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  #1  
Old 10-03-2013, 3:17 PM
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Oldmandan Oldmandan is offline
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Default AK Barrel Pin Reaming w/ Hand Drill

I'm in the process of populating my first AK barrel. I used an endmill in a drill press and jacked it up slightly, due to my drill press table not being perfectly true to the quill.

So, now I'm oversizing the barrel pin hole, just received the .300 reamer from AK builder, but it's not a hand reamer. Do you experienced builders out there recommend reaming it with a hand drill? Any advise on this?

I'm reluctant to use the drill press to ream it knowing the table is off... and getting if perfectly true seems to be impossible.
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Old 10-03-2013, 4:06 PM
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nicoroshi nicoroshi is offline
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Mill over a Drill press any day of the week, and drill press over a hand drill.
Shim the front trunnion with a piece of 1mm stock so it's perpendicular to the shaft.
Center it up, cut slowly with plenty of coolant (I use WD-40 to keep the reamer cool).

The quill bearing isn't the issue with a drill press. It's the play between the handle gear, and the notches in the back of the quill.
Try this:
with handle all the way up try to wiggle the bottom of the chuck.
Pretty sturdy eh?
Now lower the handle 1/2"
Try to wiggle again.
WTF! Yep play between the handle gear, and notches in the back of the quill.

Before I had a mill I would line it up in the drill press shimmed like I stated above, and watch the end mill while I plunge. I tapped table, and trunnion to keep the end mill centered as I went (PITA but only way to account for that play).
Did half from one side, and half from the other.
Didn't always work perfectly so still kept .302 pins on hand.
A mill is the bomb, and the only way i have found to keep it perfectly centered.
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Old 10-03-2013, 4:28 PM
kcstott kcstott is offline
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On top of what Nico said

You can do alot with a drill press. But you have to get that quill square to the table. a machinist's square is the way to go. that and a 1/2 inch dowel pin. Check left to right and front to back. adjust your table to square.
the get a drill press vice.

Or send it to me with a $20 bill and I'll drill and ream it for you.
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Old 10-03-2013, 4:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kcstott View Post
On top of what Nico said

You can do alot with a drill press. But you have to get that quill square to the table. a machinist's square is the way to go. that and a 1/2 inch dowel pin. Check left to right and front to back. adjust your table to square.
the get a drill press vice.

Or send it to me with a $20 bill and I'll drill and ream it for you.
KC is correct.
Forgot mine is squared to the table (engineer's square) already.
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Old 10-03-2013, 5:30 PM
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Oldmandan Oldmandan is offline
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I think my drill press vise is my main issue, my table isn't too far off. Clamping it down level seems to a challenge though. I have a HF drill press vise, it's pretty crappy.

I think it might be too late to run it through on a mill. After my "alignment" issue. I ran a 9/32" drill bit through it to line things up a little, and it worked. I can see the .302 pin will work, however the hole is a little higher on one side than the other, maybe 1mm. Which makes me thinks its not fixable on a mill or trued up drill press?

It looks like the only way to fix it is to line it up crooked on a mill and ream, or try to do it by hand?

I did just drill a plate at 19/64" to see if I could get the hole bigger without the reamer. I think if the reamer has less work to do, I can run it through quickly without overly removing material. My sample piece came out at .297", maybe I should have a couple beers first to get rid of the shakes?
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