Drill and tap

[milotrain]

Absolute sour grapes. Heaven forbid i want to ask about the difficulty of drilling and tapping, besides a bunch of snickering about making sure the holes are drilled in the right spot (DUH!). Would appreciate any actual advice
Thanks

Alright, since you asked.
1. You didn't start out with "I want some advice" you started with "I can't believe someone want's to charge X to do a job I have no idea how to do." That implies you don't respect the work put in. "That's not what I meant!" well that's what you said.
2. You did zero previous research. How about even start with a youtube search of tapping procedures? Look at user mrpete22.
3. How do you intend to put the holes in the right spot?
3a. How do you plan to mark the location and ensure accuracy?
3b. How do you plan to setup the mark so that the drill puts the hole where the mark is?
3c. How do you plan to then drill the hole square and straight?
4. Show us you actually give a **** about doing any of this work yourself and tell us the drills you are going to use (size, point angle, etc) and the tap you intend to use.

TL;DR
You put in a little effort you get help. You lead with saying how worthless the work is (by literally devaluing it) don't expect help.

[kcstott]

Alright, since you asked.
1. You didn't start out with "I want some advice" you started with "I can't believe someone want's to charge X to do a job I have no idea how to do." That implies you don't respect the work put in. "That's not what I meant!" well that's what you said.
2. You did zero previous research. How about even start with a youtube search of tapping procedures? Look at user mrpete22.
3. How do you intend to put the holes in the right spot?
3a. How do you plan to mark the location and ensure accuracy?
3b. How do you plan to setup the mark so that the drill puts the hole where the mark is?
3c. How do you plan to then drill the hole square and straight?
4. Show us you actually give a **** about doing any of this work yourself and tell us the drills you are going to use (size, point angle, etc) and the tap you intend to use.

TL;DR
You put in a little effort you get help. You lead with saying how worthless the work is (by literally devaluing it) don't expect help.

Or maybe he should have said "I'm looking for a Machinists Hobbyist to give me some help be cause i don't believe i should have to pay far market value for labor"


Seriously though Mr.cheese Forster makes a Jig for doing gun sight work and scope mounts on a drill press. they sell for over $400 new and as you can see here $300 used.



I made a copy of that jig many years ago when i had more time ten money and no milling machine at home. The jig sits unused to this day because I bought a mill. and not the jig is not for rent or sale.

[VictorFranko]

You didn't start out with "I want some advice" you started with "I can't believe someone want's to charge X to do a job I have no idea how to do." That implies you don't respect the work put in.

That's precisely how I interpreted the OP's original post...........

OP, besides his experience and knowledge, here's a list of equipment the smith was most likely going to use to insure your job came out properly:

Mill
Mill vise
Edge finder
Drill chuck
Center drill
Tap size drill
Tap
Tap handle
Spring loaded tap guide
Proper tapping fluid for material being drilled and tapped
Go-No Go thread gage

Throw in rent, utilities, insurance etc., trust me, the smith was not going to retire on your buck fifty job.

You asked "Is this something I should be able to do myself without much trouble?"

Keeping in mind you've never drilled and tapped any hole, ever, and don't even own a drill press, my response as a near four decade professional:
No, not without trouble. Not without the possibility of screwing up your receiver. Not without the very real possibility of ending up with holes not square to the receiver, not parallel to each other or not spaced correctly.
You just wouldn't believe all that could go wrong just drilling and tapping two little holes.
Some things are best left to a professional.

[1flhtk4me]

OP, besides his experience and knowledge, here's a list of equipment the smith was most likely going to use to insure your job came out properly:

Go-No Go thread gage

Do gunsmiths actually use these?

[VictorFranko]

Do gunsmiths actually use these?

Lol, I'm a tool and die maker/general machinist. I do, can't say for every guy out there that calls himself a gunsmith.
Most holes I thread I have to install Heli-Coils later, very important the thread is correct.
Mic every drill before using too, and check first hole with a gage pin to make sure the drill is giving me what size hole I want before drilling more.
A few seconds checking can save a ton of misery down the road.

[milotrain]

I don't have go/no-go thread gauges, so if I have an important thread I use a sharp tap of known good quality and I ream the hole before threading. $25 insurance policy. I haven't had a problem but I have not done anything that actually needs threaded fasteners at or near their threshold.

[strongpoint]

Absolute sour grapes.

Hey, you're the one who asked:

Never done a drill and tap is this something i should be able to do myself without much trouble?

Don't blame other people because the answer is "no."

Heaven forbid i want to ask about the difficulty of drilling and tapping, besides a bunch of snickering about making sure the holes are drilled in the right spot (DUH!).

You do understand that "in the right spot" means "with precision," right? You can completely bork up a job like this just by getting a small detail wrong.

One of the most important attributes needed by an amateur wrench-turner in any field (carpentry, auto repair, electronics/tech, gunsmithing -- whatever!) is the ability to tell when a job is over his/her head and a professional's expertise is required. Trust me -- I do a lot of my own work in a lot of different fields, and knowing the difference has kept me from ever screwing up anything important.

And believe this: Despite having what sounds like a lot more tooling and experience than you, I'm not about to start trying to drill holes in that type of receiver; the risk is not worth it. You would be MUCH better off paying a pro.

[kcstott]

Lets give Numb nuts a trig lesson to. Quick rule of thumb is that over 4" hole spacing every .001" you're off in hole location = 1" at 100 yards. not to mention how bad your base is and how bad the general location is,

So add all that up, and you can burn up a bunch of windage on a scope just to get on paper. let alone correct for windage.

When i D&T a receiver if the action is good, if the base rings and scope are good quality I can pretty much guarantee you'll be on paper within 6" of POI windage wise.

[Varg Vikernes]

I would just say why the hell are you trying to put a scope on a SKS

[1flhtk4me]

Lol, I'm a tool and die maker/general machinist. I do, can't say for every guy out there that calls himself a gunsmith.

I'm also a machinist...tool and die,manual and CNC set up.
We have to use thread gages but for general home use I don't see the point.

[VictorFranko]

I'm also a machinist...tool and die,manual and CNC set up.
We have to use thread gages but for general home use I don't see the point.

I don't consider a professional gunsmith selling his services as "general home use."

My original inclusion of a Go-No Go gage was explaining to the OP what equipment a professional gunsmith would probably use so he'd understand that to do the job well, it required a little more than a cheap drill press, a drill and tap.

[kcstott]

I don't consider a professional gunsmith selling his services as "general home use."

My original inclusion of a Go-No Go gage was explaining to the OP what equipment a professional gunsmith would probably use so he'd understand that to do the job well, it required a little more than a cheap drill press, a drill and tap.

Not to mention with an investment in tooling. Custom action makers don't D&T anymore for the most part, they thread mill and therefore thread gauges are required tools to have on the bench.

[jericho89]

I think the OP's first question should have been... What is the going rate for installing a scope on a SKS? That would have established if he is dealing with a reasonably priced smith or not. Then he could ask what is the skill level needed to do the job.

Asking questions because of lack of knowledge is OK, but asking the questions the right way is a learned skill.

[1flhtk4me]

Not to mention with an investment in tooling. Custom action makers don't D&T anymore for the most part, they thread mill and therefore thread gauges are required tools to have on the bench.

Even for the flow meters and aircraft parts we make,thread mills are used quite often.
We use thread plug gauges and ring gages.

[kcstott]

Even for the flow meters and aircraft parts we make,thread mills are used quite often.
We use thread plug gauges and ring gages.

Yeah but to a action maker thread milling is new tech. even though it's been around for 30 some years. as soon as they figured out how to punch tape for a helical feed thread mill was borne.. But the residue on my coffee cup is showing.