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Posted: 8/1/2005 7:43:08 PM EDT
[#1]
I drilled mine to put a picitinny mount on it. The inside fibers started to splinter a little, but it was not bad at all. A better drill bit, drill and operator probably would have gotten a clean hole. I doubt I have the same tube as the one they are selling, but it is carbon fiber.
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Posted: 8/2/2005 6:07:08 AM EDT
[#2]
I have vast experience with automotive carbon fiber. It can be drilled. It will, as noted above, splinter some fibers, but they can be easily cleaned up with a rotary tool and appropriate attachment. Carbon fiber, depending on it's number of layers and strength, can crack. Drilling a hole and clamping something tight to it, increases this risk. Like I said, I don't know about freefloats, but i've drilled carbon fiber hoods on race cars to attach hood pins many times without consequence.
*ETA* Why not locate a sling stud somewhere else? |
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Posted: 8/2/2005 8:22:53 AM EDT
[#3]
Where else would you locate a sling stud on a rifle that you want to be accurate? Gas block is out, you're ruling out the handguard...? That pretty much leaves the receivers, which would make it difficult to carry on my shoulder.
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Posted: 8/2/2005 8:24:21 AM EDT
[#4]
JTAC drilled mine for a bipod stud and did a excellant job!
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Posted: 8/2/2005 8:49:39 AM EDT
[#5]
notice my avatar
 the kit for that car was custom made by a very highly respect company which are also friends. the kit came with no holes predrilled for mounting, i found that a very high speed, thin bit works best! slowly work your way to a bigger bit/hole. after figuring out that i had zero problems with splinters and what not and after you drill the hole use some superglue on a toothpick and apply it to the edges, it will help it from splitting apart(something i learned when prepping high end chasis for r/c cars) 
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Posted: 8/2/2005 12:45:27 PM EDT
[#6]
I didn't rule out drilling the handguard. I just said it would increase the risk of cracking. A sling mount would carry all the weight of the weapon (or half the weight + or - on each mount). the constant movement, pulling, etc. on the handguard MAY lead to a crack down the road. eklikwhoa, I drive an S 2000. It's nice to see a Honda fan over here. |
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Posted: 8/2/2005 1:19:40 PM EDT
[#7]
God bless the internet....
I meant that you are ruling out the handguard with respect to mounting a sling stud. You suggested mounting the sling stud somewhere else, thereby ruling out the handguard! So, where else would you put a sling stud?
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Posted: 8/2/2005 1:35:33 PM EDT
[#8]
what you could do if you really want it that bad is find some piping that fits in side of the freefloat or some sheetmetal of some sort and reinforce the freefloat where you want the sling stud
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Posted: 8/2/2005 1:54:30 PM EDT
[#9]
Use a diamond impregnated grinding bit. Start with a thin bit at about 20K RPM and enlarge the hole slowly. When you get the hole just slightly larger than you want it, seal the edges with JB Weld. Thread the stud into the JB Weld after about an hour of hardening and let it sit over night.
JB Weld is pretty tough stuff and you won’t need to worry about delaminating the tube if you do it that way. You could also epoxy a back plate inside the tube and thread it into that. |
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Posted: 8/2/2005 1:56:13 PM EDT
[#10]
That was pretty much my plan. Get a piece of steel from Lowes, bend to conform to inside of tube, then drill and tap. Or, bend a washer to shape, put a nut on it. Something to spread the force out. Or I may just buy a YHM or JP. But dammit, that carbon fiber is light!
While I have your attention, could I lightly sand it with...say 400 grit then spray paint to get rid of the glossy finish? |
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Posted: 8/2/2005 1:59:44 PM EDT
[#11]
 It's pretty much my Craftsman bit set on my Cummins 8" drill press, or nothing. Where would I even buy a diamond impregnated grinding bit???
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Posted: 8/2/2005 2:00:25 PM EDT
[#12]
That glossy finish is a thin polycarb sheet over the carbon matrix. (In some cases)
Sanding it off is not a good idea.... Think "splinters from hell" |
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Posted: 8/2/2005 2:02:16 PM EDT
[#13]
Heh... Get a dremmel kit or a rotozip. The bit is about $5. 
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Posted: 8/2/2005 4:26:31 PM EDT
[#14]
Not planning to remove, just rough up to get paint to grab.
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Posted: 8/3/2005 2:16:41 PM EDT
[#15]
I've got a CF FF tube on my rifle.
So, I just tapped mine a few weeks back. So far, so good. Not the same as a sling, doubt I'll see near the stress that yours will. And I just drilled the tube using a regular bit. (came with the tap kit). ETA: I found the site. Name is hiperform and here is a link Guy was real very willing to talk on the phone about his stuff. I like the aluminum nut for ease of installation. I think it ends up adding weight, but it's back towards the sholder which means your AR will still feel quick. |
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Posted: 8/3/2005 4:13:39 PM EDT
[#16]
Like I said before, I didn't rule out drilling your carbon fiber handguard for a sling mount. I just said there could be consequences and to be advised. You never advised us that you didn't want to put a sling elsewhere so as to not negatively affect accuracy. I'm not a mindreader or a gypsy with a crystal ball. I merely suggested you put a sling somewhere else because you sounded scared to drill your fancy schmancy carbon fiber handguard. Drill it. If it breaks, come up with another solution or buy another one and don't drill it. I don't care. It's your rifle. God bless the internet is right. You're asking a bunch of strangers what to do with YOUR rifle.
*ETA* What good is gear if you can't use it?
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Posted: 8/3/2005 6:14:09 PM EDT
[#17]
 An $80 handguard is "fancy schmancy"? The only cheaper FF is a plain old aluminum one. I'm not here asking people what to do with my rifle. I'm here asking if anyone has drilled carbon fiber and what might be involved. My "God bless the internet" comment was simply a reference to how I've had several misinterpretations of what I've written lately. Drilling it and having it break is not really an option. I don't feel like throwing away $80 on an experiment. Thanks for your input though.
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Posted: 8/4/2005 5:08:59 AM EDT
[#18]
I told you what was involved in drilling carbon fiber. The thing with carbon fiber is that it is a great material for some applications, not so great for others. It really depends on whose carbon it is and the construction. I've seen dry carbon fiber hoods with perfect quality that weigh 4.5 pounds versus a stock aluminum hood that weighs 19 pounds (in the case of my S 2000. I've also seen people's cars with cheap wet carbon hoods crack when they closed them. Carbon for guns is relatively new.
Sorry for the sarcasm (genuinely). I guess I misunderstood your posts and was quick to jump into sarcastic mode myself.
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Posted: 8/4/2005 8:42:43 AM EDT
[#19]
Jim, I drilled my Briley CF free float tube for a sling stud. I used a very small bit first, then worked up through four other bits to the .25" hole I needed. To reinforce my sling stud's nut, I used a simple solution: Fender washer. I bought a few thick ones from the hardware store with a 3/8" hole, and about 1.5" in diameter. I bent and dished it in my vice to follow the ID of the tube, then tightened it all up. It spreads the load of the nut over a 1.5" area. I use it mostly for my Harris bipod, and it's rock solid. I've deployed the BP quickly with just a tug on the legs and they snap in place with some pretty good force. No cracking so far in a years use. Pic of setup: 
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Posted: 8/5/2005 6:10:05 PM EDT
[#20]
Here is what you need. It is made with a special rectangle shaped nut that is flat on one side and has a radius to match the inside of a FF tube on the other. It saus dropped by Brownells, and his own website is no longer available, so I don't know what happened. I have them on two uppers. He made these along with a very nice low profile gas block for years. Maybe you can find some of his parts. His site was www.metalcraft-ar15.com
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=1669 |
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