too often "SNAP" sound when threading blind holes in high nickel alloys .

[Bob259]

Negative AD...I don't work at that shop anymore. We don't have wire or sinkers at the place I am at now. All we have is a tap burner for that all too often "SNAP" sound when threading blind holes in high nickel alloys .

So what are you trying to say Bob.... does this mean I shouldn't be waiting by my mail box?