machining an aluminum Glock frame

LTP90 · #1 01-26-2013, 7:31 PM

I got this crazy idea in my head the other day at a machine shop. Would it be possible to machine a Glock frame out of a block of aluminum. I see that there is at least one company out there that does offer an aluminum "Glock compatible" frame. I'm thinking more along the lines of manufacturing one myself or creating a "60%" one, kinda like 80% lowers, and I don't think I could mold plastic that well lol. How hard would it be to do?(I'm talking CNC machine here).
Anyone else done this or am I just batty.

HighLander51 · #2 01-27-2013, 5:05 AM

Just writing the CNC program would cost about $15,000 if you had the OEM drawing, which you don't.

Ronin2 · #3 01-27-2013, 5:26 AM

Why change something that works perfectly well as it was originally designed? Glock Perfection right???

Zartan · #4 01-27-2013, 5:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighLander51

Just writing the CNC program would cost about $15,000 if you had the OEM drawing, which you don't.

Got a drawing or a solid model?

HighLander51 · #5 01-27-2013, 6:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MHShooter

Got a drawing or a solid model?

No one really knows in what form, or in what secret location, the Glock data is stored. We only know for sure it is encrypted, and you must be of direct German/Austrian descent to even view it. Some say it is here, at Kehlsteinhaus, high in the mountains above Berchtesgaden.

entrance to the vault

DarkSoul · #6 01-27-2013, 6:26 AM

Developing something like this is extremely time consuming and labor intensive. Our "80%" AR lower for example, i started with an existing mil-spec AR lower model, went through and changed all the stuff I wanted to change, this was probably 30 hours+ of draw, redraw, reconsider, redraw and so on.

Then once I was happy with that, over to our programmers (2 guys), 150+ hours of programming, op 1 in a 3 axis vmc, op 2 in a 5 axis vmc, op 3 back in the 3 axis vmc. Once the program was written, we had to design, program and build all the fixtures and custom tooling, thats another 50+ hours, once all that was in the machine, debugging and optimizing the program and run sequence, probably another 50+ hours. We started something like 4-5 months ago, and the final products are popping of the machine now.

This is all starting from a set of solid models that we just tweaked to our standards, what you are potentially going to start from is a blank slate, so bank on 100+ hours of cad work before you even get to start programming. You will have a considerable amount of man hours into a project like this, and if you are paying someone else to do it at average shop rates, bank on it costing probably close to $35000 or more just to get first article out of the machine.

These projects are a substancial investment, they are not as easy as some entities make it look to get rolling.

VictorFranko · #7 01-27-2013, 6:28 AM

Who needs an OEM drawing or solid model?
Just reverse engineer the GLOCK model frame that you want to copy on your Coordinate Measuring Machine and create your own blueprint.
From there, write the CNC program, purchase needed tooling, custom grind the tooling with needed radii and shapes for the internals of frame. You may be able to get away with standard corner-rounding end mills for the external radii, but you may have to custom grind those also.
If you are going to run this program on a 5-axis, you can run it like a lollipop, which shouldn't require much in the way of special work-holding tooling, but if you are planning on running this on a 3-axis, you're going to need to plan on making some tooling to hold the frame while machining in multiple set-ups.
Quite simple really.

Malthusian · #8 01-27-2013, 6:31 AM

How was Guncrafter Industries able to machine the 50GI slide?

As far as I can tell it is not a Glock slide altered for the 50GI

But if I knew I wouldn't be asking

DarkSoul · #9 01-27-2013, 6:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malthusian

How was Guncrafter Industries able to machine the 50GI slide?

As far as I can tell it is not a Glock slide altered for the 50GI

But if I knew I wouldn't be asking

The slides are easy, there are actually solid models floating around out there of Glock slides, just measure the critical areas, double check, triple check, and cut a slide. There is FAR less stuff to deal with on a slide than an entire receiver.

ConfucianScholar · #10 01-29-2013, 7:48 PM

I would model the frame on SolidWorks and then straight with that file into a rapid prototyping machine to make the frame out of hard foam. With that foam proto in hand I'd head to a foundry and have them make a wax mold and cast the frames.

Claybone · #11 01-30-2013, 7:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VictorFranko

Who needs an OEM drawing or solid model?
Just reverse engineer the GLOCK model frame that you want to copy on your Coordinate Measuring Machine and create your own blueprint.
From there, write the CNC program, purchase needed tooling, custom grind the tooling with needed radii and shapes for the internals of frame. You may be able to get away with standard corner-rounding end mills for the external radii, but you may have to custom grind those also.
If you are going to run this program on a 5-axis, you can run it like a lollipop, which shouldn't require much in the way of special work-holding tooling, but if you are planning on running this on a 3-axis, you're going to need to plan on making some tooling to hold the frame while machining in multiple set-ups.
Quite simple really.

LIKE A BOSS.....

Did you slap some random person after writing that up.