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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Am I crazy? (Read 518 times)
bpjack
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Am I crazy?
Oct 23rd, 2025 at 6:49pm
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Wait, I know the answer to that question, but what I really want to know if this idea is crazy.  Marlinguy and I have been discussing custom scope blocks and I had an idea of trying to 3D print some short odd length blocks using a  hard 3D printing filament.  I don't actually have one at this point 'cause I have never found anything useful enough to justify the cost and table space.
On a related issue, has anybody seen an end-mill that can cut the cupped mounting points.

One wild and crazy guy!

Jack
  

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gunlaker
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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #1 - Oct 23rd, 2025 at 6:56pm
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3D printing them is an interesting idea!   If they were Posa I'll bet you could print them without needing to do much if any cleanup work.

  
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4570mike
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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #2 - Oct 23rd, 2025 at 7:12pm
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My “hobbyist “ neighbor has a 3D printer and seems game for new projects.  If I had the “code” to make it work, I could have him give it a try.
Mike.
  
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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #3 - Oct 23rd, 2025 at 8:01pm
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Are you talking about plastic? Hard plastic? Plastic on single shot rifles? 

If so the round cuts for mounts shouldn't be needed. Unless plastic is harder than I think.
  

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bpjack
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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #4 - Oct 23rd, 2025 at 8:29pm
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Plastic is a very broad term.  But yes.  I did think that the cutouts would not be needed.  There are many different printer filaments including nylon and carbon fiber.
  

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bpjack
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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #5 - Oct 23rd, 2025 at 8:33pm
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I an also foresee an non-marring piece that wraps around the barrel and forend with either a built in dovetail of screw holed for metal blocks.
  

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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #6 - Oct 23rd, 2025 at 8:52pm
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There was a nice post a few years ago on how to cut the divots for the scope mounts on these bases.  Maybe Frankeore?  The gist of it was using a single flute end mill, and it naturally cuts that shape, at least with a small amount of center relief grinding.  If I can find time, I'll go out and find one and post a picture.
  
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bpjack
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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #7 - Oct 23rd, 2025 at 9:31pm
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I tried using an oblong shaped Dremel grinding wheel to cut a cup in a 4 flute endmill.  It doesn’t work well.  I will have to try making a single flute one.  I have to admit that I am not a machinist but I did stay at a  Holiday Inn Express.
  

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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #8 - Oct 23rd, 2025 at 10:16pm
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Small fly cutter, Jack. You have the tools to do it. Or make a single point cutter the correct diameter on the end of a piece of drill rod.
  

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bpjack
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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #9 - Oct 23rd, 2025 at 10:33pm
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I have never figured out how to get the flies to sit still while I cut them.  Larger flies might be easier. Maybe if you freeze them first.  Not sure what they have to do with me being crazy though.
  

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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #10 - yesterday at 1:09am
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Jack, among my HS metal shop projects was making a fly cutter. That was in the 1960s. We also made button dies if one chose to do the project. The shop class had a list of projects a student could do for a grade. Awe but that was way back in the old days so you probly never heard of it. 
Not long ago, a few weeks, I was using a fly cutter to make clear Polyethylene sight inserts for Anschutz globe sights. You shouldn't laugh and make fun of the old fly cutter. You can do an awful lot with one when you don't have a fancy schmansy multi flute store bought cutter. From big to tiny, fly cutters can be very handy.

Below is a slug gun blank machined to octagon with a fly cutter.
  

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bpjack
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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #11 - yesterday at 6:18am
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All I had was 8th grade wood shop. I made a gun rack. It made it into the school’s wood shop display. It held 6 guns.  I only had 1.  A single shot bolt action 22 that my dad had.  I think my brother took both the rifle and the rack. It was maple. 
  

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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #12 - yesterday at 9:10am
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One of the fellows I shoot with has made several front sights on his 3d printer and they work fine except for the plastic look. But would a scope base be able to take the torque from recoil?
It's going to be holding alot more weight.
  
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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #13 - yesterday at 9:26am
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I bought a 3D printed powder measure stand that I have mounted on a plywood base that I clamp to the shooting bench. It holds a Harrels measure and seems as rigid as the much heavier Lyman one it replaced. 

  

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Re: Am I crazy?
Reply #14 - yesterday at 9:56am
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I've never really understood why target scope bases needed to be so darn hard? I think even mild steel would hold up and not be a problem to work with various scope clamping styles. Not sure about softer materials like plastic though as I can see someone not getting a posi-loc into the cut right and end up with numerous cuts over time. Not sure how it would handle recoil either?

Recent attempts to find scope base material in short lengths to cut up and make custom bases I need proved futile. I have a Bremer High Wall and a Zettler Bros. Ballard that both have oddball spacing and it looks like I'll have to dig through my baggie of scope bases and anneal some bases to drill new mounting holes to fit these two oddball spaced holes.
  

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