Tool to radius pillars???

Hvydg · Oct 20, 2016

It's probably a dumb question but I'm gonna ask anyway. Haha. I'm looking for a endmill that will radius the top of pillars to match the 1.350 radius of a 700 action. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Forestgnome · Oct 20, 2016

Boring head

wesg · Oct 20, 2016

Yep, oppose the pair in collet blocks or however you can hold them, bore to 1.355. Alternately, set the boring head by clamping a couple scraps in the vise.

You can also get really really close by using a 1" endmill tipped 45°. I've done scope bases that way. Over a reasonable width it's almost perfect.

Hvydg · Oct 20, 2016

Dang I dont have a boring head. I was hoping someone made a endmill for that. I have been looking and don't see one.

wesg · Oct 20, 2016

Chunk of barstock to fit your biggest collet. Mill a slot across the end, put in a set screw, and grind up a boring tool.

Somewhat pointless to begin with. You're never going to get full contact and any gaps are going to get bedding compound on them and flake away the minute you look at them. Last couple sets I made I milled them away leaving a rib about .100 wide, and cut a v into the end so it bears on the receiver with line contact on each side.

A little fiddling around with pencil and paper and you might find the right depth for a plunge cut to create the same effect with a 3/4" endmill. Only difficulty then is to figure out the proper length. But it's ok to cheat by sitting them on the receiver and measuring with a caliper.

1.35 Bedding Pillars – LRI Outlet Store

Spyderedge · Oct 20, 2016

wesg said:
Yep, oppose the pair in collet blocks or however you can hold them, bore to 1.355. Alternately, set the boring head by clamping a couple scraps in the vise.

You can also get really really close by using a 1" endmill tipped 45°. I've done scope bases that way. Over a reasonable width it's almost perfect.

Using an endmill sideways doesn't create an even curve, it produces a slightly tighter radius at the bottom. But for small parts it's just fine.

kendog · Oct 21, 2016

I use a 4 flute 1-1/2", 3/4" shank end mill I picked up at a surplus tool place. Tool cost 7 bucks and I had it ground to Rem 7oo 1.360"(nom) for another $30. Zero out a collet indexer on the mill table and use the power down to form the radius on the pillar. No two Remington's are exactly 1.360 nor perfectly round, but I get no bedding creeping between the pillar and action by attaching them TIGHT when I pot the metal into the stock.

henrya · Oct 21, 2016

Don't bother with a radius, just cut a V groove. The action is then supported on two V blocks that are filled in with the bedding compound after you bed it. When you take it apart you'll see at each pillar the two small lines of contact that are touching the action 100% and its all supported by and captured in the bedding.

gzig5 · Oct 21, 2016

I've made flat pillars and radiused pillars for M700's with no apparent difference in function. I think it is a personal choice. I use a boring head to do the radius. Find the edge of the the vise and center the spindle over the edge. Move off half the diameter of the action plus a thou or two and then adjust the boring head so the cutting edge is just coming into contact with the edge of the vise. If I didn't have a boring head and wanted to create the radius, I would use a fly cutter that takes a lathe bit, and do the same setup but manually adjust the cutter to contact the vise. You can use thin paper to protect the cutting edge or vise if you take the thickness into account.

wesg · Oct 21, 2016

Spyderedge said:
Using an endmill sideways doesn't create an even curve, it produces a slightly tighter radius at the bottom. But for small parts it's just fine.

Tipped past 45, yes, tighter at the bottom. Less than 45, wider at the bottom.

Nothing magic about 45 in this case, it's just what came out of the calculations using a 1" endmill. Been too many years to remember how I even did it. And don't remember whether it had clearance at the bottom or not. I'll have to draw it up and see.

I just know that it works fine for scope rails about 5/8" wide. Tipping the head on a mill is a pita though. If you're going to do them on a regular basis, a flycutter setup, or a reground endmill like Ken is using is the way to go.

Edit:

Drew it up, and the ellipse formed by a 1" endmill tipped 45° makes contact at the outer edges of a .625" wide scope base. The clearance in the center is about .001".

On a 9/16" diameter pillar, it's going to touch at the outer edges, and have about .0001" clearance.

You'd be hard pressed doing better than either of those with a boring head.

kendog · Oct 21, 2016

I heave to change my story a little. The end mill has a 1" shank so I run it in an R8 holder. I do a year or twos worth at a time so the setup time is no big deal. The memory is the second thing that goes... cant remember the first!

Hvydg · Oct 21, 2016

I have bedded several stocks. I have never had any issues not doing the radius. I would just like to get this clean look if possible.

Springer · Oct 27, 2016

Your trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

Make your pillars flat, the bedding will then make up the radius. Once you come to clean things up just counterbore the pillars 0.020" under the surface of the bedding, that way the action pulls up perfectly onto the bedding and the pillars have no influence on anything at all. This will guarantee the most stress free job and perfect fit.

Jim Kobe · Oct 27, 2016

Springer said:
Your trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.
"...action pulls up perfectly onto the bedding and the pillars have no influence on anything at all..."

Kinda negates the whole reason for going to pillars in the first place don't it?

GGaskill · Oct 28, 2016

Pillars are primarily a minimally compressible way to connect the stock to the action and prevent screw contact other than screw tension. The pillars are screwed to the action and the stock is glued to the pillars. So no stock compression variables.

Tozguy · Oct 28, 2016

GGaskill said:
Pillars are primarily a minimally compressible way to connect the stock to the action and prevent screw contact other than screw tension. The pillars are screwed to the action and the stock is glued to the pillars. So no stock compression variables.

Along these lines, the screw needs to have clearance in the pillar. A V notch or radius on the end of the pillar will reduce the freedom of movement we are after in the first place.

Tozguy · Oct 28, 2016

Jim Kobe said:
Springer said:

Your trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.
"...action pulls up perfectly onto the bedding and the pillars have no influence on anything at all..."

Kinda negates the whole reason for going to pillars in the first place don't it?

Click to expand...

Not if the pillars are glued to the stock before bedding.
To my mind,if the pillars are in direct contact with the action it might negate the reason for bedding. A layer of bedding between the pillar and action assures the most uniform bed for the action.

Jim Kobe · Oct 28, 2016

Tozguy said:
Jim Kobe said:

Not if the pillars are glued to the stock before bedding.
To my mind,if the pillars are in direct contact with the action it might negate the reason for bedding. A layer of bedding between the pillar and action assures the most uniform bed for the action.

Click to expand...

WOW!!! been pillar bedding for 40 yrs and didn't know this!!!! Wow.. SHEESH!

jimcc · Oct 28, 2016

There is no reason to use pillars if the action does not tighten down against the pillar! I use flat top pillars that I make out 12L14 steel as it machines beautifully and has a much lower coefficient of expansion than aluminum.

ncglocker · Oct 31, 2016

look up Mcmilian Pillar Bedding Article, cut pillars .035-.060 shorter than needed and bed over entire thing, You will end up with one uniform surface surface and no pillars sticking up, also no dissimilar materials touching action, and less work.

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