Barrel Support Materials and Technique

[webgeek]

Ok, so thanks to advice and input from the group, I've started churning out guns for friends that work well and are nice and safe/sturdy. I've got it down to a minimal amount of materials and time to build with one annoying exception: the barrel supports.

Currently I'm using a jig for my router made of out 1/2" MDF that I then use to route out duplicate barrel supports out of more MDF. They look pretty good and seem to work well but the jig is NOT holding up well (too soft) and the supports take more time to make than any other single piece of the dang launcher! It's made even worse by the fact that I have multiple barrels for each launcher so that means multiple barrel supports (one for each barrel size).

Additionally, due to the fact that most barrel supports are quite small, it's nasty trying to manuver the router and keep it level around the curves. This would be better if I had a router table - but I don't

So what do you guys use for barrel supports to keep em simple and strong in an over-under, interchangable barrel launcher?

Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions.

-- Mike

[MountainousDew]

I use a chunk of wood...
Take a piece of pipe the diameter of your chamber, duct tape some sand paper over the pipe, and slide the block of wood back & forth across the sand paper.
It may take a bit, but eventually you will get a near perfect contour around the chamber, and just repeat the steps with your barrel on the other side of the block of wood.

I think Moonbogg came up with the idea, but I use it and I works great!

[MountainousDew]

I use a chunk of wood...
Take a piece of pipe the diameter of your chamber, duct tape some sand paper over the pipe, and slide the block of wood back & forth across the sand paper.
It may take a bit, but eventually you will get a near perfect contour around the chamber, and just repeat the steps with your barrel on the other side of the block of wood.

I think Moonbogg came up with the idea, but I use it and I works great!