I ran into an interesting and quite heated post over on "Practical Machinist" on the pros and cons of cutting chambers in either the head stock or a steady rest. I have done it both ways, and have had good results with both. Maybe we could get a less heated discussion here.
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head stock or steady rest chamber reaming
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I am pretty flexible, The method I use depends on the lathe I am using at the time. I always cut the barrel tenon to size, with the barrel on a live center, then chamber with a floating reamer holder, weather in a steady rest or in a four jaw chuck. I know that is not the recommended way but it works for me.
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When I get Time... I'll...
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I use a steady as a last resort. The headstock on my Acer 14x40 is about as narrow as you'll find. I use a direct mount 4jaw and I cut the two steps off the jaws. I can do barrels as short as 21". Short than that and I have to do something different. It's not very often.
I just can't get a barrel indicated as close in a steady as I can with the 4 jaw and spider.
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My Rockwell headstock is too small for the larger diameter barrels, so I do much of my barrel work on centers. For the chamber reaming, I use the steady rest. After the reamer is started, you can loosen the 3 rollers on the steady rest, ever so slightly. This takes the place of the floating reamer holder. This allows the reamer to self center. I learned this from an old gunsmith. He claimed it was the best way. Anyhow, I have to do it this way out of necessity. I have had good success using this method.
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Here I am cutting a crown with the steady rest last week. The shotgun breech would not fit in the headstock.
I remember the late gunsmith Randy Ketchum whose lathe headstock was too big to get the muzzle out the left hand side.
He always used a steady rest, but first he had to cut a round spot on the barrel.There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. -Ernest Hemingway
The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.-- Edward John Phelps
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