File guide issue? updated w/my solution

Well I promised to post what I do so here goes.

Here is the File guide I made up. It is made from A2 hardened glass hard and just stress relieved. Still glass hard a file glides over it effortlessly. I can get it to bite but only a brand new file and only on the sharp edges.
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Measure the ricasso.
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Select the gage blocks
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Put in File guide
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More to follow
 
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I use a round edge bastard file.
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Then file to the guide.
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The dowel pins are 3/8 dia and the socket headed cap screw is 5/16-18. The grid on the target in the background is 1" square so you can see the size of the guide. I cannot use this on the disc or use stones or paper on it. I can only run the file so Nicks will probably fit his needs better. But I can surface grind them as they wear from slips on the grinder getting the ricasso closer so I don't have to file as much. I may make a set similar with a carbide insert also in the future. Oh the v notches are for integrals to line them up square and hold them securely.
 
BTW Nick that is a sweet looking guide. Getting that thing square and flat on a mini mill would really suck. Just goes to show your skill. Great Job.
 
Chuck- that sucker is awesome!!! It's kind of funny actually, because that is exactly like one of the other ideas I sketched out.

That trick with the gage blocks is brilliant! Why can't I ever think of anything slick like that? That would elliminate the short ricasso issue. With the 4 large dowel pins I wouldn't think that would flex in any direction at all though. Have you tried it without the blocks? Super slick idea no matter! :)

My standby guide has been the original Riverside unit that's near full hard A2 just like yours... I love that thing. And like you said, it's easy enough to surface grind if need be. I went with carbide on this new one just so I could take it to the 9" disc without any worry.

The little mill isn't too bad for squaring up small stuff like this. I've got a nice ISCAR facemill that can hack off 0.070 pretty easy (at 800lb the machine is somewhat rigid) but the real killer/PITA on a small project like this is tool change out (you know--- short spotting drill, long drill, really long reamer, stub length endmill....:grumpy: :) LOL

And I'm not saying that to be argumentative at all, I just wanted the fellas that might have a similar little machine to know a small project like this is do-able. :)

Thanks Chuck! :)
 
Not argumentative at all. It is possible but like you said just a real PITA. I started using the gage blocks with a thinner file guide I made years ago and still use them. The problem is it will flex slightly the long direction of the guide (when Magilla Gorilla is in the shop). This way there is zero chance of flex in any direction. And I can tighten as much as I want without worry.:rolleyes:
 
That was the one complaint my old boss had. When I tightened a bolt it he had to go out and hire an extra guy to help him pull on the wrench to break it free. Just the old blacksmith mentality.;):eek:
 
The grid on the target in the background is 1" square so you can see the size of the guide.

Thanks for clearing this up. I thought this might be your "bragging" target but didn't see any holes. :D Very nice file guides both Chuck and Nick. Jess
 
Nope not my bragging tgt. Here is my Bragging tgt. .308 Rem 700 SPS 100 yds handloads
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I like that rifle:D
 
No actually, Want to shoot 1.5-2" high at 100yds to have a 200yd zero. I was working up a load so group is more important anyway.
 
Thanks for the explanation on the target.
I am sorry if it sounded like a smart ass thing to ask, it was not my intention. :eek:
Just that being from Canuckland my knowledge about guns is, you could say, very limited.
 
Patrice Lemée;10799636 said:
Thanks for the explanation on the target.
I am sorry if it sounded like a smart ass thing to ask, it was not my intention. :eek:
Just that being from Canuckland my knowledge about guns is, you could say, very limited.
Yeah, I didn't get it either.
 
Patrice,

It's also a regional thing. In the NE dense woods I hunted with a thuddy thuddy- iron sights. Here in Idaho, plan on 200-300 yard shots as an average so you always sight long. Aren't the laws changing in Canada (more in favor of gun owners)?
Nice tune up of your rifle Chuck!
Then of course, great looking jigs.
Nick- Did you train/work as a machinist in the past?
Dean
 
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Dean-

Kind'a sort'a.

Long story short- I was laid off from a maintenance crew job at a paper mill. They sent some of us back to school for vocational training. I already had an engineering degree so they weren't going to pay for me to go since I already had over half the required classes for any degree in the voc department. So I asked, what if I went for welding and machining...? They went for it. I got the welding degree, and about half of the machining degree before the funds ran out.

Unfortunately the machining instructor was the "there's the lathe, here's a blueprint, go make it" type of teacher. So it was just the same as me practicing on my own in the garage. The upside was that I got to do that with a shop full of millions of $$$ worth of equipment and not have to pay for tooling. ;) :)

The welding instructors were SUPER teachers and would allow us to work on projects so long as it was practice for whatever we were studying at the time. The machine shop instuctor wouldn't allow any work other than the prints he gave us. Otherwise, I would have made a 100 different shop gizmos in those courses! :D

Of course the bottom line is an education is a good start, and gives you some knowledge to work from... but that's all it is... It's only welding loads of rod and spool after spool of wire that make you a welder--- Or machining truck loads of parts that makes you a machinist.

So I'm a hack machinist-welder-fabricator-knife maker in training. :)
 
Well if Nick is a Hack Machinist, welder, fabricator, knifemaker in training we are all in serious trouble. I have seen Nick do all of the above and You are far from a Hack in any of them. I wish I had a machinist who could do that file guide job. I had a lot of trouble finding one as my replacement when I moved up here. And your WELDS holy smokes man. Even on the ends of your Damascus Billets:eek:. Wish I could weld like that on a good day. And we have all seen your knifemaking skills.

I think you have arrived Nick!!!!
 
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