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80% lower ar15 i think i screwed up
- Thread starter DarkJoker33
- Start date
Golddiggie
NES Member
IF you put an end mill in that drill press, and even attempt to 'mill with it, the chuck will DROP.
IF you're set on using a drill press, at least get a SOLID one. I picked up my current floor drill press (Porter Cable) from Lowes as a discount. It was the floor model since that's all they had. No Allen wrenches or manual with it. They wanted to know what if I wanted it, told them not at the price on it. IIRC, got it for around half price. Still will NOT put end mills in it. Not expect any kind of precision from it. Simply put, you need a VERY rigid tool to get precision. By precision, I'm talking about holes being true to the table (straight).
Even if you end of processing the lower with that, don't assume the holes you make with drill bits for the FCG pins and safety are going to be all that great. Drill bits are NOT true round or to size. You really DO need the side holes to be correct. All the lowers I've processed (still have three to do) get the side holes drilled under size (wire gauge size bits) and then reamed to actual size. Zero issues that way. Also if your table isn't true to the spindle, and the spindle has low runout, your holes won't be in the same spot on both sides (all the jigs I've seen have you drill from one side all the way through). I've seen lowers that were done on a drill press that wasn't dead on. The FCG pins simply don't work right. That was actually what happened with the first lower I did. It's never been used and has "NFG" marked on it. I keep intending to properly destroy it. Just haven't gotten around to it. Got a couple different ways to cut it up now.
As for getting a mill 'just for finishing lowers'... I got my mill over a year ago and have yet to do a lower on it. I've made several other things so far with the mill. Current project is gas spring mounts for the fermentation chamber (mounts are being made from aluminum). I will be designing up some more brewing related items to make on the mill over the coming months. One of those will probably have to wait until I get a decent sized lathe (post move into my own house in 2021, I hope).
IMO, if you're mechanically inclined, you'll ALWAYS find many more uses for good tools/machines.
Golddiggie
NES Member
Dude, that's a train wreck if I've ever seen one... How many HOURS are you into it at this point??
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Drilling aluminum is like getting laid the first time...you know you’re doing it, but you also know you’re not doing it well...
Too many. Started with a 12v drill. Then bought a drill press. 4 hours into the drill press and I gave up.
I'm actually mechanically inclined on a serious note, but yeah, I guess not at this
jayhitek
NES Member
This was just a practice run. I think you need to spend $50 and buy a new one. Try again!Too many. Started with a 12v drill. Then bought a drill press. 4 hours into the drill press and I gave up.
I'm actually mechanically inclined on a serious note, but yeah, I guess not at this
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I feel for you..i bought a reject from one of the lower companies, they sell them so you can do a dry run before the real thing, $12 well spent. Recommend getting one BEFORE your next attempt..
Is it me or are you trying to take to much "meat" out at once?
I never bothered to try 80% lower as i probably would be looking at $$$$ mil/lathe of sorts that i hardly use.
I would be hell bent on finishing it out even at this point.
yea, I figured that out when it got to the rigid type areas. On the smoother areas, it seemed to work fine.
I did read your whole post as well
I did do it in steps. Not straight to bigger bits. It just got to the point where everything kinda started to jump.
Thats when I went to the milling bit, and it got worse.
Well , i still would finish it out myself juzt for practice. Take more material out with smaller bits.
Like said end mills dont play well with drill press and securing the piece solid is another step . The cheap "mill adapters" you put on drill presses suck they walk loose.
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Don't give up! Maybe try a polymer one to get the whole thing down. There's a learning curve if you have never done anything like this. Maybe a router jig rather than a drill press setup.
You're fine. Keep going.
I think you need to get your hands dirty and maybe a few cuts, go eat a baloney sandwich with machine oil on your fingers. Lick your machine oil , mustard covered fingers clean and get back at it!
The first 80 I did, I drilled the holes with a dying 12v drill. Took forever. Then milled it with the end mill in a router. That worked pretty well, just have to go SLOW, be patient and increase depth a sliver at a time.
Yours look like
now, but once you finish drilling the holes (with a quality drill) and slowly mill the pocket, it'll look loads better. My only fear is that your trigger pocket looked fawked in the photo
Yours look like
now, but once you finish drilling the holes (with a quality drill) and slowly mill the pocket, it'll look loads better. My only fear is that your trigger pocket looked fawked in the photo
allen-1
NES Member
The first 80 I did, I drilled the holes with a dying 12v drill. Took forever. Then milled it with the end mill in a router. That worked pretty well, just have to go SLOW, be patient and increase depth a sliver at a time.
Yours look like
Two thoughts on the trigger pocket -
1) Use this first time through as a lesson, work with it some more, then start another one.
2) Drop in trigger really only needs the trigger pins to hold it in place.
Well thanks to a member here, my lower was salvaged with his knowledge.
I'm ready for the flame war for my choice of painting (which came out horrible) , but its my gun so
I swear , its not the color represented, its darker in person.
One day it'll get cerakoted in a similar fashion
I'm ready for the flame war for my choice of painting (which came out horrible) , but its my gun so
I swear , its not the color represented, its darker in person.
One day it'll get cerakoted in a similar fashion
Haven't got to shoot it.
Just finished it an hour or so ago.
Hoping tomorrow or the next day.
If not next week on my day off
Just finished it an hour or so ago.
Hoping tomorrow or the next day.
If not next week on my day off
not the color choice I would of gone with but hey, not my gun.Shame on you....... Taking a pic of that rifle in restricted mode!Well thanks to a member here, my lower was salvaged with his knowledge.
I'm ready for the flame war for my choice of painting (which came out horrible) , but its my gun so
I swear , its not the color represented, its darker in person.
View attachment 400098
One day it'll get cerakoted in a similar fashion
Colors, eh... Can change at any point. i was scared when my daughter said she wanted to paint my/her rifle. Just a few pink highlites.
Dennis in MA
NES Member
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Forgive the color-blind in the crowd - is that blue or purple????
(And for those that are thinking right now, "how can you NOT know what color that is" welcome to a window into my world. )
(And for those that are thinking right now, "how can you NOT know what color that is" welcome to a window into my world. )
Rocky Mosasaurus
NES Member
Cyan and lavender, so both of the above boss.
Green and purple
