tubes? Are you buying or lathing?

[Sevo]

Hello all,

I am doing as much planning as I can and reading everything. I am not making anything until the paperwork is cleared and I have it in hand. I am just in the planning stage. So here is my question:

For a suppressed .22 say 10/22 or markII what are you using for the tubes? Are you taking a solid piece of SS or Alum and hollowing them out on the lathe to proper thickness or is there a common seamless tube that one could buy in SS or Alum?

If I missed this discussion in a thread or post please let me know or point me in the right direction. I hope I am not being redundant.

Thank you for the great resource, There is so much info contained on this board it's amazing.

[Sevo]

I did find this.., viewtopic.php?f=10&t=78017&p=729511&hilit=tubes#p729511

very informative.. not sure if there is more to add to it? Its looking like most are lathing their own tubes to the diameter and thickness they need. I have a lathe so this is ok, I am just looking for others ideas and thoughts

[Bendersquint]

Most people buy tubes at their desired sizes.

Don't know anyone that bores tubes from barstock. Non-commercially I mean.

Most individuals use a shop like onlinemetals for their tubing. Not bad pricing when buying in such small quantities.

[Sevo]

Most people buy tubes at their desired sizes.

Don't know anyone that bores tubes from barstock. Non-commercially I mean.

Most individuals use a shop like onlinemetals for their tubing. Not bad pricing when buying in such small quantities.

Thank you for the reply! Ok that makes sense, IT would be pretty labor intensive to bore from bar stock?

I was thinking of a wall thickness of around .0650 for the wall thickness? I will look for some online shops that have SS or alum around this thickness. I think I would be ok with a little thicker to help with threading? What are your thoughts?

[Sevo]

I think this would be perfect for my plan

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0

[L1A1Rocker]

I think this would be perfect for my plan

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0

If you're set on stainless, and want screw on caps, I'd go with this: http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0

If you going to weld up the ends, you can go thinner. If you want lighter, you can go with aluminum.

[Bendersquint]

I think this would be perfect for my plan

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0

A bit thicker than you need for a 22lr but other guys on this forum have gone thicker.

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0

This would be a better choice(or 316SS)......but....... 1.5" diameter 22lr can?

[Sevo]

I think this would be perfect for my plan

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0

If you're set on stainless, and want screw on caps, I'd go with this: http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0

If you going to weld up the ends, you can go thinner. If you want lighter, you can go with aluminum.

Thank you for the link, it helps to look at different thicknesses to help me formulate a better plan. If I were to go aluminum, would you use same thickness as above for screw caps?

I like the idea of stainless as it would be easier to clean than the alum with .22LR but I like the ease of working the alum with the weight savings.

A bit thicker than you need for a 22lr but other guys on this forum have gone thicker.

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0

This would be a better choice(or 316SS)......but....... 1.5" diameter 22lr can?

Thank you for the link as well. I appreciate it!

Do you think I should go smaller diameter for the .22LR ?

[Fulmen]

Don't know anyone that bores tubes from barstock.

Yes you do (waving from afar).

Most of my cans have been made from stock, mainly because it's more readily available for me. I did use a piece of old heavy walled tube for one, by the time I was done I noticed that the "slight" surface corrosion was actually heavy pitting that went through the finished tube in a couple of places. So I had to do it all again, this time from solid bar

For steel cans I would definitively use tube, steel tubes are easier to get hold of, but I work almost exclusively in aluminum and with a decent lathe it's not that much work. But if you can get suitable tubing it's a no-brainer.

[Historian]

Don't know anyone that bores tubes from barstock.

Yes you do (waving from afar).

Most of my cans have been made from stock, mainly because it's more readily available for me. I did use a piece of old heavy walled tube for one, by the time I was done I noticed that the "slight" surface corrosion was actually heavy pitting that went through the finished tube in a couple of places. So I had to do it all again, this time from solid bar

For steel cans I would definitively use tube, steel tubes are easier to get hold of, but I work almost exclusively in aluminum and with a decent lathe it's not that much work. But if you can get suitable tubing it's a no-brainer.

Fulmen, what size lathe have you used; did you hold with lathe steady; and
what size/length boring bar and inserts? I saw OCONUS, nearly 50 years ago, a solid 1.25", 7.5" Aluminum stock bored
out to make a one-opening can. Front threaded on lathe ( 24 tpi. ?? ). Like a kid enviously watching candy being made.

"You can take the kid out of the machine shop, but you can never take the machine shop
magic and wonder from the kid."

[pnl2012]

Suppressor’s Tubing is a whole world where Commercial Manufacturers are not the reference (IMMO). Sorry, they work for the cheap and can’t be as creative as we can due to Market pressure
Tubes machined from Bar Stock have the issue of length (and Machine time and waste of Material & Tools and bla, bla, bla …) but also have some advantages like being able to work with different wall thicknesses, skip the Blast Spacer, … and some others. For small/mini Lathes, the main issue with the Tube is the length. Split the Tube into two section (long Rear Cap and Tube); like the Kestrel Can (HunterTown Arms), fully legal in USA. Going that way you can have a one-opening Can, embedded rear cap and skip the Blast Spacer with a strong “Rear Cap” wall at the Blast room . I prefer TubeLess but that’s another debate. Easy.

[Fulmen]

Lathes: Except for my little 7x12 Siege (not useful for drilling out tubes) I've used either an old 10x24 Jet or lately a 12x32 (identical to the Chester Crusader). You really can't do work like this without a steady, and for aluminum a roller tipped one is the way to go. Brass tips will wear groves pretty darn fast, so without rollers you'll have to sleeve the stock with something harder.

Longest can I've made from stock was 2"x10", (IIRC we've also made cans 12" from steel tube that needed fine turning for proper tolerances). Drilling and rough turning is done to half depth from both ends, this allows the use of pretty plain drills and indexable boring bars. Final turning is done with a simple homemade boring bar made from a steel rod roughly 1" square and 16" long with a HSS cutter in front. Nothing fancy, but it works fine with small cuts and patience.

[gunny50]

patience.

Fulmen,

you are right its all in the right tools and especially in the last word. Patience

Gunny

[Bendersquint]

patience.

Fulmen,

you are right its all in the right tools and especially in the last word. Patience

Gunny

I have only made one tube and never will again, it was from Grade5 titanium barstock........patience was learned that day indeed!

[Fulmen]

Grade5 titanium barstock........patience was learned that day indeed!

Word!

[gunny50]

Grade5 titanium barstock........patience was learned that day indeed!

Word!

Well, in the process again of making a batch, tube from bar and all internals in Grade 23.
Not the first time and certainly not the last, as I can not find seamless tube in Gr23.
Lots of material loss. Large containers with Grade 23 scrap.

Contouring inside and outside, with CNC and the right tooling.

Gunny

[Sevo]

Suppressor’s Tubing is a whole world where Commercial Manufacturers are not the reference (IMMO). Sorry, they work for the cheap and can’t be as creative as we can due to Market pressure
Tubes machined from Bar Stock have the issue of length (and Machine time and waste of Material & Tools and bla, bla, bla …) but also have some advantages like being able to work with different wall thicknesses, skip the Blast Spacer, … and some others. For small/mini Lathes, the main issue with the Tube is the length. Split the Tube into two section (long Rear Cap and Tube); like the Kestrel Can (HunterTown Arms), fully legal in USA. Going that way you can have a one-opening Can, embedded rear cap and skip the Blast Spacer with a strong “Rear Cap” wall at the Blast room . I prefer TubeLess but that’s another debate. Easy.

Is there any chance you would have a sketch or drawing of your two-section tube? I like the idea of the solid blast chamber. I think I have in my head what you are speaking of but a drawing of something is how I really learn.

Thank you

[Dr.K]

Suppressor’s Tubing is a whole world where Commercial Manufacturers are not the reference (IMMO). Sorry, they work for the cheap and can’t be as creative as we can due to Market pressure
Tubes machined from Bar Stock have the issue of length (and Machine time and waste of Material & Tools and bla, bla, bla …) but also have some advantages like being able to work with different wall thicknesses, skip the Blast Spacer, … and some others. For small/mini Lathes, the main issue with the Tube is the length. Split the Tube into two section (long Rear Cap and Tube); like the Kestrel Can (HunterTown Arms), fully legal in USA. Going that way you can have a one-opening Can, embedded rear cap and skip the Blast Spacer with a strong “Rear Cap” wall at the Blast room . I prefer TubeLess but that’s another debate. Easy.

Is there any chance you would have a sketch or drawing of your two-section tube? I like the idea of the solid blast chamber. I think I have in my head what you are speaking of but a drawing of something is how I really learn.

Thank you

I did a similar thing. I used an extra thick tube, and machined out the inside, so I didn't have to use a blast spacer. The end cap presses the baffles into the "step".

[pnl2012]

You can have a look to this one: http://grabcad.com/library/308w-hybrid- ... ffles-like
That one is a mix of what has been discussed: OnlineMetals Tube (1.5 OD x 0.188 wall) and Machined for having the Baffles Support Tab and 0.065 wall in the front tube and 0.094 wall in the rear tube (blast). The rear tube outer surface is Milled to lighten. Finally, that one is for a MultiMount system but you can easily Machine the rear cap into the rear section so no cap at all.

[SRM]

My input on this is do what you want.
All my tubes will be from solid or from pierced and rolled. Dont want a tube with a seam. must be absolutely sure!

[redtazdog]

Hard bar steel takes so long to bore out compared to aluminum that cuts like butter.
I have done a few integrals in stainless and aluminum back bored the barrel instead of using tube.

[Historian]

A handy 'rule-of-thumb' to have in one's notebook:

<< http://www.stealth316.com/misc/stainles ... atings.pdf >>

[McLarenross]

Hard bar steel takes so long to bore out compared to aluminum that cuts like butter.
I have done a few integrals in stainless and aluminum back bored the barrel instead of using tube.

I would love to see the bar you used to bore ~12" in a ~0.875" hole. Solid carbide?

[delta9mda]

lathing

[Dr.K]

lathing

I love lathing stuff.

I think about that everytime I see the word.

It always makes me think of "pills" I'm a pharmacist, and technically there is nothing called a "pill"
There are tablets, capsules, troches, gelcaps, pulvules, osmotic pumps, but nothing is a pill.