[lotus]

Well, I'm starting to build a work bench specifically for gun handywork. I have a few steel punches, a rubber mallet and a motley selection of allen wrenches. What other tools are essential to have on hand?

[Gus Dddysgrl]

Screwdrivers.......
specific hollow ground screwdrivers
good pliers
hemostats useful for holding small parts

[Black Snowman]

Documentation and a good forum help a ton :) A padded vice or action specific vise blocks if you're going to do anything like a barrel change but it doesn't sound like you're going to get into it that heavily.

For deburring and other minor clean-up work jewlers files and small sharpening stones are nice to have.

[uglygun]

Dremel, it's all you need.

[Pheonix]

Brass! tools, punches and hammer.

[WVleo]

Hi, Check book or debit card handy !! Most important tool on the bench ! WVleo

[Ian Sean]

I'll second the BRASS suggestion. Couple of small punches and a small brass hammer. Comes in real handy. Don't wait until after the steel ball peen slips and dents or mars something pretty.

Spend the money now on a good cleaning rod and jags. Stay away from the plastic jags, and many people (myself included) recommend a quality 1 piece coated rod.

[Art Eatman]

Needlenose pliers; side-cut pliers, and "regular".

Small, smooth-jawed vise. Plastic, lead or leather inserts.

Fine steel wool. Xtra-fine sandpaper, 600 or even 1000 grit.

If you get a Dremel, don't worry about buying a bunch of stones. The sanding drums are useful, and the rubber "fingers" that are impregnated with fine grit. I just use the fine sanding shells, and the fine-grit fingers. Very rarely, the stones. There are also buffers to use with jeweler's rouge.

And lots of other stuff.

:), Art

[TarpleyG]

Get a good vise (with brass jaw inserts if you can), a ball pean hammer, and some brass punches.

Be VERY careful with Dremel tools and the like. You can screw up a gun in a heartbeat. Polishing it's good for. Removing metal and shaping??? I'd practice a lot first.

As for cleaning, get boresnakes for your bore sizes. Best investment I have made. They are expensive but easily worth it.

Later, things like a drill press, bench grinder, air compressor, bead blast cabinet will come along.

Oh, and files. Get small files in different sizes and configurations.

GT

[B27]

When dentists break one end of a dental pick they throw it away.
This leaves one perfectly good end on it.
Ask your dentist to save the picks he would normally throw awy for you.
They are extremely handy for getting in small spaces.

[Denny Hansen]

Gun Parts Coporation catalog. Even if you never plan to order anything from them, the exploded veiws can be useful with some firearms.

Denny

[Chris Rhines]

A vice, somewhere around 4" open. Smooth jaws are best, and get some soft jaw liners (leather or rubber.)

A good set of hollow-ground screwdrivers. Also, get a bunch of cheapo ones to grind on for one-off uses.

Steel and brass punches, a small brass hammer, and a dead-blow hammer. Either buy or make a gunsmith's block (basically a chunk of steel with holes of various sizes drilled into it, used for supporting a gun while driving out pins.)

Two files - one Swiss #2 cut extra-narrow pillar, and one 10" single-cut mill bastard. A set of needle files might be a good thing to have, but I hardly use the ones I have.

GOOD stones, I really like the ceramic ones from Brownells.

A big bag of disposable eyedroppers, for dispensing solvents and lube.

Good lights.

First machine tools to buy are a drill press and a bench grinder, and pay for good ones.

- Chris

[Kestrel]

Chris Rhines,

What would be some good names in a drill press and bench grinder? Where are good places to get them?

Thanks,
Steve

[ocabj]

Brass punches
Brass drift
Allen wrenches
Torx wrenches
Inch/Lbs torque wrench
Drill press
Dremel tool
Screwdrivers
Dental-style picks
Bench Block
Vise
Rifle Cleaning Stand
Calipers
Micrometers (Standard and Depth)
Brass and Nylon brushes

All that I can remember what I have in the garage near my bench and work table. Except the Inch/Lbs torque wrench. I need to get one. I have tons of foot/lbs wrenches, though.

Don't forget good lighting. Can't work well if you can't see well.

[ocabj]

What would be some good names in a drill press and bench grinder? Where are good places to get them?

I have a Craftsman drill press. As far as grinders, I have a couple in the garage.

I usually buy Craftsman, Makita, or Dewalt as far as power tools go. I don't think Makita or Dewalt makes a drill press though.

[Master Blaster]

Good grinder Baldor ($200), Jet, Craftsmans, Delta ($50-60) are ok, try to get a slow speed grinder, that way you are less likely to burn the temper off of anything you grind. buy good white oxide wheels the ones you get with the grinder are junk, OK for a lawnmower blade, not for good tools or gun parts, get a muslin or felt wheel and polishing compound sticks for polishing.

Drill press Delta good, Jet good, Craftsman OK.

Jet tools may be your best bet for quality and lower cost, I have one of their jointers, and it has been excellent for 10 years I have used it.

JMHO

[Ed]

I have a Jet 17 1/2 inch drill press. Its a floor model and may be overkill but I like it. Find lots of uses for it. I'd agree stay away from cheap tools. I would also second the files. I use them all the time to shape stocks etc. Buy some GOOD countersink bits. In fact, get a woodcraft catalog or go to their web sight for info on the woodworking aspect.