2 tools I couldn't live without!!

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RODNEYBREAN

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Joined
Apr 4, 2013
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127
Location
Roswell, New Mexico
A chamfer bit and a bore brush. After the tube is glued in and set ( I use both CA and epoxy ) Chamfer the ends of the tube with the bit and then chuck a bore brush in your cordless drill or drill press and clean the tube ! Fast and easy. perfectly cleans your tubes!!
 

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I do exactly the same thing, the little brushes are called high speed tube brushes or bottle brushes, I get mine from McMaster Carr http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-tube-brushes/=xlaagb first style on that page, second type brush listed, lots of the industrial supply folks carry them,-just pay attention to the OD you order, I actually usually go a little larger than the tubes I will be brushing out because the tube brushes 'compact' the bristles a little bit--so for a good tight fit I go slightly oversize. The chamfer I use is intended for reloading ammunition, designed to chamfer the brass cartridge cases before seating a soft (relatively) bullet into the case--they are readily available from folks like Midway USA, Sinclair Intn'l and Brownells. Rodney's does look like a countersink, readily available at your local Home Depot or Lowes.

Good luck--it does a nice job BTW
 
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I don't think id be inclined to use anything in a drill to chamfer the tubes. A little pipe reamer does the job nicely with a quick turn.

The brush is something I might try though. I don't often get anything in the tubes but every now and then...
 
Dan Masshardt said:
I don't think id be inclined to use anything in a drill to chamfer the tubes. A little pipe reamer does the job nicely with a quick turn.

The brush is something I might try though. I don't often get anything in the tubes but every now and then...
Click to expand...

I agree. I've got the $2 hand reamer from Harbor Freight and it does a great job by hand in about 5 seconds. Since I got a supply of "base plate" wax to seal up my tubes (From Exotic Blanks), the tubes stay very clean during glue up. The hard wax works so much better than the plumbers putty I used to use for this step, and it does not leave any residue.
 
RODNEYBREAN said:
The chamfer bit is a countersink, I bought it at Lowes. I don't put the countersink in a drill, I just twist it by hand. the bore brushes I gut at gun shows. they run $1 or $2 per brush. They do a great job, very quick and last a long time.
Click to expand...

Turning the countersink makes great sense. Good idea.

I bet if pen suppliers carries those brushes they'd sell some.
 
I use regular pistol/rifle cleaning rod & bore brushes, you can buy a kit for less than $10 most deptarment stores. Use a shot gun brush for cleaning morse tapers. Like the idea of steel brushes better though.
 
Thanks for another thread with some good ideas for pretty cheap costs. I just bought a set of tube brushes at HF for $6.99. They are variouos sizes with both brass and steel bristles. I've been reaming out the tubes with a round file so I'm sure the brushes will be an improvement to that.
 
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