Gunsmithing Front and rear spiders for my 11" Rockwell

[McLarenross]

Well over the weekend I decided to build my front spider for my 11" Rockwell lathe. I built a rear spider about 2 months ago and have been using the Set-Tru feature of my Buck chuck to indicate barrels for threading. While this works it is not quick, precise, or ideal. Having not purchased a 4-Jaw yet (working on that), I dug through my scrap bin and found a drop off piece of 5" diameter bar of some unknown metal and pulled out a spare L00 buck backplate I bought and went too work. I wish now I would have taken pictures of the process but alas, I did not. Now the hardest part of this endevour for me was drilling and tapping the adjustment screw holes. I only have a Harbor Freight Micro-Milling machine so i dont have nearly enough room to drill them on the mill. So time to get creative. I ended up attaching the material to the cross slide and drilling the holes on the lathe. It worked but wasnt prefect. After I got that hurdle jumped, I drilled the mounting holes in the face of the spider and the backplate to match and bolted it all together. Still waiting on my 1/2x20tpi screws for the adjustments but you get the idea. I can now work an 18" barrel in the headstock.





The rear spider threads onto the rear of the spindle and uses 3/8x24tpi adjustment bolts.

 

[STR]

Really nice work.

 

[Turd in the Pool]

Well over the weekend I decided to build my front spider for my 11" Rockwell lathe. I built a rear spider about 2 months ago and have been using the Set-Tru feature of my Buck chuck to indicate barrels for threading. While this works it is not quick, precise, or ideal. Having not purchased a 4-Jaw yet (working on that),

Look at Jon Beanland's setup. Brilliant concept if you choose to go that route. I'm sure you could adapt.

 

[Kebo57]

McLarenross,
I have the same lathe in my shop at home...really a nice piece of gear. I purchased mine about 14 yars ago out of a school shop. It looked as if it had never been run. I got all manner of tooling with mine...still new in the box...4-jaw, face plate, 3-jaw w/set-tru, collets and closer. Although I do most of my barrel fitting on my big lathe at my "real" shop, I have used the little Rockwell on occasion and been very pleased. I picked up a steady rest, which was all that was missing when I bought the lathe, from Tools For Cheap.....he may have a 4-jaw. My big lathe has a D1-5 spindle...there are many things I like better about the L00.

Keith

 

[Turbobo]

Nice work! Looks like we have similar projects going on this week. I just finished my backing plate last night and am mounting the spider this evening. My lathe uses a camlock chuck mounting system and with my 4 jaw limits to me to about a 22" barrel. Looks like I can go about 19" with the new spider set up with no problem.

 

[Kebo57]

If you have an issue with supporting the outboard end of the barrel because it won"t reach the spider.....make a bushing that fits very snug in the inner bore of the spider/spindle. My bushing is made of steel and is long enough that it will only go into the spindle straight. Use your adjustment screws in the spider to hold it in place. The bushing has a sliding center bar that can be adjusted to reach the end of the barrel and then locked in place with a set screw. The adjustable center in my fixture is made of 0.500" brass rod with a coned tip. The whole shebang is moving with the spindle. I know you guys that dial in barrels to the bazillionth of an inch are cringing but indexing off the center of the barrel this system runs pretty true. The few barrels too short to make it through my headstock done with this system have all shot just as good as ones indicated in using the spider. You'll need to face off the muzzle clean and square of course....it has worked for me.

 

[McLarenross]

Thanks for the complements guys. I have a steady rest but It sure seems a waste to have that 1.5" spindle bore and not use it. I will be buying the 4-Jaw from Tools 4 Cheap though. Bought a bunch of stuff from him and hes a great guy who takes care of his customers.

 

[Turd in the Pool]

Thanks for the complements guys. I have a steady rest but It sure seems a waste to have that 1.5" spindle bore and not use it. I will be buying the 4-Jaw from Tools 4 Cheap though. Bought a bunch of stuff from him and hes a great guy who takes care of his customers.

Be sure to look at Beanland's set up. His ingenious idea eliminates the force of the jaws on the barrel. You'll have to get the details from him if he'll share.

 

[RADcustom]

Nice work.

I'm curious why you didn't make the chuck out of the backing plate since you didn't have the cam locks in the way?

 

[McLarenross]

Im having trouble finding pics of Beanland's setup. Could you point me to it?

I actually intended to use the backplate as the spider body itself but the face of the backplate sits flush with the spindle node so I couldnt do it.

I got the screws in today and installed them. By some stroke of luck I actually managed to get the screws on the front and rear spiders clocked pretty close to the same spot around the circumference. Still gotta brass tip them this weekend. Already got a friends 308 to thread.

 

[Turd in the Pool]

Lookin' good. You are well on your way. I'm not sure how much Beanland's idea will help in your case but it is definitely a plus with a jawed chuck. Kind of an inverted conical bushing.

Home

Under the services tab find the chambering pics. He's a pretty smart fella!

 

[RADcustom]

I see it now. I didn't remember the spindle extending that far into the backing plate but, I see it doesn't leave any room for the screws.

 

[Cheech]

The brass caps for the screws, are they store bought or home made? where can they be purchased if store bought or if home made how do they attach to the screw? is the end of the screw turned smaller and threaded? inquiring minds want to know,lol. Thanks for posting, I love the home made tools threads.

 

[Papagrizzly]

The brass caps for the screws, are they store bought or home made? where can they be purchased if store bought or if home made how do they attach to the screw? is the end of the screw turned smaller and threaded? inquiring minds want to know,lol. Thanks for posting, I love the home made tools threads.

Grizzly.com

 

[McLarenross]

Brass tipped screws can be purchased from sources like Grizzly or McMaster Carr but I made these myself counter boring the ends of the bolts and turning brass tips to fit them and loctiting them in. They work well and dont mar the finish on most barrels.

 

[ugsly]

Its easier to buy them, if your impatience you can make them in a couple hours. I just bored out the end and turned brass down and epoxied them in.

 

[Cheech]

Grizzly.com

Thank you Sir.