Nice work, always amazes me with what you come up with...

That is slick.

Found some time to complete another small project.  100 year old Remington rolling block.  Converted from the out of production 32RF to 32 S&W long.

Could have modified the original breech block, but who does things the easy way?

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Sweet!  Are you going to harden it @ all?

It is 4140 so I could, but the original wasn't hardened, much.  I'll keep an eye on it for signs of wear and or stress.  32 S&W isn't exactly a hot round.  Most factory ammo is in the range of 750fps.  I already ordered 5 boxes of factory ammo and a set of dies.  Planning to get a mold and cast my own projectiles.

Next time you need to do something like this, look into pre-hardened 41xx steels.

Lots of strength and they actually machine nicer.

Exactly what this is.  4140PH

Not a lot of fun stuff in the shop lately, but due to the Wuhan, I was unable to find an open hardware store to source a flange nut I needed.  So I spent 30 minutes to make a $1 nut.  Hazards of having the ability to make something is in the absence of an easier cheaper option, you will spend countless hours making stuff you should have been able to purchase for pocket change.  



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Well the weather is shit in Ohio and hunting season is over, so it's time for shop time.  Sorry not sorry, it's not an AR.  Being my first build on the AK platform, I didn't have all the tools, jigs and what not, but I couldn't just go out and buy them.   Attached File

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@DavyDug

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I didn't invent the wheel here, but I've never seen anyone else push the all thread through tubing.  I guess most just don't care if they beat up their AK's.  
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Of course, working on stuff for others...

My mom's 38 is lucky I am learning tig
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Badly worn out safety on a mauser training rifle.  So worn it would fall out.

@Safe1

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Nice work on the AK! I see you managed to get a Romy "G" kit with original barrel. I remember when you could get those for $100 shipped.

Wish I had the time and money to get and learn one of those mills, would make this type of hobby so much more fun!

Quick fix for @Houseofmoto

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Norinco 870 lost its barrel band, no machining, just silver solder after a lot of cleaning.

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Finally made a tool holder holder?

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We all wish we'd bought a dozen back in the day.

Having some hobby level machines means you'll spend countless hours making a $10 part.  But you'll enjoy every minute of it dreaming of the next excuse to make chips.

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Nice work!  Would like to see someone make a KP-15 configuration out of wood.

Finally a big milestone in the evolution

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Saying I am impressed is an understatement. You guys are incredible thank you

Shoot, where has this thread been all my life. Subscribed. Keep the shop pictures coming, this is amazing.

So is the Bridgeport new, or did I miss it's introduction ? After all these years with the LMS mill, would you recommend one? Or should I keep an eye out for an old bridgeport?

100% awesome. Keep making 'em.

Some day, the commies in DC will classify your hunk of AL as a firearm before you even get it home, and w/o it being serialized and registered, you a felon.

The Bridgeport is a new addition.  She didn't get a proper introduction, but it was a craigslist find, 1975 series 1, 2hp variable speed that came with no tooling, but did have one shot oiler, servo x-axis power feed and a 2 axis DRO.  The LMS was R8 so I had a start there.  I also had an old 2hp 3 phase converter I got with adelta Rockwell drill press.  But it really struggled to get the BP going.  It took me less than a week to upgrade.

A quick list, all bought within 2 weeks of getting the BP home:
American Rotary 10hp phase converter, room to grow
7.5hp craigslist idler motor
Craigslist Kurt power drawbar setup

chicom stuff mostly from ebay
6" kurt clone, still looking for a used Kurt prised right
Igauging quill DRO
A more complete set of R8 collects
R8 fly cutter, the LMS could only handle small fly cutters
R8 5/8 drill keyless drill chuck, again limitations of the LMS machine, using a drill chuck used up nearly all of the Z axis.  
Line loc misting (mostly just for air) system.
That stuff was about $1500 over the BP purchase price.  But I already knew what I wanted and had saved for it.  

But again, the LMS really had me set up well to get started.  From a small array of precision measuring devices, angle blocks, 1-2-3 blocks, parallels, tap guides, edge finders and literally 100's of end mills, drill bits and lathe-flycutter tooling.  The initial purchase price of any of these machines is only a fraction of what you'll spend before doing much of any project.  

Hindsight is about the same.  I knew nothing about machining, but I knew then I wanted a BP, but it's a lot to buy at once.  Also, I didn't have 3ph power, which seemed intimidating at the time, I didn't have the room and honestly didn't have the money.  I like the Mini-mill for setup convenience and buy in cost alone.  But they are very limited, mostly by size and power.  For most stuff, you'll find yourself dealing with the machines limitations more than thinking about the best way to get stuff done.  Always a less than optimal setup.  That said, I've done a LOT of work on that little machine and learned so much.  

If you have the room and $, skip the mini-mill and go straight for a BP.  But if you don't have room for a BP in your life at the moment, don't let that stop you.  There are a lot of other options out there in the bench top mill world.  Don't be afraid of an old mill-drill machine either.  


ETA:  I don't plan to get rid of the mini-mill any time soon either.  

I've had some of these parts laying around for years, for no good reason I decided it was time.  

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But I had more kits than I had plates, since I recently bought a bandsaw, I guess we'll do it the hard way.

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As it turns out, the blades I got with the saw were not the best.  I have since ordered and received much better metal cutting blades.  But since this project had already started, I had to continue on.

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Its typically easier to make 2 of the same exact parts if you do both in one setup.  Screw them together
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Did I mention I scored an old Delta Rockwell 6x48 Belt/12" disc  Sander/Grinder.  It was converted to single phase, but still had plenty of umph.  It's almost scary trying to do these small parts.  
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Hindsight, that hole did not need to be that big

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Did I mention I'm no good at TIG welding either?
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Final test fit
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Glass beading will hide most of my blemishes
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All cleaned up after a trip in the cold blue
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And done!
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Guess I hadn't mentioned I had a little something to go by, Double version circa 1990's

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Going to be more to follow.  The kid wants to make a derringer from scratch.  Of course we're gonna do it the hard way.  

Good thing I just picked up an old homemade H frame press
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What are we pressing to make a derringer?  Funny you should ask.
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Broke the first one, but since, I've successfully pressed three.  Many more pics to follow.  
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Very nice!  How's the recoil on the derringer?

That thing is miserable with anything but 2-1/2 bird shot.  It's hard to grip it well enough and not have your middle finger knuckle in harm's way of the trigger shroud.

In some ways it feels like twice that long, but in many ways it feels like I'm just getting started.  
Much of this was self gratification, but I do hope it inspires others to get out there and make stuff.

Dirty shop pic to mark the occasion
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Well the SO's youngest found plans to make scrap metal derringers and asked if I thought we could make some.  So of course I said, patience, you need lots of patience.  Of course we can make them, but it won't be 2 or 3 hours in the garage and a handful of working pistoles.  Well, his time is more limited than mine and I was trying to stay ahead of him so I'm not figuring it out on his.  So far so good...
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Does everyone get lost in shop time and forget to take pictures?
Very basic designs, but we can improve upon that.  

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Obviously many more hours to go on fit and finish.  But I already have something around 50 rounds through it. Recovered a few fired projectiles with sufficient rifling.  No keyholes on the 15-20 into targets around 10' away.  Much more testing to follow, but so far I'm very happy with the results.  

ETA:  upwards of 200+ rounds through it now.  Some off hand plinking at targets up to 15 yards with consistent hits on target.  I noticed one keyhole so far, that one was at 10 yards with a group around 5 or 6 inches off hand.  Needless to say, for a barrel made from some random piece of steel and rifling anyone could do, I'm more than happy with the accuracy.  

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Getting a lot closer.  I found an old stock cut off some old shotgun.  50+ year old Delta bandsaw and belt grinder made quick work on the grips.  MUCH easier than I'd expected.  


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The shape wasn't planned, that's just the piece I hacked out of the stock around the mounting bolt hole.  I can't complain about how it worked out.  Some times we get lucky.
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Extractor was not in the plans, but in my mind, they're required.   Really pushing my lack of TIG welding skills to the limits.  

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OP is a cool guy

Most impressive to say the least . Dang !!!

The only video I have of it so far.  Need to do another now  the extractor and grips are done.  I have somewhere over 200 rounds through this thing now with very minimal issues.  So far I've been able to correct all of them.  The ejector and a half cock notch are done.  Need to make a new recoil lug and an actual pivot pin for the barrel.  The screw is supposed to be temporary.  

Incredible to see this progress. Meanwhile here I am in the garage with a HF drill press and a router and jig. I have neither a minimill nor a BP but wish I could jump straight to the BP. Maybe in 10 years I'll be where you are OP, I hope. Much less use (for firearms) it'll be then, probably, but still fun .

How's learning the BP after using the LMS minimill? And have you thought about CNC at some point? And about how long does it take to hog out a lower on either mill?

Amazing work!

someday I hope to be retired and spend all my days tinkering on wood and metal.  OP is inspiring!

I'm not trying to set any records with either, but I can knock out an 80%'er in roughly just shy of 2 hours on the mini-mill and just over an hour on the BP.  The actually machine time is far less than half, but setup, locating holes and tool changes eat a lot of time.  

As far as the learning curve, the only thing I've noticed so far, is being used to the mini-mill, I'm very conservative when it comes to the same op on the BP.  It can always take a much bigger cut than I try on the first go.  But for the most part, the knowledge and experience transfers directly.  It didn't take me long to get very comfortable with the BP.

The plan has always been to upgrade to a BP then converter the mini-mill to CNC.  But now I'm debating either buying a purpose built CNC or starting from scratch rather than a conversion.  We'll see as time will tell.

Don't wait.  I'm 45 and I wish I'd started 20 something years ago.

ETA:  I'd like to thank everyone for the kind words.  Again, I'm no pro, it's just a passion driven learning experience for me.  I keep posting this stuff to hopefully inspire others to take the journey as well.  I've learned a ton from this community here and would like to think I've repaid some of that by helping others.

I started out with a mini-mill and mini-lathe and upgraded to a BP and Southbend lathe.  I'd have the same observations as you....honestly working on the smaller less rigid machines makes it harder to get good parts and forces you to understand what the cutter is doing more....IMO.  Which makes them a great learning tool.

I too planned on converting my mini-mill to a CNC, but then looked at the cost at vs it's capabilities and decided to sell it instead.  Put the money towards a Tig welder.

Made a little progress on #2 in .32 s&w.  Still a long ways to go, but fired her twice.  

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About 4 hours for this part alone. Granted, I made it up as I went.  Maybe I should spend more time in design and planning.
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While it may not look like much, I've been making a lot of progress.

Made a few minor refinements to the 22 while trying to get the 32 caught up.  Plinking with the 32 just isn't much fun without an extractor, so that was today's project.  My tig welds are slowly improving.  Still haven't got control of the heat and always getting little inclusions.

Let me know if I'm posting too much, I know this thread has gone many different directions and doesn't always fit the AR BIY.  

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