I have been cleaning up some leftover projects for the last month while I have been waiting for some 1.2 mm CS O-rings to arrive for the poppet in my version of the ART/SS valve.... They finally got here and I made a new poppet which worked out great.... The smaller O-rings allowed a shallower groove, which I moved further down the poppet towards the seat and now it seals great and seems to function fine, even at 4200 psi.... It is holding air pretty well, losing less than 100 psi per day, which is good enough for now, and often slow leaks like this improve with time, as they are often the poppet on the seat.... Anyways, assuming it is good enough for now, the next order of business is to make the uppers, and then ream the chambers and mount the barrels.... After that I can shoot these guns for the first time, as I cast some bullets last week as well....
I started on the receivers yesterday, cut them to length (actually 1" over) and machined the concave bottom to fit against the tube on both receivers, which will be interchangeable on the lowers.... Today I laid out and center-drilled both ends of the bore for the barrel and bolt, high enough above the top of the tube to allow for the 20 mm OD barrel sleeve, plus 0.20" to allow for the thickness of a piece of 1-1/4" ABS pipe which I will be using for the foregrip on the unregulated .257 cal.... That plastic pipe is 0.150" wall, so it will just nicely clear the Carbon Fibre barrel sleeve.... It will be captured between a recess on the bottom of the receiver and the tube, like I did with the foregrip on the Monocoque.... Anyways, the C/L of the bore is 0.60" above the top of the main tube.... Once the locations were center-drilled, I mounted the receiver between centers on my lathe, and then held the back in my 4-jaw chuck.... Having it sit on a 60 deg. center inside the spindle bore allows easy centering of the jaws, you just tighten them progressively on the four side of the receiver until it is secure.... Using a live center (ie one that spins on a bearing) in the tailstock, I machined a 1" long collar on the front of the receivers (which is why I left them 1" too long).... The collars will ride in my steady-rest to support the receivers on center while I drill them full length....
I first drilled a 1/4" pilot hole from front to back, using a foot long 1/4" drill bit, stopping just before I hit the 60 deg. center in the headstock.... I then used a long 1/2" drill to increase the diameter to the finished size, removed the receiver from the lathe (so the 60 deg. center wasn't in the way, and drilled through the last 1/2" at the back.... The hole was straight and true, and parallel to the top of the tube in both planes, which is what I wanted.... A piece of 1/2" CRS slides perfectly through the receiver, full length, so I know that the bolt and the barrel will be aligned and parallel.... I them mounted the receiver back in the lathe between centers, re-checked the steady-rest position, and then drilled the front of the receiver out to 25/32" to accept the 20 mm CF barrel sleeve.... The sleeve is about 0.004" larger than the drill size, but it just starts into the hole, so all it will need is a bit of sanding to be a perfect slide fit.... Here is what it looks like at the moment.... I only have one drilled at the present time, the other one will be done tomorrow, all going well....
The plan is to cut off the collar, it was only there to allow me to support the front of the receiver in my steady-rest.... I don't need it for support, as the barrel sleeve goes 2.5" into the receiver, which is over 3 diameters.... It will be located by two sets of 3 setscrews at 120 deg. so the assembly should be 100% rigid when complete....
Bob
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