.177 cleaning rod with ball bearings - a quick but satisfying project
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.177 cleaning rod with ball bearings - a quick but satisfying project
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Topic: .177 cleaning rod with ball bearings - a quick but satisfying project (Read 719 times))
nervoustrigger
GTA Senior Contributor
Posts: 8701
The Grin Reaper
Real Name: Jason
.177 cleaning rod with ball bearings - a quick but satisfying project
«
on:
November 29, 2020, 07:04:57 PM »
Hey guys, just figured I'd share this little morning project with you. I've been needing a decent .177 ball-bearing rod for barrel polishing and lapping. My old .177 rod is a flimsy 3-piece brass cheapie I picked up from Walmart years ago, one I had upgraded by adding a couple of bearings and a simple handle made from a dowel. All things considered, it has served me fairly well but struggles with tight patches, and a recent
barrel exorcism with a poured lead lap
finally convinced me it was time for an upgrade.
And why buy one when making one is an excuse to spend some time in the shop on a rainy day?
I went with 5/32" (0.156") rod stock since it would allow me to use some 4mm ID bearings* (0.157") I had on hand. A little Loctite secures them with no fuss:
I wanted it to have a 26" usable length so I cut the rod to ~29" to account for the portion that would be embedded into the handle. Then I drilled and tapped the end at #5-40 to accept a .177 brass jag:
For the handle, I drilled and reamed a 6" long piece of 3/4" aluminum rod to accept the bearings, then drilled and tapped holes for grub screws to pinch against the OD of the bearings. Then I cut some shallow grooves for grip:
And here it is assembled:
Materials
1. steel rod, 5/32" (0.156") x 3ft, A2 steel
https://www.mcmaster.com/8888K231
$6
(or W1 steel
https://www.mcmaster.com/8974K11
$4)
2. bearings 4x10x4mm
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32336279214.html
$5
3. aluminum rod, 3/4" x 6in
https://www.mcmaster.com/8974K11
$3
4. threadlocker (red permanent, e.g. Loctite 262) or bearing compound (e.g. Loctite 638)
5. grub screws, #8-32 or M4 x 0.7 or similar
Tools
tap, #5-40
https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/26955A25
$7
*
Note the bearings pictured are compact with thin walls...just 1.5mm from the ID to the OD. That means I had to be careful not to torque the grub screws too hard. I will replace them later with the larger ones linked in the materials list.
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MS
Conduct yourself so that when a man accuses you of something dishonorable, no one will believe him.
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RBQChicken
Expert
Posts: 1648
Real Name: Randy
Re: .177 cleaning rod with ball bearings - a quick but satisfying project
«
Reply #1 on:
November 29, 2020, 07:26:08 PM »
Outstanding! I wish I had the skill and tools to do that kind of stuff.
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U.P. of MI
The first time I hit it, I missed. The second time I hit it in the same place.
Roadworthy
Honorary GTA Moderator
GTA Senior Contributor
Posts: 9706
yes
Real Name: Thomas
Re: .177 cleaning rod with ball bearings - a quick but satisfying project
«
Reply #2 on:
November 30, 2020, 12:08:31 AM »
I can see the project being satisfying but quick is not an adjective I'd use for any creation in my shop. Even with the instructions given and parts gathered I could easily stretch that one into most of a day. I'm not a fast worker.
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Near the Southern Coast of Washington State
Real knowledge is knowing the extent of one's ignorance.
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GTA
»
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General
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Machine Shop Talk & AG Parts Machining
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Share Your Simple Home Projects (TRICKS-N-TIPS)
(Moderators:
Rocker1
,
ezman604
,
dk1677
) »
.177 cleaning rod with ball bearings - a quick but satisfying project