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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - New 0% build (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 3/27/2011 1:50:54 PM EDT
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I have been lurking for some time. But I now have something to share with the rest of the class. I was just about to buy a few raw forged lowers when a nice chunk of 7075 aluminum became avalable at work. After some head scratching I figured I would be able to make 2 lowers. Because we all know 2 is better than 1. A little back ground on me. I am a cnc machinist with 12 years on the job. I am currently the 2nd shift supervisor for a shop that makes mostly medical and aerospace components. So far I have made good head way considering I'm working 56+ hour a week. The hard part is finding avalible mills to work on. I started out by milling the right side of 2 lowers nested together. Then I cut them apart to make it simpler to work on.
http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2732.jpg http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2733.jpg Next I cut the extra material off of the back. With one side still flat I decided to work my way around the sides cutting the FCG pocket, threading the buffer tube hole, and putting in the other side features. Because I setup and run cnc mills I had to enlist some help from my wire EDM guy to do the mag slot. http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2737.jpg http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2738.jpg http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2741.jpg http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2744.jpg This is where i'm at so far. Still have a ways to go. |
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That is very impressive, I wish I had your skill/knowledge to be able to do that on my own as well. Since I dont what is the next stage when you get the cutting done, what finishing coating goes on? First things first, I need to come up with a plan on what to engrave the selector settings. Safe, semi, auto. (even though it's not auto) Or do I go with the current voge of pictograms. Or something different like good, bad, ulgy. As for the finish is still up in the air. But I'm thinking duracoat or alumahide. I'm feeling green. 
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| If your going to be fun with it, you could pick a theme (some of the zombie lowers Ive seen i wish I could change the safety selection settings). But you could also just do fun stuff. Like "safe, Uh-oh, and SHTF" or something like that. Uh-oh could change, but I like the SHTF for auto/burst |
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I typically do not comment on machining work, but I am impressed that the toolpaths look mostly efficient on this one from the pictures.
What was the run time? I only ask because most billet lowers I have been seeing, guys say it take a butt load of time, and I am impressed that you didn't surface the whole damn thing... 
Talented programmers don't need to generate a ton code to make a part, they take their time and do it efficiently and right. Good job! BTW, What CAM did you use for this one? Mike in MN (A fellow machinist and programmer) |
| The mag well was cut using a wire EDM. As for cam softwere I used mastercam X4. The mill work is a combination of Kitamura CNC, and good old fashion bridgeport. Cycle time was on the long side due to conservative feed and speed. I was more interested in finish quality than cut time. IIRC the first 5-side set up ran about 45 min. |
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The mag well was cut using a wire EDM. As for cam softwere I used mastercam X4. The mill work is a combination of Kitamora CNC, and good old fashion bridgeport. Cycle time was on the long side due to conservative feed and speed. I was more interested in finish quality than cut time. IIRC the first 5-side set up ran about 45 min. Well like I said, I am impressed. I have heard guys doing these things with 10s of thousands of lines of code, and then still hand blending after, with 10s of hours of run time. I am sure it was a Feature-Based CAM software package where I guy just said make it and the software spit out code. I have nothing but respect for guys that actually have "talent" with programming. Hats off to you. There aren't too many that could do this like you did, feel good about that...
Almost interested in where you work...lol.. I worked around down there for 10 years in the North Suburbs, in shops with the same equipment and same industries...hmmm.. I wouldn't tell anyone if I were you... 
Mike in MN |
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nice, i thought about doing this and said fuck it.... take me 10 hours to make one when i could just buy one for 100 lol
how do you plan on drilling the bolt catch roll pin? where did you get the model from to program off of? all i can find is a solidworks file off cncguns but it doesnt have the incorperated trigger guard. |
| That is pretty awesome to be able to build a lower from scratch...Wish i had the equipment and knowledge to do it...I had a question though...what about the serial numbers and ATF and all that legal stuff...wouldn't you have to be a licensed manufacturer? Im not trying to put a turd in the punch bowl, im just curious, because I dont have a clue how it works? |
Now just wait a minute people!!!! How can anyone of you be soooooo gullible as to believe the OP really made those?!?!?! I mean look at his join date and post count! We all know that recent join date and low post count = LIAR!!! Sheesh! A shiny piece of metal and you guys are all falling over yourselves like a bunch of 17 year old virgins at the Bunny Ranch! 
Just Kidding OP. That is a sweet piece of work. |
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That is pretty awesome to be able to build a lower from scratch...Wish i had the equipment and knowledge to do it...I had a question though...what about the serial numbers and ATF and all that legal stuff...wouldn't you have to be a licensed manufacturer? Im not trying to put a turd in the punch bowl, im just curious, because I dont have a clue how it works? This is exactly why most people in my field don't advertise the things they make for bragging rights....
You guys would be surprised what a machinist could make when know one is looking.....Oh wait, yes you do... The military has it... a machinist makes all that stuff. It's kinda sucks, but most shops that do Defense work, they make you sign confidentiality agreements. Most shops do for everything, but when you make Defense parts, you don't talk about it because you know they know more about you then you do... 
Mike in MN |
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nice, i thought about doing this and said fuck it.... take me 10 hours to make one when i could just buy one for 100 lol how do you plan on drilling the bolt catch roll pin? where did you get the model from to program off of? all i can find is a solidworks file off cncguns but it doesnt have the incorperated trigger guard. After I cross all of my fingers I will use a long small drill for the bolt catch pin hole. I got the model and print from cncguns. I added the closed trigger guard and changed some things to make it less complex to make. |
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how do you plan on drilling the bolt catch roll pin?
After I cross all of my fingers I will use a long small drill for the bolt catch pin hole. You can make a quick jig that will line that hole up and keep your drill from flexing. The CNCguns jig has it built in, but you can make one out of a small piece of scrap. Check the CNCguns step by step on how to use their jig and you’ll see it. |
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That is pretty awesome to be able to build a lower from scratch...Wish i had the equipment and knowledge to do it...I had a question though...what about the serial numbers and ATF and all that legal stuff...wouldn't you have to be a licensed manufacturer? Im not trying to put a turd in the punch bowl, im just curious, because I dont have a clue how it works? Link: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=51&t=115619 Yes- you can make all the assault rifles you want at home. Yes, the configuration MUST comply with all local and federal gun laws. Yes, YOU must do the work yourself to complete them. That means: NO, you can't hire somebody else to do the work for you. Yes, you MUST have the intent to keep the gun for your own personal use when you make it. No, you are NOT required to have any serial number on the gun at all. None, nada, zipo. Serial number NOT required. But IMHO, it would be foolish NOT to put a number on anything you make. YMMV. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
That is pretty awesome to be able to build a lower from scratch...Wish i had the equipment and knowledge to do it...I had a question though...what about the serial numbers and ATF and all that legal stuff...wouldn't you have to be a licensed manufacturer? Im not trying to put a turd in the punch bowl, im just curious, because I dont have a clue how it works? Link: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=51&t=115619 Yes- you can make all the assault rifles you want at home. Yes, the configuration MUST comply with all local and federal gun laws. Yes, YOU must do the work yourself to complete them. That means: NO, you can't hire somebody else to do the work for you. Yes, you MUST have the intent to keep the gun for your own personal use when you make it. No, you are NOT required to have any serial number on the gun at all. None, nada, zipo. Serial number NOT required. But IMHO, it would be foolish NOT to put a number on anything you make. YMMV. Thanks for the link...Very interesting to read...Like I said I didn't have a clue about the rules for personal manufacturing, but now I do. Just wish I had the equipment to do one for myself. |
I'm jealous all I have is a wood shop.
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That is really nice. I especially like the milled trigger guard...The worst part of the build, and it's permanently attached and not needing any attention. Between the people struggling with this, and the others that break the flanges on the lower from lack of support.
That is really nice, and now that all the programming is complete, it shouldn't take much to make more... Super job! Rob |
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Well I have been a busy boy this week. I started out by engraving my initials on the right side of the recever.
http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2745.jpg Next I drilled the hole for the buffer plunger. This turned out to be the thing that gave me the most trouble for some reason. http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2746.jpg Then I drilled the pivot pin plunger hole. http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2748.jpg After that I drilled and tapped the 1/4-28 for the grip. Apparently I didn't take a pic of that.  So moving on, I cut the left side of the recever. I hope you all like the selector engraving.
http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2757.jpg http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2752.jpg http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2753.jpg The next two pics are of the bolt catch hole and the drill guide I used. http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2754.jpg http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/touchracing/IMG_2756.jpg FYI in the pic of the two recevers side by side one is as cut and the other I sand blasted. Enjoy. |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - New 0% build (Page 1 of 2)
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