Necessity of a 80% lower JIG?

[Rogervm]

I can understand the reason you'd need a jig if you were trying to complete an 80% lower using a drill press with an XY table but if you had a real mill why would it be necessary to spend $150 or more on a jig? Do the people selling the lowers not include dimensioned drawings? Are they that hard to fixture? Am I missing something obvious 'cause I took too many meds this morning?

Roger

[ke6guj]

if you have a mill, you don't have to have a jig, but it makes it easier. there are dimensioned drawings available if you want to freehand it. The jig does make it easier to clamp into the mill, but you can do your own jigging.

http://www.ray-vin.com/frtech.htm

[New2guns]

If you have access to a milling machine you probably have the tooling to hold it and the skill to machine it without a jig. My 80% lowers come from Colfax Tacticle and come with all the drawings and instructions. I did buy one jig but that's because I am lazy. In fact I haven't even touched them yet. Have too many AR's already

I can understand the reason you'd need a jig if you were trying to complete an 80% lower using a drill press with an XY table but if you had a real mill why would it be necessary to spend $150 or more on a jig? Do the people selling the lowers not include dimensioned drawings? Are they that hard to fixture? Am I missing something obvious 'cause I took too many meds this morning?

Roger

[Lostsheep]

I can understand the reason you'd need a jig if you were trying to complete an 80% lower using a drill press with an XY table but if you had a real mill why would it be necessary to spend $150 or more on a jig? Do the people selling the lowers not include dimensioned drawings? Are they that hard to fixture? Am I missing something obvious 'cause I took too many meds this morning?

Roger

I am a machinist by trade and could make my own jigs if I needed to. The question is; what is your time worth and can you make the jigs for less than $50 or so? I chose to buy just the side plates from tactical machine and they were worth every penny. Straight into my vise with no problems.

[Roccobro]

I am a machinist by trade and could make my own jigs if I needed to. The question is; what is your time worth and can you make the jigs for less than $50 or so? I chose to buy just the side plates from tactical machine and they were worth every penny. Straight into my vise with no problems.

^^^This^^^

I use Wilie's old blue jig the most, but have TM's as back up's. Just clamping it into the jig and I KNOW it is square, secure, and NOT going to scratch up the finish.

Justin

[asheron2]

I am a machinist by trade and could make my own jigs if I needed to. The question is; what is your time worth and can you make the jigs for less than $50 or so? I chose to buy just the side plates from tactical machine and they were worth every penny. Straight into my vise with no problems.

This is spot on. If you feel you need a challenge though , try doing it without a jig. It's not a hard challenge but it will make you love your project all the more.

[Nathan Krynn]

I am a machinist by trade and could make my own jigs if I needed to. The question is; what is your time worth and can you make the jigs for less than $50 or so? I chose to buy just the side plates from tactical machine and they were worth every penny. Straight into my vise with no problems.

Nailed it. Jigs make your life easier. plus just what he said how much time and material do you want to spend on a jig if you can buy one.

Prints are out there but be careful as I have seen bad ones.

I know some companies do provide written and other wise instruction but that goes against ITAR regulations so we do not provide them. It is the dumbest thing I have ever heard but ITAR says that is "providing firearm technology to foreign powers". I know of one FFL who created their own caliber and then provided instructions on their website to reload for it and they made him take it down for this reason.

[savs2k]

The jig makes life easier by far. You can sit there with a blue print and mill out a lower but by the time you're done doing it that way I would have knocked back at least 2 and still not need my morning coffee to think.

[Rogervm]

Thanks guys, nice discussion, sounds like it's probably worth it just from a fixturing standpoint and to make sure you've got the correct dimensions for the lower you bought. I can always sell it afterward to someone else and recoup some of the $ too.

and still not need my morning coffee to think.

I can't get out of the house without 2 cups in me...


Roger

[Cammoiscool]

Where do you buy Willie's old blue jig?

[Roccobro]

I have talked to the jig maker, and he needs about 10-15 sales to make a production run. I only need one for a backup.

You can find some in the FS section as well.

Justin