Barrel Shortening Question?

Irishmaster

Hi, this might be a really stupid question but can you shorten a barrel by cutting it down with something? Will it still work?

Puding

you can cut them down, i have done it myself in the past you just need to make shore your crown the end correctly, remove all the burs etc etc, if you have access to a piller drill i can make life easier

Irishmaster

Crown the end, you mean curve the end of the barrel so its slightly wider at the end? And sand the lose ends etc?

Puding

that's it, obviously your dealing with musket technology hear and the bb is bouncing down the barrel in a way, so the transition from barrel needs to be smooth is the barrel end is all over the place finish unevenly on has burs it is all going to effect the bb

Irishmaster

I probably wont do it. Prob make it worse from a perfectly fine promethius barrel. Will look into it more i suppose before i try anything.

Stercus Accidit

Don't sand it, you'll only make it worse.

Cut it clean with a dremel and if you have a deburrer great, if not a large screwdriver bit can be used to smooth the edge. Sand paper or anything like it will just scratch it.

BeardySi

You can do it with a small pipe cutter - go slowly and only tighten it by a quarter turn or so at a time. If you overtighten it you'll deform the barrel.

Get a nice sharp countersink to crown the end of the barrel, if you can't get one of those, a large drill bit (also sharp!) will suffice. If there's any burr left you can remove it with a good sharp blade.

Phractal

***Be Warned. The following is posted for humorous reasons only***
Why not use a laser cutter? A simple LN2 cooled Nd/Yag or Ruby laser of maybe 1KW would easily slice through that barrel with no burring... Or a simple wrap of Green Gas powered Det-Cord would sever it quite easily. Or give Electrical Discharge Machining a go and ZAP the offending barrel away!
***Humorous bit over***

In more seriousness, why not place a solid metal cylinder of 6mm OD down the barrel and choppedy chop with a very sharp, very high RPM saw? This would avoid burring I think, and a sharp countersinking bit to recrown - as stated above.

Or just buy a shorter barrel :P

Firekitten

Here is how I cut barrels...

I wrap the barrel in electrical tape where I plan to cut. (generally white,) Then sharpie on the measured point I need to cut at (I put the single layer of tape around the cut point then mark over, make sense?) The tape keeps the cut straight and going on the smooth curved surface and prevents slipping.

Cut using a hacksaw carefully, and remove the unwanted section, dont use a vice , simply hold it against a flat surface with your hand to do so. Once its off, remove the tape. Take a craft knife and carefully remove the warf and crown the inside of the barrel end (works just fine) And you should be grand.

Used this method for years in countless rifles and never had accuracy issues.

Irishmaster

Phractal wrote: »

Or just buy a shorter barrel :P

The reason i asked this is that i have good barrel just lying around that i cant use in one of my guns cause its too long. So instead of dishing out for another one i just thought i could try this somehow!

Firekitten

Its perfectly reasonable to think so Irishmaster, I do it all the time.... I'm Jewish... if i dont have to pay extra I won't! hehe. In all seriousness, people do it all the time with all guns, the method i offered is the commonly used one, and is proven. Just dont put it near a vice... chances are you'll warp it.

Masada

Stick it in a soft jaw and dremel it off.,

You want as little heat aswell though as brass is particularly suseptable to expanding but all you have to do is give it a couple of seconds to cool again if it looks like its getting hot.

To crown the end of the barrel you can get grinding stones for the dremel itself with ball and cone tips that are perfect for such a job. its good to give the crown a finishing with some P2000 Paper when your done for a smooth finish too.

Leftyflip

Would you not be better off finishing it with a polishing bit instead? I'm sure it would be better?

Leftyflip

Phractal wrote: »

***Be Warned. The following is posted for humorous reasons only***
Why not use a laser cutter? A simple LN2 cooled Nd/Yag or Ruby laser of maybe 1KW would easily slice through that barrel with no burring... Or a simple wrap of Green Gas powered Det-Cord would sever it quite easily. Or give Electrical Discharge Machining a go and ZAP the offending barrel away!
***Humorous bit over***

Phractal, don't try to be funny, it doesn't suit you. At all...

Firekitten

Leftyflip wrote: »

Phractal, don't try to be funny, it doesn't suit you. At all...

Indeed, we may take the piss out of your mad professor routine, but you my friend are not allowed to mock yourself... we are happy to do it for you It's our duty. :rolleyes:

Phractal

*laughs* Grand so - no more humor from me, just slightly mental ideas.

Firekitten has the general idea perfect there - I only suggest 'filling' the barrel to reinforce it to prevent warping, just in case someone decides to use a vice against the advice of the good people here.

Actually, here is something I found. Electronic Discharge Machining looks interesting...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_discharge_machining

And here is a book on building your own!
http://lindsaybks.com/bks9/edm/index.html

I plan to buy said book, simply to see is it practical or useful.

Back on topic, I was thinking. Does the cut not have to be at a PERFECT 90* angle to the barrel?

Firekitten

Phractal wrote: »

Actually, here is something I found. Electronic Discharge Machining looks interesting...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_discharge_machining

And here is a book on building your own!
http://lindsaybks.com/bks9/edm/index.html

I plan to buy said book, simply to see is it practical or useful.

*headdesks*
I'm terrified to ask, but I can't help wondering if you were working on a time machine at the moment phractal.... but I think it's more likely to be a reTardis...

Phractal

Hey, I was merely living up to your expectations... And I figure that if those guys can build one at home, I can sure as hell try (and probably electrically discharge machine my hand off :P)

As for the time machine... Some 13 year old kiddie thinks he can make one - noticed a thread on it over in the physics/chem section.

ANYWAYS. Anything else I can do? Perhaps I will look up homemade cutting laser plans *rollseyes*

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
EDIT
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

LOL here it is. As promised.

http://hackaday.com/2005/03/27/cut-sheet-metal-with-your-homemade-laser/

http://hackaday.com/category/laser-hacks/

Leftyflip

...*Yawns*...

DeBurca

I can remember whem Electronic Discharge Machining were called Spark Eroders

thermo

Jaysus has nobody heard of a lathe?

Firekitten

Why would you want a lathe for shortening a barrel? Correct me if im wrong, but you're not turning a candlestick that fires bbs...

Even if a lathe was remotely relevant to cutting down a barrel, very few airsofters can or have access to one. Apart from Phractal, obviously... You should team up with him Thermo

mousi

Firekitten wrote: »

Why would you want a lathe for shortening a barrel? Correct me if im wrong, but you're not turning a candlestick that fires bbs...

Even if a lathe was remotely relevant to cutting down a barrel, very few airsofters can or have access to one. Apart from Phractal, obviously... You should team up with him Thermo

You can cut barrels with a lathe if you have the correct tools

thermo

Percision machines such as lathes are not relevent to turning down a barrel???
Think about it again :rolleyes:

and how many airsofters are are students? Students who go to places of learning that are equiped with machine shops/ metalwork rooms? You just don't tell them the brass tube you want to turm down is the barrel from toy!

Don't rely on sarcasim firekitten it's the lowest form of wit.

Firekitten

thermo wrote: »

Percision machines such as lathes are not relevent to turning down a barrel???
Think about it again :rolleyes:

and how many airsofters are are students? Students who go to places of learning that are equiped with machine shops/ metalwork rooms? You just don't tell them the brass tube you want to turm down is the barrel from toy!

Don't rely on sarcasim firekitten it's the lowest form of wit.

And how many of those universities/ colleges allow just anyone?

Tbh its easier to cut it by hand, or with a dremel, and less problematic. With the right finishing its a 5 minute job, not an overcomplicated procedure.

and no honey, Sarcasm is the highest form of wit, only those in the crosshairs disagree

thermo

listen FK there was somebody who had a problem and i offered a solution and for it you mocked me??
this will will be the final solution i offer on boards for people if this is the [EMAIL="cr@p"]cr@p[/EMAIL] i get............

Firekitten

thermo wrote: »

listen FK there was somebody who had a problem and i offered a solution and for it you mocked me??
this will will be the final solution i offer on boards for people if this is the cr@p i get............

Don't be melodramatic. Its a bit overkill is all that was said. And as for the hissyfit you threw about getting crap for helping. Welcome to what you do to me, often.

This topic has been answered. Your idea was valid yes, I, like many airsofters have no concept of how a lathe could do what you said. but it has been said that it is possible. Fair enough. Overkill yes, precicison, yes, a 20 minute job for what can take 5 with the same end result? yes.

I have no intention of mocking you, frankly I should, as you do it to me far too often. However, I don't want to: Disagreeing is not mocking you, and I don't want to mock anyone for serious suggestions, which this was.

I think you need to reevaluate what you take offense to, you have little right to be offended by me after the barbs you throw. If i have done, I appologise for that.

Difference is I have no intention of causing the offense.

Phractal

Thermo: Strangely enough, it is oft us ladthe owners that get mocked here. Liedenfrost, an aquaintence of mine, was treated rather... Harshly... Here. He has a mini ladthe IIRC. And your solution is innovative - and hey, maybe someone WANTS a candlestick that fires BB's. You never know!

Anyway... Could one use a pipe cutter?

Leftyflip

Treadhead wrote: »

You can do it with a small pipe cutter - go slowly and only tighten it by a quarter turn or so at a time. If you overtighten it you'll deform the barrel.

Get a nice sharp countersink to crown the end of the barrel, if you can't get one of those, a large drill bit (also sharp!) will suffice. If there's any burr left you can remove it with a good sharp blade.

Phractal, you thanked this post... Your question was answered and you acknowledged it...

Phractal

*laugh* Thanks for the wake up call mate. Had the last of the mocks so I was not at my most awake when I posted.

Irishmaster

Seeing how everyone is so kind in giving their thoughts and non-thoughts in my topic, ill start another one Barrel Lengthening Question. How do you lengthen one??? Just kidden! Dont answer that one! But if you do decide id like to know!

thermo

Irishmaster wrote: »

Seeing how everyone is so kind in giving their thoughts and non-thoughts in my topic, ill start another one Barrel Lengthing Question. How do you lengthen one??? Just kidden! Dont answer that one! But if you do decide id like to know!

sell existing barel,,,,,,,, use cash,,,,,,, buy new one!

thermo

or try and trade it through the adverts section

Masada

2 barrels and some black insulating tape (it needs to be black otherwise you'll get an air leak...

Irishmaster

Masada wrote: »

2 barrels and some black insulating tape (it needs to be black otherwise you'll get an air leak...

LOL!