San Jose AK tools needed, Trade for CNC mill time

[Lostsheep]

I am in need of someone with the tools and experience required for building an AK. I would love to trade the use of my CNC mill plus my expertise, for their AK jigs and expertise.

Anyone in or around San Jose that is interested?

[Spaceghost]

PM sent!

[SVT-40]

Use your mill to make the jigs necessary to build your own rifle!!! They are really pretty simple to make.

[Lostsheep]

Use your mill to make the jigs necessary to build your own rifle!!! They are really pretty simple to make.

I am totally okay with that except that I am not a sheetmetal guy, nor do I have the dimension required for the final product. Care to let me measure your jigs? Care to give me some numbers?

[wash]

What do you need?

I have a set of dies for 1.5 mm flats, I'm going to buy the 1 mm die soon. I am working on a long rivet jig and will be making a set of bolt cutter style short rivet squeezers.

My press isn't quite functional but once I fix the hydraulics it will be far better than a Harbor Freight or probably anything else a DIY AK builder would use.

I'm local too.

Do you have an AR FCG pocket program?

p.s. I actually might have a good CNC project for my press if you know how to do large female pipe threads.

[Ytisfedup]

Can you do engraving with your CNC? I've got a couple of lowers I want engraved and have all the build tools for AK's.

[Lostsheep]

What do you need?

I have a set of dies for 1.5 mm flats, I'm going to buy the 1 mm die soon. I am working on a long rivet jig and will be making a set of bolt cutter style short rivet squeezers.

My press isn't quite functional but once I fix the hydraulics it will be far better than a Harbor Freight or probably anything else a DIY AK builder would use.

I'm local too.

Do you have an AR FCG pocket program?

p.s. I actually might have a good CNC project for my press if you know how to do large female pipe threads.

My flat is 1mm thick. If anyone had accurate dimensions for the finished receiver for a polish underfolder, I would start making an attempt at a jig.

I do have the program for a FCG pocket, and I can most likely port post it in whatever format you need. I can also adjust the parameters to whatever you want.

What size pipe thread do you need? I have many taps. If you need a cnc cut pipe thread, well that's a little harder but I think I can do it. I have never cut a large pipe thread with the cnc but I have done normal thread milling. It appears as though my cam program is capable of doing so.

[Lostsheep]

Can you do engraving with your CNC? I've got a couple of lowers I want engraved and have all the build tools for AK's.

I can do engraving but it is fairly involved for all but the simplest stuff. Text is no problem but depending on the art work, it can take a while to program.

Can you populate barrels? I hear that is fairly involved also.

[Ytisfedup]

I can do engraving but it is fairly involved for all but the simplest stuff. Text is no problem but depending on the art work, it can take a while to program.

Can you populate barrels? I hear that is fairly involved also.

I'm just looking for some simple lettering...OFF, SLOW, FAST for the selector and maybe Cal 5.56 and my initials for the magwell. I've done a few barrels. I'll send you a PM.

[wash]

I haven't really seen jigs used in AK building.

FCG holes are usually just reamed to the proper dimension and the FCG design is tollerant of incorrect dimensions and even slightly sqew FCG pins. Remember, the hammer hooks are near the top of the hammer, not close to the pin hole like an AR.

A trigger guard riveting jig is one I have seen but it mostly just holds everything together during the rivet squeezing, the holes in the flat do the locating really.

[Lostsheep]

I should clarify WRT the jigs, I was referring to the bending jigs. I don't know what the appropriate dimensions are after bending, i.e., width between the the two vertical portions and the radius' for the corners.

I have little doubt I could make whatever form I need, I just don't know what that form is.

Any info is appreciated.

[wash]

For the pipe threads, I see some limitations in using a bottle jack for a hydraulic press. The cast iron base just isn't ideal.

What I would like to do is make a nice billet steel piece to take the ram from a 20 ton bottle jack with two hydraulic pumps (one with check valve, one without) and pipe threads for the fluid reservoir on the other side and some other hydraulic press details in the design.

That would result in a press that really works different with better "feel" for tasks like headspacing and barrel populating.

[wash]

Oh, the bending jig I have is an AK builder bending jig.

It's a massive hunk of steel.

You might be able to simplify the design but it probably wouldn't work as well.

All AKs have similar external dimensions so one Bending jig bottom die works with everything while the top die is either for 1 mm or 1.5 mm flats. AK74s have slightly different mag wells but the AK builder top dies have moveable pins that can accommodate a 47 or 74.

These dies are pretty massive and have quite a bit of stock removal. I am surprised that AK Builder can sell parts like that at such low prices. A really good machinist with the right cutters might be able to compete but when I look at it I just see hours of crank turning and expensive cutters that probably cost more than buying a set.

[Lostsheep]

For the pipe threads, I see some limitations in using a bottle jack for a hydraulic press. The cast iron base just isn't ideal.

What I would like to do is make a nice billet steel piece to take the ram from a 20 ton bottle jack with two hydraulic pumps (one with check valve, one without) and pipe threads for the fluid reservoir on the other side and some other hydraulic press details in the design.

That would result in a press that really works different with better "feel" for tasks like headspacing and barrel populating.

I am not 100% sure what you have envisioned. Can you show me a drawing? I would be more than happy to make that for you or just share tooling if I can do so.

[Lostsheep]

Oh, the bending jig I have is an AK builder bending jig.

It's a massive hunk of steel.

You might be able to simplify the design but it probably wouldn't work as well.

All AKs have similar external dimensions so one Bending jig bottom die works with everything while the top die is either for 1 mm or 1.5 mm flats. AK74s have slightly different mag wells but the AK builder top dies have moveable pins that can accommodate a 47 or 74.

These dies are pretty massive and have quite a bit of stock removal. I am surprised that AK Builder can sell parts like that at such low prices. A really good machinist with the right cutters might be able to compete but when I look at it I just see hours of crank turning and expensive cutters that probably cost more than buying a set.

That, I fully appreciate. I would rather buy a $100 jig than spend 1/2 a day making one.