More details would need to be worked out, and those details could easily garner ATF attention… For my sake (since I already own the equipment needed), I will not risk the time in federal prison or the government thugs. But I promise to donate to you’lls legal defense fund
Another option is to use DMS tools to create a decent machining jig (I have inventor files on Thingiverse that could be used as a base)… Each person could do so, or those jigs can legally be loaned/traded/sold. Then all you need is a $50 harbor freight drill press and another $50 in drill bits and end mills…
BTW, there is no LAW which states that you must own the equipment you machine your own weapons on. This is a government bureaucracies internal letter of understanding… Which also means they can change their understanding to a more stringent one at any time…
Walter did you see the jig on Thingiverse that can be printed on a 3D? It looked fairly easy to do. It locks together to hold the lower in place.
I saw a jig that uses a handheld router. I suppose it would be easy to rig one up and uses it as a mill for an 80. Truthfully, finishing out the trigger well doesn’t seem that big of a deal with the right jigs and auger type tool.
It probably is a no, the ATF will interpret any rule against personal freedom. The best option is too just wait and see what the new administration does in reining in these bureaucrats. I am being told that the NRA and its members have this as a hot topic for the new admin. Bunch of unhappy NRA members are pushing to strike this down as an infringement on 2nd Amandment rights.
I’m going to keep abreast of this and I might actually make stop at the BATF office and get something in writing from them. While asking about what it takes for a ruling to exempt if possible.
Interesting times for sure.
In the meantime, seems like a jig, end mills and drill press/router/mill is all that is needed.
But I would love to take a block of aluminum and put in the HAAS and build a kickass custom lower!
The design can be 3D printed, but is extremely difficult to machine out of metal.
It appears to register the jig based upon the trigger opening, this is a real problem since you must then have an 80% with a close match to the trigger opening the jig is designed for.
3D printed guides will not work well for drilling the three cross pin holes for the trigger chamber
A good jig should support the entiire length of the lower for machining
A good jig should allow for registration based upon one of the two pins that attach the lower to the upper, since this is what most of the available designs use as a reference
A good jig should either be entirely metal, or at least use metal drill bushings.
If you not using a real mill, your only operation should be a drilling operation, ie, no side loads.
For the Fixture Plates From Thingiverse, they can be milled using aluminum? Could you put in bushings for the drill holes to make a longer lasting jig?
I’d be up to build this. Since I don’t have a Mill, I suppose I would need a top guide to for a drill press operation?
Here is what I am thinking about doing. Now, I know that I can do this a whole lot cheaper and I could easily buy a finished lower, but WTH would be the fun in that??!!!
I’m thinking I can build my own mill. Here is an idea. I look for one of those old heavy ass floor drills like a craftsman or so and rig it up to accept mill heads(build a Chuck on the lathe,etc.) etc. then I go purchase a compound slide table and put them together and make a mill. Somehow get it very stable and go to town on my lower plus be able to mill a bunch of other stuff.
Are there any other ideas to build one better and cheaper?
Depends on how centered the tooling chuck is and how good the bearings are in the arbor shaft with the side loading. They aren’t made for that on a drill press.
Drill presses aren’t designed to take lateral loads which is what you will primarily be doing when using it as a mill. Expect a lot of chatter from the cutter because the bearings aren’t designed for this loading.
Plus, aligning the vise will probably be a problem - but if your tolerance is high enough, what the heck. I’d try it on a scrap piece of metal first just so you can see how it reacts. You are going to be taking a lot of shallow cuts, a drill press does not have the torque that a mill does.
I’d be interested to see the results, not being sarcastic - it is possible to do what you describe, built won’t look like a mill did it.
Drills are not designed to take lateral forces. I don’t care how heavy duty the drill is you start with. If you use it as a mill you will be turning it into a rattling shaking drill chuck head in short order.
Ok I think I found a better way then a drill press. I found a Taig spindle head for about $120. I’ll need some pulleys and a motor. Mount it up some way and that should Mill a lower and other small parts.
