Ramp polishing tools

glockorama · May 25, 1999, 07:26 AM

I just bought a used dremel. It didn't come with any attachments, what bits do I need to polish feed ramps and what is the procedure for doing it. Can you also do "throut" jobs with a dremel?

motorep · May 26, 1999, 06:24 PM

My gunsmith loves guys that buy Dremels....

glockorama · May 26, 1999, 06:33 PM

motorep, that was very helpful, thank you for your insightful input.

George Stringer · May 26, 1999, 07:25 PM

Glockorama, I don't use a dremel tool so I'm not really all that familiar with their different attachments. But, basically you want to start with maybe a 400 grit abrasive and work your way up to 600 or so. The object of course being to polish without removing any metal or changing the ramp's angle. You can use it for throating. The best way is to start with a 1/4" rotary file and working one side at a time just extend the existing ramp, keeping the same angle, about 3/4 the way around the chamber. After you've done that you can repeat with the abrasive again working your way to 600 grit. Be very careful attempting this. Motorep has a point. I installed about 10 ramped barrels last year and 3 already this year in 1911s simply because it was the only way to save the frames after the owners' over zealous polishing efforts. George

motorep · May 26, 1999, 08:43 PM

Ok, Glockorama, we've tested your sense of humor and found it absent. I use a Dremel for lots of things- fitting grips, dehorning stainless guns, etc., but not for anything critical. I let my gunsmith do that kind of thing because that's what he's trained himself to do. You can polish a ramp til it shines but if you don't know what the end result should be you could very well end up spending more time and money than if you had a gunsmith do it in the first place.

Art Eatman · May 26, 1999, 11:17 PM

Glocko: Scrounge up a couple of rusted/pitted old barrels, and practice on them. If feeding improves, you've learned something. If feeding is worse, you've learned something. And you've saved some bucks, right?

Nobody was born an expert anything...

Regards, Art

glockorama · May 27, 1999, 07:17 AM

Thank you for the input (you too Motorep, my humor isn't absent, just occasionaly too dry for my own good). I will practice polishing on some old barrels.

Chris Orndorff · May 31, 1999, 09:52 AM

Brownells sells lots of goodies that will work well with a Dremel or similar tool. I can recommend their set of Cratex bits (about $45, many different shaped bits in four different coarses).

Go slow!

blades67 · June 2, 1999, 04:10 AM

glockorama - I have a Dremel and find it useful for about 500,000 things. Go to your local hobby shop or wal-mart and buy the Dremel Polishing kit. It comes with Jewlers Rouge and some trick hard rubber polishing bits that will not remove as much metal as a stone will and makes it much easier to find your way without catastrophic mistakes. Been There, Replaced That.

~Blades~

May 25, 1999, 07:26 AM	#1
glockorama Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: WA Posts: 515	I just bought a used dremel. It didn't come with any attachments, what bits do I need to polish feed ramps and what is the procedure for doing it. Can you also do "throut" jobs with a dremel?

May 26, 1999, 06:24 PM	#2
motorep Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1998 Location: mid-coast Maine Posts: 546	My gunsmith loves guys that buy Dremels....

May 26, 1999, 06:33 PM	#3
glockorama Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: WA Posts: 515	motorep, that was very helpful, thank you for your insightful input.

May 26, 1999, 07:25 PM	#4
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	Glockorama, I don't use a dremel tool so I'm not really all that familiar with their different attachments. But, basically you want to start with maybe a 400 grit abrasive and work your way up to 600 or so. The object of course being to polish without removing any metal or changing the ramp's angle. You can use it for throating. The best way is to start with a 1/4" rotary file and working one side at a time just extend the existing ramp, keeping the same angle, about 3/4 the way around the chamber. After you've done that you can repeat with the abrasive again working your way to 600 grit. Be very careful attempting this. Motorep has a point. I installed about 10 ramped barrels last year and 3 already this year in 1911s simply because it was the only way to save the frames after the owners' over zealous polishing efforts. George

May 26, 1999, 08:43 PM	#5
motorep Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1998 Location: mid-coast Maine Posts: 546	Ok, Glockorama, we've tested your sense of humor and found it absent. I use a Dremel for lots of things- fitting grips, dehorning stainless guns, etc., but not for anything critical. I let my gunsmith do that kind of thing because that's what he's trained himself to do. You can polish a ramp til it shines but if you don't know what the end result should be you could very well end up spending more time and money than if you had a gunsmith do it in the first place.

May 26, 1999, 11:17 PM	#6
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Glocko: Scrounge up a couple of rusted/pitted old barrels, and practice on them. If feeding improves, you've learned something. If feeding is worse, you've learned something. And you've saved some bucks, right? Nobody was born an expert anything... Regards, Art

May 27, 1999, 07:17 AM	#7
glockorama Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: WA Posts: 515	Thank you for the input (you too Motorep, my humor isn't absent, just occasionaly too dry for my own good). I will practice polishing on some old barrels.

May 31, 1999, 09:52 AM	#8
Chris Orndorff Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 1999 Location: Utah Posts: 233	Brownells sells lots of goodies that will work well with a Dremel or similar tool. I can recommend their set of Cratex bits (about $45, many different shaped bits in four different coarses). Go slow!

June 2, 1999, 04:10 AM	#9
blades67 Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 1999 Location: Chandler, Arizona, USA Posts: 6,014	glockorama - I have a Dremel and find it useful for about 500,000 things. Go to your local hobby shop or wal-mart and buy the Dremel Polishing kit. It comes with Jewlers Rouge and some trick hard rubber polishing bits that will not remove as much metal as a stone will and makes it much easier to find your way without catastrophic mistakes. Been There, Replaced That. ~Blades~