Tuber REAMER

[Guest]

If any of you cut your own tubes or have a situatiion where the pen mill "boogers" up the tube (like mine) I found a good solution.
I have a set of "step bits" I used to use a work.
One of the sizes that's labeled is1/4".
I chucked it into a keyless chuck I took off a drill( I hate keyless chucks)
It makes a great tube reamer.
Harbor freight has the whole set of step bits for about $15.00.
Mine is a Uni bit that costs a lot more but I would imagine any will work.

 

[DCBluesman]

Here's a little gem of a tool, a chamfering tool, I use on every tube. Bill B suggested it and it's one of the best ways I've spend $12 recently. [8D]

 

[Guest]

link?

 

[Geo in Winnipeg]

Hi Eagle, I'm not Lou but I think this might be what he was talking about[]
http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/Chamfering_Tool.htm
Hope that helps, George

 

[jrc]

I use a bigger drill bit than the tube. Workes the same. I only do the end that slides over the transmission

 

[wayneis]

One of the ideas behind the chamfering is in pressing the pen parts, if you give the tubes just a little chamfer on each end it is not as easy to press a part in at an angle which is a boo boo, a no no or an oh s... you know, oh shoot?

I wonder if there would be a way to make a steo bit into a barrell trimmer, ya know kill two birds with one stone.

Wayne

 

[Scchil]

Thanks for the heads up on the chanfering. That and a drill press are the only thing I didn't have to buy. I have been reloading ammunition for 40 years and this is a great tool for reaming brass. It will last for ever.

Schil

 

[jrc]

If you ream all four ends you may have some not as tight fits.

 

[Fred in NC]

Jim, I totally agree... The fittings are supposed to be pressed into the tubes to make a tight fit that can stand up to daily use. I don't like to glue the fittings, so that the pen can be disassembled and repaired if necessary.

Brass is soft, and the tubes can easily enlarge when using a pen mill in a drill. I do it by hand, but a slow drill, such as a cordless, HANDHELD, works also.

To clean the inside of the barrels after glueing, I use a D size drill bit, which is the right size. It is just a few thousands under 1/4". I just made a handle for it. By the way, the threads on a 1/4" bolt are not quite 1/4" diameter either.. I piece of 1/4" allthread rod can be used to clean the tube from glue also.