Chambering a match barrel on a Hardinge CNC Lathe

Here I am demonstrating the various processes to chamber a target barrel on a Hardinge retrofitted HLV lathe. Go through the tenon profile, drilling, boring, threading and cone profile.

[@Allworldsk1]

This is just another example of amazing Precision technology created by amazing people. These machines are truly artwork

[@petera1033]

The Hardinge / Fehlman combination is hard to beat for this type of work - thanks for posting Chris. - much appreciated.

[@trickengg]

keep sharing more content of your work with us! Great video 👍🏻

[@gunhappyie]

Great work chris

[@greymanops]

Great video.

[@br4713]

Nice work on this high quality lathe👍, do you center and align everything by hand (spindle, spider) ?

[@ChrisHarris4U]

Yes, I dial in the lands on the outboard spider, then the throat, then the extreme right hand side of the barrel. Get the start lined up to under 0.0001” and then you know the rest is easy.

[@danmacdonald1291]

Great video Chris, that is a beautiful lathe I might add! Are you building them yourself or purchasing the lathe pre-retro fitted? I'd love to see a video on how you address dialling in the barrel.. Great work!

[@ChrisHarris4U]

Thanks Dan. The lathe is retrofitted by Babin Machine in the Boston area. Someday when I find the time I will look at doing a full video.

[@keithwood1538]

Can you tell us more about your spider? I have a Hardinge HLV-H and have yet to find a blank or back plate that will fit my spindle. Appreciate the video.

[@ChrisHarris4U]

it is a hardinge backplate - they are not easy to find but they are available

[@keithwood1538]

@@ChrisHarris4U Thanks Chris, that's helpful

[@edwinaquino6940]

Pretty cool. How do you like the electronic hand wheels? Could you still operate the lathe in manual mode with carriage feed and cross slide feed?

[@ChrisHarris4U]

they feel identical to the manual lathe. and yes, you can switch between cnc and manual without touching a button. i also have a hardinge with a siemens control and there you have to select your mode

[@edwinaquino6940]

@@ChrisHarris4U that's good to hear. I watched your video with the Siemens control, looks really nice well done up machine. How much does the rebuild manual version usually go for from Babin? Haven't had any experience on the hlv-h but it seemed really smooth when I got to check out one at an auction months back. The lathe fits the bill for a good number of parts that I make. Looks like a great lathe for the bigger parts that's I want to make as well( 4.5-5" diameter parts.) I saw that you got the multifix A on this lathe. I have just bought the some holders and I could swap them if I go the hlv-h route, really good to know.

[@ChrisHarris4U]

@@edwinaquino6940 the build is likely about $45k over the cost of an old hlv. they recon the entire unit to new condition and add the control etc. i am just guessing - best to call paul babin.

[@acetech091]

Hi. I'm looking into chambering on my manual HLV, and this video is SUPER helpful. One question that's actually unrelated to that though - what size multifix toolpost is that? I bought an Aa because I was told that was the largest that would fit, but it looks like yours is an A or bigger?

[@ChrisHarris4U]

Thank you for the comments. I love the lathe. Yes that is a A multifix. I would strongly advise that you swap for the A as the AA will be too small and you will end up having to shim the tools. The A is borderline.

[@acetech091]

@@ChrisHarris4U Ok, thanks for the info. From their website it seemed like the min. height between spindle center and top of the compound slide was 1.5" for an A and 1" for the aA. Mine clocks in at 1.05" so I went with the aA, but I'll look into this some more. A second question, maybe this is a rabbit hole - have you been able to contour barrels on the lathe? I'm trying to figure out the workholding gymnastics to make that work, and it seems like if anyone's thought about it or done it, it would be you.

[@ChrisHarris4U]

Parker Robinson I have not contoured barrels on an HLV. I would think that you need a longer bed and a travelling steady. It is pretty much impossible to contour without a steady rest. If your barrels are short enough you may be able to do one end and then flip it around I would not worry about witness marks where you connect because you will sand those out on a spinner.

[@acetech091]

@@ChrisHarris4U That's the unfortunate truth I was also thinking. Thanks for your time. This weekend I might get started on building a set of spiders like the ones in your video.

[@AccuSol-ERN]

You indicated the barrel exterior instead of the bore lands/grooves???......

[@hunterber686]

I'm about to chamber my first barrel for my custom rifle. I have a manual CMC machine also. I plan on rigid reaming the chamber by mounting a aluminium blank into a holder then drilling and reaming it to accept the reamer so that it is set perfectly to the bore. How do you run the Cnc to ream out the chamber? Do you set smalll incremental drilling cylce? Or do you just do it manually from the tail stock?

[@ChrisHarris4U]

In this machine I have been running it in manual with the tail stock. It is quick and easy. I think if you are doing one off it is far better to do it manually. Especially 416 as it does vary in quality.

[@stevenicholas5651]

Hi i know this is an old video but what size is the through hole on the spindle bore? I never considered a hardinge lathe for chambering because i thought they had a very narrow spindle bore.

[@ChrisHarris4U]

not exactly sure - i used to know. it is bigger than 1.25” which handles most barrels

[@trevorgentry7966]

Great Video! How did you make your inboard spider?

[@ChrisHarris4U]

Get a backplate from Hardinge and drill/tap 4 holes for brass insert bolts. You can counterbore the holes to accept a cap head thereby avoiding unnecessary injury if a bolt head catches you.

[@ginahardee4891]

What model Hardinge is that ?

[@dcs27006]

It Would benefit you to CNC the chamber also….it will eliminate the very common tool mark at the blend of the lead. Seen many CNC chambers now days as I feel it’s more accurate. But none the less nice work and nice hardinge for sure.

[@ChrisHarris4U]

We do tons of bored chambers when doing dies. I don’t like to do it on one-off barrels as metal can fluctuate from barrel to barrel and it is annoying to chase that when doing barrels. But theoretically it is better, I agree.

[@dcs27006]

@@ChrisHarris4U your right about Metal fluctuating for sure.! NICE WORK none the less!!!

[@АлексейЧурин-щ8и]

looks as it should be

[@Not_Andrew_Huberman]

Could you explain to me what you have for a chuck

[@ChrisHarris4U]

the inboard “chuck” is a backing plate with the hardinge taper. there are four cap head screws in the plate which have brass tips. they are adjusted like a 4-jaw to centre the barrel. on the outboard side i made a sleeve to go over the spindle and that too has 4 brass tipped screws

[@markfarris2620]

What model lathe is this

[@ChrisHarris4U]

hlv hardinge

[@user-wo7rz3yn4o]

I shall not covet fine machinery that will never belong to me.

[@NoneCitizen]

Too bad that Hardinge, Schaublin and the rest don't do desktop lathes now, only china crap is available.