Some of the billet work. Takes sharp tools to make nice cuts like these. Not too bad for Barnes made cutters. The Master Bladesmith stuff comes in handy. A bit of heat treating there to do correctly.

There's a lot of heavy billet in this gun. It has been enjoyable to work on. It will provide quite a canvas for hard color anodizing.

Not too much I wish to show about the design here. It should actually be shootable in a few days.

Gary



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/25/2010 12:54AM by barnespneumatic.

Gary,

A four cylinder flathead gun?

Hey, you can sell that razor-wire scrap to the prison system as part of a corporate byproduct recycling program.

I'll be watching the progress like usual.

Lon

Beautiful work, hope to see it in the "action" soon! I'm guessing a tower is in the works here. Funny, I don't see Barracoda here, have to wait til the fins sprout.

Kent

Hi Kent,

It will have some teeth. haha

Yes - this is one of the bull towers. Mechanisms go inside in voids (yet to me milled in this older pic). Most of the parts, such as barrel, reservoir, hammer tube, valves, levers, etc., are laying about - with their associated "green dots" checked off.

Might be an interesting paragraph or three, for some following along. I make up a "build sheet" of steps for the different gun models. Some can use the same build sheet. Some are different enough to need their own. There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into the guns which is just "intuitative". Such as making the barrel. The barrel blank will be "pulled" on the rifling machine with it's appropriate tooling for that barrel need. Usually there will be several blanks made while it's set up. Then, they are inventoried.

There will be careful calculations needed for the reservoir, hammer tube, etc. All of the details are on the full sized mechanical drawing of the gun. However; on the build sheet itself, it might just convert to four or five groups of operations required for each group - like "receiver", "hammer group" ... etc. The rest of the build sheet is a list of "operations" that have to be performed to unite the parts - handle the interface between various parts (all of the billet, threaded holes, slots, etc.)

The build sheet usually has about 130 individual operations on it. Some take an hour ... some a day. Some that should take an hour ... take a day instead ... haha. All of the operations have a check line with a yellow dot made in highlighter. As I complete the operations, I overlay that yellow dot with a green highlighter. As the yellow dots are converted to green dots, the gun is built. The remaining yellow dots stand out like sore thumbs. Works well to remind me of what's needed. That's also the way I can work on thirty guns at once, and not loose my place. The charts tell what's been done, and the chart reminds me of what is yet to be done. All of the parts in the shop have an inventory tape on them. I refer to the master chart when I have to find something - or identify some obscure part that's been in a cabinet for a year. Toward the end, I might overlay some of the dots with orange. That means that particular step is not required before the action could be assembled and fired.

When the yellow dots are all green ... the action is assembled for the "first fire" testing. That's the big one!

Gary

Work on the scope rail ... barrel clamp



lathe boring/reaming the billet for the large barrel clamp Picatinny rail





Pretty far along now.

Gary

Looking good. Plenty of room to mount all the gear!

Right ... I'm working on a billet lunchbox to clamp on there. haha.

Guys ... can you believe that someone has been bringing their sick kid to Kelly's child care ... masking that they had strep ... and right ... you bet ...

See you on the other side

Gary

Gary,

How do you index for the perpedicular top cuts on the scope rail?

Hi Lon,

Dial caliper ... square ... scriber. .394" center to center. Take a bulk cut thru the center ... then trim each side carefully to the line.

Gary

Wow, that's a huge scope rail. The first true "tactical Barnes," I wonder? Sounds like Barnes Pneumatic has a new division.

-- Jim

Look at those chips flying! Hey Gary, have you turned that Casio to high speed video and shot some slow mo of those bits? We could watch those curly fries spin right off those parts.
That scope rail should look narley. Be carful or it might not pass the next assault weapon ban.

Kent

I, for one, am very interested in seeing how this is gonna end up. The bullpup concept has a lot to recommend it whether in airguns or conventional arms, but it's damned difficult to end up with a decent trigger pull. I'm sure that you've got a solution in mind, and I'm betting that it's gonna be one of those "why didn't I think of that" moments when it's revealed.

Please keep it coming, oh the anticipation...poor Joebill...

Yeah - Joebill is camped out in the driveway. haah. He keeps asking ... is it ready yet? haha.

Kent ... you are right .... I better fill in those grooves and paint the whole thing pink .... haha.

Gary

Man - this is wrong. I get within a day or so of firing this thing ... and get sick from some little plague carrier ..... shot in the back I tell ya ... there ought to be a law .....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2010 12:23PM by barnespneumatic.

Hi Sean,

Not sure why there's such an issue with triggers for bullpups - especially in firearms. For Heaven's sake ... a firearm trigger is only controlling a tiny little slide hammer firing pin. In this gun, I'll be controlling a slide hammer that would break your arm.

This trigger will function as cleanly and easily as any other I've designed. Most likely much of the trouble with commercial stuff is their trying to press existing units into service in a different way they they normally use it. They seldom really "design and make" anything.

This was all designed to purpose.

Gary

Gary, hope your attack of strep throat has subsided, it's a bit unfair being blind-sided like that by an uncaring parent

Waiting patiently to see what this monster puppy looks like/shoots like....

Cheers
Neil

Hello Neil,

I remain your humble servant. On the way back up today.

When last we left our hero, he was working on the stocks. It's very complicated. There are two tubes that run thru it with a bunch of swoopy curves the way the wood wraps around the steel. It will take a particular eye to see how difficult the design is to manufacturer.

This is shaping up to be another very special pc.

Thanks for the note.

Gary

the savanah looked amazing , still has a modern look that only something classic can ,,, hope that makes sense

Well - the day started with promise, but my estimation of my recovery (especially in this heat) was premature.

I did a few things today. Here's some machining pics.



Lathe boring an eccentric billet bi-pod mount. This will clamp around the reservoir.



Toward the end, sharp tools and light cuts make for nice fine shavings.



Leaves a really fine finish. You can see in the ghost shadow of the part in motion, the degree of eccentricity the pc. is turning.

Gary

I just need a bit more strength back, and something to blow this heat out of here. Might get some of both tomorrow. Let's see.

Gary,

It must be a bear to set that up accurately off center. I would have thought that would be a milling operation.

Lon

Hi Lon,

Actually, that's not hard at all. That's the purpose of a 4 jaw independent chuck. You can adjust the center to be where you want it. Or, you can chuck shapes other than round - i.e., rectangle, square, or many irregular shapes.

Thing is, it takes time to change out the chucks. You don't use the 4 jaw independent as much ... so it's not left on the lathe. Means you have to remove the current chuck and store it, get out the 4JI, and install it. Then afterwards, break it down again and switch back. It's all the endless set up and changing that takes as much time as the actual machining.

If done in a milling machine, you'd have to use a chuck which could clamp round objects on end (which would actually be a lathe chuck, clamped to a mill bed).

Gary

Gary

sorry to hear you've been under the weather - hope you are feeling better

now...to the rest of y'all

I am NOT camped out in Gary's driveway - yet ....it is too hot

otherwise...

besides, my upcoming bullpup is a "puny" little .32, not a ferocious .58. It even has a beautiful piece of WOOD all set aside for it and everything

it IS possible, however, that my continued subtle hinting has encouraged (driven?) Gary to this current "bullpup prototype"....and I, for one, am enjoying all these pictures

Hmmm... sounds like another self described "motivator" taking credit!

fantastic finish for high speed , its def a reflection ofth edge on the cutter , ill bet i know who made them .

That would be me ....

and who else would i have expected it to be ,,,lol, quality work ,
that sort of result comes from quality tools , but most people dont make them themselves,,,