best way to shorten action screws?

shortening action screws

Necessity being the mother of invention I carefully cut off the excess using a Dremel cut off wheel leaving screw a tad long. Then chuck the screw in a portable variable speed drill and use a medium stone or file to get the right length and provide a nice radius. Follow up with 320 grit emery and then crocus for a mirror like finish and then cold blue.
 
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Don't own a lathe, milling machine OR any other high $$ piece of equipment. Figured I wouldn't use them that much so no use having them.;)
Action screw, double nutted so it won't turn, chucked in vice, cut to length with hack saw then filed smooth after the nuts are removed. Done deal.
 
I use a nut with a saw cut through one of the flats. Screw on screw, then chuck up in a 3 jaw in lathe. Slot allows the chuck to tighten down on screw, similar to a collet. I have a drawer of them with all the common screw and bolt sizes.
 
I use a nut with a saw cut through one of the flats. Screw on screw, then chuck up in a 3 jaw in lathe. Slot allows the chuck to tighten down on screw, similar to a collet. I have a drawer of them with all the common screw and bolt sizes.



nice ;)
 
Don't own a lathe, milling machine OR any other high $$ piece of equipment. Figured I wouldn't use them that much so no use having them.;)
Action screw, double nutted so it won't turn, chucked in vice, cut to length with hack saw then filed smooth after the nuts are removed. Done deal.

Some of my setups implement tuning screws..... For these I use Grade 8 bolts.

AND..... I've occasionally run cross screws hard enough to bugger up hacksaw blades, hence my question.

Well, that and sometimes no matter how hard I squinch that vise, unless I've lined up the flats they sometimes "tip" and make me unhappy :)

I'm doing dozens of pairs of them.
 
Necessity being the mother of invention I carefully cut off the excess using a Dremel cut off wheel leaving screw a tad long. Then chuck the screw in a portable variable speed drill and use a medium stone or file to get the right length and provide a nice radius. Follow up with 320 grit emery and then crocus for a mirror like finish and then cold blue.

The number of them cutoff wheels I've blown up, and the nicks in my fin'ders........ and I'm waiting for the day I neglect them safety glasses......and I've got a split thumb right this minute from doing 7 sets back-to-back the other nite....... so my slippage rate is gonna' be up for a few days......and I've got to spin my pelican vise out over the table to get the angle......and then the screw's too long to let my handpiece set square.....and I've only got 1/4" of threads left on the bolt on this ultralite rifle so's I cain't double-nut it to cut the other end off.......

am I whinin' yet???


LOL
 
The number of them cutoff wheels I've blown up, and the nicks in my fin'ders........ and I'm waiting for the day I neglect them safety glasses......and I've got a split thumb right this minute from doing 7 sets back-to-back the other nite....... so my slippage rate is gonna' be up for a few days......and I've got to spin my pelican vise out over the table to get the angle......and then the screw's too long to let my handpiece set square.....and I've only got 1/4" of threads left on the bolt on this ultralite rifle so's I cain't double-nut it to cut the other end off.......

am I whinin' yet???


LOL

This can be as easy or as hard as you make it.
Drill and tap a thin piece of metal that will allow you to grind the screw flush or a few thousand proud and finish with a file and sandpaper. Spin it in a drill against a flap wheel to put a slight bevel on the end.
 
This can be as easy or as hard as you make it.
Drill and tap a thin piece of metal that will allow you to grind the screw flush or a few thousand proud and finish with a file and sandpaper. Spin it in a drill against a flap wheel to put a slight bevel on the end.


I got me bunches of screw-holder gizzies...... threaded and unthreaded

My problem is when I want to trim off a half inch, on 20 screws....all different
 
Lock a pair of nuts on it. Chuck it up in your lathe. Make multiple face cuts on the end of the bolt until the correct length. Angle the tool and put a slight chamfer on the end to clean up the threads. If real long you might want to use a cutoff wheel to rough cut the bulk of the excess length.
 
Al.......

I clamp my cordless drill flat on my workbench. Carefully place the screwhead inside the chuck, with some crocus cloth around the threads. Spin the screw while using a dremel(held flat on the workbench) cut-off wheel to slice off the unwanted threads........SAFETY GLASSES ALWAYS!!!

A carefully placed vacuum cleaner hose helps. Check screw length using caliper depth rod, to chuck nose.

Hope this helps.

Kevin
 
I clamp my cordless drill flat on my workbench. Carefully place the screwhead inside the chuck, with some crocus cloth around the threads. Spin the screw while using a dremel(held flat on the workbench) cut-off wheel to slice off the unwanted threads........SAFETY GLASSES ALWAYS!!!

A carefully placed vacuum cleaner hose helps. Check screw length using caliper depth rod, to chuck nose.

Hope this helps.

Kevin

Hey Kev!! That's a great tip with the drill! I've got the drill holstered ON the table for mixing epoxy, clamps hanging for holding down my Versa-Cradle and the flexy-shaft gadangling....... and the step-switch for the (remoted) shopvac under the bench.

Ba-da-BOOM!

it's ALL there.....
 
JY-pers that was slick.....

I tried Kevin Gullette's method.

Glory Be,

the screws fit into the chuck on my drill with the head inside, threads sticking out...... it only FITS, it ain't adjustable in/out so's I did my thing with the silver Sharpie to mark the depth/length but

With the drill spinning and me sneaking in prone it was BUTTAHHH!!! LIT'rally seconds and done. And everything smooth and SOLID, no chatter, no popped cutoff discs, no heat, no sweat.
 
Why don’t I mix epoxy with a drill!?!!
Sorry for the tangent, but that is a great idea for my devcon!
 
Al.......

That was fast!! Glad it worked for ya.

Extra hints: For a "close" screwhead fit, inside the chuck, I use a small disc of duct tape over the screwhead while slowly tightening the chuck. Sometimes I have to reverse the screw, or use a larger/different brand chuck.
As you probably noticed.......it cuts best when the rotating pieces are counter to one another.
Depth measuring, of the exposed screw threads from the chuck end, allows almost exact length results.
edit add: To vary the "height" of the horizontal Dremel tool.....I use paint stir sticks.

Kevin

BTW......variations on this theme......are many. :)
2zz8cwm.jpg
 

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That was fast!! Glad it worked for ya.

Extra hints: For a "close" screwhead fit, inside the chuck, I use a small disc of duct tape over the screwhead while slowly tightening the chuck. Sometimes I have to reverse the screw, or use a larger/different brand chuck.
As you probably noticed.......it cuts best when the rotating pieces are counter to one another.
Depth measuring, of the exposed screw threads from the chuck end, allows almost exact length results.
edit add: To vary the "height" of the horizontal Dremel tool.....I use paint stir sticks.

Kevin

BTW......variations on this theme......are many. :)
2zz8cwm.jpg


Well that was startling......

The Pro-Blend engine assembly lube and the cap to put it in...... by the pile of shavings............. I swear the bottle has the same STAINS on the lid-flipper as the one I use!

But I set the entire mess into an old cookie sheet (stole them from the kitchen, bought wife new ones, WIN/WIN) and keep the neck turning tool in a dish of water.
 
That was......

.....dang close Al!!

But......the tip of the lube bottle is a bit wet.....so I can swipe a bit off with the turning mandrel, before each case turning.
The tin cap has some naphtha that I dip the folded pipe-cleaner into.......for inside cleaning of the rotating neck, after turning.
The case-neck fit was a bit tight, on this particular mandrel, so my "heat" glove was needed. I've since collected expanding mandrels of slightly different diameters....for better fits.
I've found that cool, or warm......keeping the turner at about the SAME temperature, helps with consistant T.I.R.'s.

With much help from guys on the board(Francis.....you know who you are!!).......some years ago I "revised" my turning set-up. See pic below. No more dying/dead/recharging batteries! It also helps with other operations.

BTW.....Al.....who's got room for a cookie sheet???!!!:rolleyes:

Kevin

119vz3b.jpg
 
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Al.......

I ran across an old pic of my primer pocket uniforming process, and thought you might use it with the cordless drill app.

I guess my "kink" with this process is the "rag wrapped" 270 case. It puts the pressure in the palm.......rather than cramping my fingers.

Hope this might help ya......or anyone else.

Kevin

mll3ci.jpg
 
Hang on..... so ya' poke the PPC case neck-to-neck into the 270 case? And the PPC doesn't spin?
 
al
you have a lathe
mount the pocket cutter in the lathe,
use a wilson case holder on the cases and go to work
a pc of wood across the ways to work from
cutter is carbide i run it at 300-500
 
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