Hi dfariswheel,
Thanks so much for your replies on this....especially regarding their high order of germain detail.
I have actually two ( 2 ) S&W, K-Frame, re-Barrel projects I would like to do.
One, a Model 10-5...the other, a circa 1915 or so low low miliage, slight incidental pitting exterior, 'M&P' Model with a conspicuous Barrel 'Bulge' right under the front Sight ( not by me! Was that way when I bought it, and was why I bought it - knowing I would like to learn to re-barrel some day )...
Or, I could heat and craefully 'dolly' the 'bulge' back down, re-bore the effected area, and, re-cut the Rifling, I s'pose...yes?
Regardless...
This would be a really good opportunity I think for me to learn, learn critically more, understand more, appreciate more, and, gain detailed experience by careful, methodical, patient, planning, sequence, and doing.
Jobbing things out, I would not learn much...
Well...I'll keep brooding and rehersing in my thoughts till the time comes.
I do have the Kuhnhausen Book, and, a few others, also, which I put in Storage during some bad leaky Roof issues last November...
Next few months, Work-Work things fill my days and nights 7 days-a-week but for occasional stolen minutes on THR...
My Metal Lathe is a very low milleage 'South Bend', 6 inch Throw I think, made 1934, on the Factory Accessory Stand...all the Back Gearing, various Three and Four Jaw Chucks, various 'Jacob's Chucks', and I forget what else.
Good Drill Presses I have and use routinely anyway.
I bought the Lathe several years ago, and have been so swamped since, I have not yet set it all up to begin my self-instruction experiments on it.
I am used to a Wood Lathe, which I know has it's crucial differences, as my Livlihood involves among other things, many Hundreds of precise Wood Turnings a Month.
So I understand fairly well the principles and overall operations of a Metal Lathe, Feeds, Cutting Tool geometry and respective Cuting Tool Materials for differing Materials and RPMs, Coolant/Lube, even if I am not yet practiced on it.
I had a little thing I needed made, went to a Machine Shop I have known for over twenty years, trusted they would be reasonable, and, they soaked me $115.00 for the little thing, and I supplied the Material even.
Came home, feeling pouty, took some same material, chucked it in the Wood Lathe, in a No. 2 Morse Jacob's Chuck, made sure it was Centered alright n that end, far end on a Live Spindle/Center, and, by Hand, I made a closer-tolerance same stepped diameter part in twenty minutes.
Mine miked out to + or - .003...theirs, + or - .007.
And I used hand held self-made Tooling on a normal Wood Lathe Rest, they had sophisticated digital Lathes with positive Tool-Holders and all the rest of course.
If they'd have sought out my Craft, I would never have charged them over $200.00 an Hour for 'simple' Manual Art's process....but oh well, the sorrows of being on THIS side-of-the-counter..!
Lol...
Oye...
Anyway...
Feeling definitely positive about trying this...