User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 6/26/2012 1:11:40 PM EDT
[#1]
next is the traversing mechanism.
i was very fortunate in finding a complete demilled traversing mechanism. below is a picture of all of the traversing mechanism that i have acquired http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar063-1.jpg by looking at the picture below you can see that there is obviously a large section missing from the demil...theren lies a problem. the traversing mechanism has 3 major parts that make it function. #1 the internal screw this is an acme style screw that is attached to the handle. The screw rotates freely from the outer sleeve. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar096-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar090-1.jpg #2 the nut and inner sleeve a brass nut that is attached to a steel sleeve is fixed into the end of the traversing mechanism by a pin so that it cannot rotate. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar092-1.jpg #3 the outer sleeve an aluminum tube that is attached to the internal screw. the outer sleeve does not rotate with the internal screw. the outer sleeve moves in and out of the traversing mechanism as the screw is passed through the nut. at one of the outer sleeve is the handle and at the other is the piece that ataches to the elevation mechanism. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar088-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar087-1.jpg in the picture below i took another piece of demilled screw and put in in place in order to better illustrate how the entire traversing mechanism works. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar052-1.jpg since all three parts were demilled i will need to either repair or replace all three. at first i figured i would just buy the right size acme...wrong. as with everything else on this mortar it is not a standard acme thread. since i cant buy the right acme i have sent the screw off to a machine shop in town (:( ouch thats not gonna be cheap). luckily i don't have to have the nuts machined as well. i will just turn the ones i have down in order to get the old inner sleeve off of the nut and press fit the new steel inner sleeve back on http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar091-1.jpg and the piece that i bought that will soon be the new inner sleeve http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar092-1.jpg with the inside screw and the innef sleeve covered, the only thing left is the aluminum outer sleeve. since the end of the outer sleeve that connects to the elevation mechanism was still intact and i am going to go ahead and try to use it by cutting the existing portion of tube off of it and threading a small portion of it. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar104-1.jpg i will also thread a small portion of the replacement tube so that i can screw them together. after they have both been threaded i think a little jb weld on the threads should hold them together quite nicely. after this is done all that will need to be done is to thread the other end of the outer tube so that it can be attached to the adjustment knob as shown below. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/m224mortar060-1.jpg this will complete the traversing mechanism. Stand by! more to come. Ben |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2012 1:12:50 PM EDT
[#2]
Going back to the shop this weekend, new chuck came in for the lathe so I am gonna try to finish up the traversing mechanism. My aluminum also came in for the part of the elevation mechanism that the legs attach to. Since I have been unable to find a demilled one I will have to make it. Nothing is cooler to me than watching a chunk of metal transform into something beautiful (like an elevation mechanism) :D. More photos to come after this weekend!
http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar/savellgunpics017-1.jpg |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2012 1:13:59 PM EDT
[#3]
OK! the new chuck and live center came in this week so I spent about 18 hours in the shop this weekend. I didn't get as much done as I had wanted but guess that is just kind of how it goes:rolleyes:. The good news is that i saved EVERY single NSN number on the legs and traversing mechanism!!! :D I couldnt be more pleased!
UPDATES: Traversing mechanism- complete!! (minus screw which i am still waiting on from the machine shop) Right leg- complete left leg - almost complete. waiting on metal for steel sleeve elevation mechanism- 40% complete Right Leg OK so in the spirit of trying to keep as many of the parts original as possible we modified a left leg to make the right leg. As you can see in the picture below the right leg is just a straight piece while the left leg has a knurled nut that moves along an acme type screw that is part of the leg. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20pics/m224-60mm-mortar.jpg In order to remove the acme threads, I chucked up the more messed up of the two left legs I had. The left leg was then turned down and sanded until it became a right leg :) http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0632-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0635-1.jpg It is not a right leg yet though; because it was originally a left leg, the holes to pin on the feet and head are in the wrong position. The legs on a m224 bipod are actually turned out a little bit. I ended up RE drilling and pinning the head in the proper place (with the "A's' matching up...they didn't before :confused:) http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0698-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0693-1.jpg Now that the head is pinned on it is time to figure out the correct new angle for the foot. In order to do this I laid the legs on the granite counter top in the kitchen and measured the distance from the table to the bottom of the chain bracket on the foot. The leg was then marked, drilled and the foot was pinned on. Vuala! We now have a left and complete right leg. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0707-1.jpg Similar to the head, there is supposed to be a "B" stamped on the bottom of the leg that aligns with the foot. For some reason this leg was never stamped with the "B"...this is fortunate for me since I ended up moving the position of where it would have been stamped, had they stamped it when it was manufactured. Unless someone out there has a "B" stamp they would be willing to loan me I believe I will just pantograph a "B" in the correct position on the leg so that it matches up with the "B" on the foot. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0709-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0708-1.jpg Left Leg The left leg was relatively easy. I was able to simply pin on the head and the foot with the "A" and the "B" matching up with almost no problem. Unfortunately when I ordered steel several weeks ago I ordered the wrong size steel tubing for the steel sleeve (I've got to stop waiting until I come back from the bars to order metal online:(). I went online and ordered the correct size tubing and it should be in sometime this week. Even though I was going to be unable to make my steel sleeve I decided to clean up the brass collet anyways so that all I had to do was turn down the tubing when it comes in and the left leg would be done. I just chucked it up in the lathe and just gave it a little kiss with the boring bar to take out the dented section. Then I ran a little emery cloth inside it and it was ready to go. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0688-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0692-1.jpg Traversing Mechanism I was actually really surprised at how easily this came together. I started out by getting ahold of the demiled end piece of the aluminum outer tube in the three jawed chuck. After I got ahold of it I cut off the remaining portion of the aluminum outer tube and faced it off. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0636-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0639-1.jpg Next, I took the new piece of aluminum outer tube that I ordered and cut it to size (plus the length that would be threaded and screwed inside of the original outer piece). http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0641-1.jpg I then measured the threads at the end of the on the original piece and then cut them. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0646-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0650-1.jpg now it is time to thread both the aluminum outer tube and the original end piece that will be permanently attached to the new outer tube. I began by threading the other end of the new outer aluminum tube. Once the threads were cut, the original end piece was once again chucked up in the lathe and was threaded to receive the new aluminum outer tube. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0651-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0653-1.jpg now that they have been threaded to screw together, a little epoxy is applied to the threads and they are screwed together for good now! http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0676-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0655-1.jpg the next step is to turn the bit of old steel that was on the brass nut and cut the new steel portion and soft soldered them together. after they were cleaned up the hole for the pin that attaches the steel sleeve to the traversing housing was drilled and the steel sleeve was pinned in place http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0657-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0661-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0666-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0667-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0670-1.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0673-1.jpg The traversing mechanism is now COMPLETE! :D now we are just waiting on screws. Pictures of the elevation mechanism soon to come! |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2012 1:15:06 PM EDT
[#4]
WELL good news and bad news...
The BAD news is that I got a call today from the machine shop that was supposed to be cutting my acme type screws for the traversing and elevation mechanism, informing me that I was pretty much SOL because they couldn’t cut the od-ball, crazy, F-ing, government contract threads either. THE GOOD NEWS is... while I was sucking down cold ones at the tailgate this weekend I ran into a guy who shared 2 key interests with me that made us instant friends... quality machine work and beer. As it turned out, he owns a machine shop in Oklahoma City and was down visiting his daughter for the weekend. We got to talking about the project and as I was expressing my doubts on whether the machine shop that I am using here in Texas could cut the threads. Before I could slur another word he cut me off and said "Hell not only will I take care of this for you... I’ll do it for FREE!!!!" needless to say I was delighted. Gotta love good people who are willing to help out their fellow man just because! Stand the Hell by for pictures! Ben Radcliff |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2012 1:15:51 PM EDT
[#5]
I got my form 1 back yesterday and it had a Beautiful stamp on the top right hand corner! I dont think I have ever been more excited in my life :D. I was getting kind of worried there for a little bit that all of my work was going to be for nothing. I cant wait until I get my tube!
Stand the Hell by for pictures, R, Ben Radcliff |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2012 1:16:56 PM EDT
[#6]
****UPDATE****
Tube complete!!!!!!! (pictures to come after parkerizing) Complete yoke acquired and properly mounted to traversing mechanism Round baseplate acquired M53A1 sight unit acquired Misc. hardware such as the striper bolts needed to hold the firing mechanism/handguard onto the cup as well as the stripper bolts used to hold the legs onto the elevation T have been acquired… and then modified to fit (surprise surprise they weren’t a standard size bolt) This thing is starting to look a hell of a lot like a m224 and I am just dying to post up pictures for you guys! But before I am done here is what needs to be done. 1.The tube NEEEEEEDS to be dark parkerized 2.A nut needs to be made so that it can screw onto the fins that are on the tube 3.The elevation T needs to be finished 4.Linking bar that connects the elevation T to the leg needs to be made 5. All aluminum parts need to be sent of to be hard anodized Beltfed frog and I have been discussing the best Parkerizing solution to use in order to get a Blacker than black finish. I have already determined that brownells will be way to expensive to fill my 5 gallon trough. I was looking at the manganese park solution from shooters solutions and am pretty sure that this is the way that I am going to go. Here is the link to the solution I am going to purchase http://www.shootersolutions.com/higdenchargr.html any advice that you can give me would be greatly appreciated as this is my first time to parkerize. As for the nut that needs to be made… I had a piece of 7 inch diameter aluminum round stock that is about 4 inches long that I think is going to work out just perfectly. Upon reading through my manuals countless times and using the original barrel drawings i was able to see that the fins at the bottom of the tube are in fact threads. In order to make the nut that screws onto these threads I purchased a top notch grooving tool .058 wide for my kennametal boaring bar. My plan is to set up my lathe to cut the threads and then pull the bar through taking off .003 or .005 at a time. Luckily the threads only need to engage 1/8 of an inch rather than the full length of the fin. I apologize for not updating you guys sooner, I will try to post up some pictures in the next day or so |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2012 1:19:35 PM EDT
[#8]
I just got in from the shop and could not wait to post these pictures! This thing is starting to look a lot like a m224 mortar.
ok so here is what has been done... the tube was re blasted and parked (and came out the blackest park I have ever seen... you decide for yourself) the elevation "T" body is finished and ready for anodizing stripper bolts were cut properly to fit the two different sizes holes in the leg The Elevation "T" Although this part was made entirely from dimensions that were taken off of other parts and pictures, I am extremely pleased with the way that it turned out. I am still looking for a complete or demiled elevation "T" so that I can have as many original parts as possible. Enough about that though here is how I made it. I started off with one solid 1.5" piece of aluminum square bar. this piece will be the ears of the elevation "T" that the legs mount to. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0699.jpg Using the DRO on the mill the center was located and a pilot hole was machined out http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0701.jpg Both ends of the aluminum square bar were faced off and the piece was chucked up in the lathe in order to bore the center hole. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0704.jpg A 1.245 hole was bored in the center of the block of aluminum using the boring bar on the lathe. The aluminum tube that this piece will eventually slide on is 1.25 which will be turned down to 1.247 in order to give me a .002 interference fit. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0706.jpg After the hole was bored in the aluminum piece, the profile was cut in to the sides of the ears using the .5 end mill. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0719.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortar%20build%20pt%202/IMG_0725.jpg As you can see in the following picture the elevation "T" is supposed to have a open area in the center of each "ear" making two tabs on each side. I decided not to do this because I felt that it may not be strong enough. I may end up going back and milling out a slot so that they look right but I am still not sure. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20pics/101_0612-3.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224804.jpg After the profile was cut on all four sides it was time to make a jig so that the radius's on the ends of the ears could be cut using the mill. I could have used the rotary table to cut the end radius's but I thought that this would be the easiest way for the average Joe to machine this as I know that a lot of people are following this thread and trying to build a m224. The jig was bored out , threaded and countersunk so that the stripper bolts that I had for the legs can actually be used in the jig http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224760.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224761.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224762.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224766.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224768.jpg The jig is now made and it is time to cut the first radius on the mill. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224776.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224781.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224785.jpg The other side was then machined. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224787.jpg Next the aluminum tube that the crosspiece slides over is turned down. I allow for a .002 interference fit. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224798.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224801.jpg Then the end was threaded for the end cap. As I said earlier I do not have any parts for the elevation "T". Luckily for me I had two end caps from demiled traversing mechanisms... after a quick check from the manuals I learned that they were actually the same part. The threads were cut and cleaned and the end cap from the other traversing mechanism was screwed on. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224800.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224813.jpg The crosspiece was then heated to 300 degrees f (as not to interfere with the T6) and the tube was cooled in dry ice and alcohol and then pressed together. Here is how the elevation "T" looks after it was pressed together and the legs installed. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224812.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224807.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224815.jpg The link between the elevation mechanism and the right leg still needs to be made, along with a bronze lug like the one on the right leg. I'm not sure if you could really tell from the previous pictures but I reparked the tube and was able to get a much darker park. Here is a good picture of how black I was able to get the tube. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224809.jpg |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2012 1:20:37 PM EDT
[#9]
Just a few more pictures of the progress on the build.
http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224762.jpg These are pictures of the stripper bolts for the legs they had to be turned down and shortened to fit properly. the nuts were also shortened so that they did not stand out so far. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224791.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/m224%20mortar%20build%203/m224794.jpg |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2012 1:21:32 PM EDT
[#10]
UPDATE!!!!! PICTURES OF THE SCREWS: Thats right, the screws for the traversing and elevation mechanism HAVE BEEN CUT!!!! They still need to be cut to size and I need to machine a couple of flats on the ends but I jsut could not wait to post pictures for you guys. I need to send out a huge thank you to David for having his guys tackle this for me. Im so lucky to have found a company out there who will take on a monumental task such as this for the sole purpose of saying that they were able to do something that dozens of other machine shops said could not be done. David told me "we will take care of you on this one" and boy did they! And the entire time never asking me for a dime (although I am putting together something special for them anyway).
here it is in all its beauty http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae144/benradcliff/mortarscrew.jpg |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/27/2012 11:35:35 AM EDT
[#11]
Great job. I am doing a similar project with an M4 bipod for M1, 81mm. It was torch cut and rusted. I was taking it apart just to see how it work and it just kept going. I should have taken pics along the way.
I have had a lot of help on various projects. The best machinist/tool makers love to make something someone else could not make. 
That's why they are the best. |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/27/2012 5:15:09 PM EDT
[#12]
OST
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/27/2012 6:23:43 PM EDT
[#13]
wow
 do you have the mini plate to fire it with the trigger also?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/27/2012 6:28:58 PM EDT
[#14]
I was a mortarman while in the Army. It never occurred to me that somebody would actually ever WANT to be a mortar
 . Phenomenal job.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/27/2012 7:58:22 PM EDT
[#15]
Yes I do have the small baseplate for handheld mode. I am still looking for parts if anyone has any leads for me.
Thanks, Ben Radcliff |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/28/2012 8:42:15 AM EDT
[#16]
Quoted:
Yes I do have the small baseplate for handheld mode. I am still looking for parts if anyone has any leads for me. Thanks, Ben Radcliff I'll keep an eye out for parts, but while I'm waiting on a Form 1 to come back for my M2 60mm, I am working on a few designs for projos and fuzes for spotting rounds if you're interested. |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/28/2012 3:53:27 PM EDT
[#17]
I'm very interested. Shoot me an email at [email protected]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/28/2012 8:33:29 PM EDT
[#18]
And for reference, the aluminum Bud Light bottles happen to be 60mm in diameter and you can press a nut into the neck that will accept a fin assembly if you happen to need some dummy rounds.
|
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
