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Bloegwta

Plastic
Joined
Dec 21, 2015
I'm setting up a small shop primarily for rebarreling and blueprinting Rem 700s. I have Bridgeport Series 1 mill, and a Clausing Colchester 15" x 50" is on the way. I'm looking for suggestions and feedback on where to buy everything else. I'm starting from zero here and need tooling, clamping, measuring, and speciality equipment. I live in Omaha and would like to one-stop shop as much as possible. I am only interested in high quality stuff, but I like a bargain as much as the next guy. However, quality and customer support are more important to me than price.

Thanks,

Steve
 
There will be no such thing as one stop shopping. Here in Virginia we don't even have what I would call a machine shop supply store in the whole state. In my "Material & Supplies" folder I have a dozen links, and I have used all of those and then some in the last couple years. The first place I check for anything is McMaster-Carr they charge lower than standard UPS ground rates for next day shipping here, carry high quality items at a decent price, have the most user friendly website in the world. The only drawback is they do change brands and they aren't listed.
It is all high quality stuff so it doesn't matter. Ebay is a good place for second hand items and new old stock.
 
If you have a mill and lathe, you can make all the tools you need.

If you don't want to make it yourself, all of the gun smithing tools you can imagine are available from Brownells, Pacific Tool and Gauge, and several others.
 
You'll never find "one-stop" shopping - it just doesn't exist. The closest thing these days is MSC, but it's not where anyone goes to get a deal. You also aren't going to be able to order a complete "set" of tools and be done buying tools, so expect to place many orders over time.

Then there's quality - that's getting somewhat elusive these days as some famous old brands are now no better than some imports, and (ducking) some import stuff is pretty good. I won't dive into particulars as there are thousands of things you *could* buy. You're probably better off to figure out what you want and ask where to buy that particular thing.

Finally, don't accept anyone's suggestions about *what* to buy, unless you need help identifying the bare basics. There are few better ways to spend money on stuff you'll never use. What you need will depend on your machines, the type of work you do, and your individual preferences and peculiarities.

GsT
 
Then there's quality - that's getting somewhat elusive these days as some famous old brands are now no better than some imports, and (ducking) some import stuff is pretty good.

Nothing worse than an old trusted brand you have used for decades suddenly going to crap, it seems to happen over and over again.
 
Well, as someone else who lives in the Omaha area, I can, without a doubt, tell you there is nothing available "local". Your best bet is to shop around online. Sources I use (in no particular order, depends on price, etc.) are:

http://www.mcmaster.com

Travers Tool Co. — Find Metalworking Tools, Machine Tools & More

Industrial Supply Equipment from MSC Industrial Supply

Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more

and Electronics, Cars, Fashion, Collectibles, Coupons and More | eBay

Hope that helps and "best of luck",

-Ron
 
If you have a mill and lathe, you can make all the tools you need.

If you don't want to make it yourself, all of the gun smithing tools you can imagine are available from Brownells, Pacific Tool and Gauge, and several others.
Unless you need a heat treat oven and a grinder.
 
So, how does it happen that a man who can rebarrel and blueprint Remington 700 actions has no fucking idea where or what to buy to do it?
 
So, how does it happen that a man who can rebarrel and blueprint Remington 700 actions has no fucking idea where or what to buy to do it?

I have noticed you are kind of a crabby midge.... umm....little person here of late.

He said he was setting up a small shop to do that kind of work, didn't say he had done it.
And it isn't like any of it is that difficult anyways.

And in the case of blueprinting a 700, just buy a clone.
 
So, how does it happen that a man who can rebarrel and blueprint Remington 700 actions has no fucking idea where or what to buy to do it?


I have noticed you are kind of a crabby midge.... umm....little person here of late.

He said he was setting up a small shop to do that kind of work, didn't say he had done it.
And it isn't like any of it is that difficult anyways.

And in the case of blueprinting a 700, just buy a clone.

It might stem from the fact he spews extreme liberalism and claims to have voted for Trump. I would call that being in a constant state of confusion or senile. The guy is a play-off level jackass if there ever was one.
 
It might stem from the fact he spews extreme liberalism and claims to have voted for Trump. I would call that being in a constant state of confusion or senile. The guy is a play-off level jackass if there ever was one.

Yeah I don't really get being a total jackass to a newbie that is just asking for advise.

He displayed the same jackassery a few days ago when a poster mentioned obliquely he had asian lathe.

Seems to be a pattern.
 
Thanks for the reply Ron

Well, as someone else who lives in the Omaha area, I can, without a doubt, tell you there is nothing available "local". Your best bet is to shop around online. Sources I use (in no particular order, depends on price, etc.) are:

http://www.mcmaster.com

Travers Tool Co. — Find Metalworking Tools, Machine Tools & More

Industrial Supply Equipment from MSC Industrial Supply

Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more

and Electronics, Cars, Fashion, Collectibles, Coupons and More | eBay

Hope that helps and "best of luck",

-Ron

Hi Ron, If I'm not mistaken, you replied to one of my posts on this forum a year or more ago when this whole project was just in my imagination. The shop is built, the mill is in place, the lathe will be coming later this month, and my project for this week is to make a list of tools and supplies I need to order for both the machinist side of this work and then the gunsmith side as well. I had to laugh at the reply from "Midge?". Little does he know, I've never replaced a barrel or blueprinted a 700 either. I would like to meet you someday soon if you would be willing to help me get this order put together. I don't mind spending money, but I don't want it to drag on forever. I would like to get the shop supplied and equipped as completely as possible from day 1. If you would care to help and there is a secure way to exchange contact info, I would certainly appreciate any guidance you might provide.

Steve
 
Thanks to all that replied. By way of explanation, I am a commercial pilot approaching mandatory retirement age and am looking for something new to learn and do. I have always loved super accurate rifles and there is a real shortage in the Midwestern U.S.A. of quality machinists specializing in rifle building. I know I won't lose my investment in a good Bridgeport mill or Clausing Colchester lathe, so I am going to see if an old guy who is smart enough to fly a jet is smart enough to learn how to true up a receiver and thread and chamber a barrel. Time will tell...

Again my thanks to all,

Steve
 
Thanks to all that replied. By way of explanation, I am a commercial pilot approaching mandatory retirement age and am looking for something new to learn and do. I have always loved super accurate rifles and there is a real shortage in the Midwestern U.S.A. of quality machinists specializing in rifle building. I know I won't lose my investment in a good Bridgeport mill or Clausing Colchester lathe, so I am going to see if an old guy who is smart enough to fly a jet is smart enough to learn how to true up a receiver and thread and chamber a barrel. Time will tell...

Again my thanks to all,

Steve

If you can get that local guy to help you out that will be very valuable helping you move quickly. Also it seems a lot of people have helpful You Tube videos, some just sharing knowledge and others showing how to use tools and items they sell. It is so much easier to learn now with the good ole internet then back in my day when I started out (1980). It seems in this trade there are a lot of people full of themselves (Claiming they were 100% self taught) that are unwilling to share their knowledge. Try getting stuck as one of those guys helpers when you were 18 (That was me). Good luck, you can learn a lot here, you just need to have thick skin. If someone is disposed to be a jackass, they will get 100 times worse hiding behind a keyboard.
 
don't even try to get everything you will need because you don't know
what you are going to need yet.
can't have too many aloris 1 and 2 tool holders need a number 7,
a good livecenter is a good thing to have.
a good set of digital mices up to 3", some good digital calipers, depth mic
gauge pin sets some gauge blocs, a couple sets of good vee blocks
a complete good drill index.
a couple indexable boring bars
you need some good indicators both .001 and .0001 a couple good mag base for them.

and the list goes on and on you get the picture,
don't sweat having every thing you need on hand day one you can have just about anything you
need delivered in a week or less

notice a theme here you need measuring devices and they add up quick
 
......................... I know I won't lose my investment in a good Bridgeport mill or Clausing Colchester lathe, so I am going to see if an old guy who is smart enough to fly a jet is smart enough to learn how to true up a receiver and thread and chamber a barrel. Time will tell...

If you can follow the directions in the aircraft operating instructions, you should be able to handle these:

The Gunsmith Machinist Set: Books 1 and 2 / machining | eBay

Accurizing the Factory Rifle by M.L. Mcpherson 96794836 | eBay

Steve
 
don't even try to get everything you will need because you don't know
what you are going to need yet.
can't have too many aloris 1 and 2 tool holders need a number 7,
a good livecenter is a good thing to have.
a good set of digital mices up to 3", some good digital calipers, depth mic
gauge pin sets some gauge blocs, a couple sets of good vee blocks
a complete good drill index.
a couple indexable boring bars
you need some good indicators both .001 and .0001 a couple good mag base for them.

and the list goes on and on you get the picture,
don't sweat having every thing you need on hand day one you can have just about anything you
need delivered in a week or less

notice a theme here you need measuring devices and they add up quick

That's a good list plus all the 6" rules and allen wrench sets you can scatter all over the place. I think on 6" rules you need at least one for every machine in the shop and that includes the coffee pot. They even work good for stirring drinks in a pinch.
 
Hey Steve,

I'll be glad to help where I can but I'm not much of an expert on anything and what gunsmithing I do is mostly work on my own box of toys. Some of the best advice I've seen on this thread so far is from bwhite:

don't even try to get everything you will need because you don't know
what you are going to need yet.
can't have too many aloris 1 and 2 tool holders need a number 7,
a good livecenter is a good thing to have.
a good set of digital mices up to 3", some good digital calipers, depth mic
gauge pin sets some gauge blocs, a couple sets of good vee blocks
a complete good drill index.
a couple indexable boring bars
you need some good indicators both .001 and .0001 a couple good mag base for them.

and the list goes on and on you get the picture,
don't sweat having every thing you need on hand day one you can have just about anything you
need delivered in a week or less

notice a theme here you need measuring devices and they add up quick

It's the same method of been using for the last couple of years and has saved me quite a bit on both money and storage space. Every one is different and while there are a few general "must haves" like mics, calipers, vises, etc. almost every job you do will have different requirements from the previous one. After you do enough jobs you'll have 95% of the tools that you really need to get the jobs done.

Best regards,

-Ron
 
Floating reamer holders? I've been told that a cheap one isn't worth having and that a good one is $750 to a thousand. What does anyone think?

thanks

Steve
 








 
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