AK press - portable benchtop edition for all your AK building needs

Boris

Son of Kalashnikov
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hydraulic presses are not only useful to jack up tanks to change tracks, they are also useful in building AK rifles. The problem is that a 20 tonne press is hard to hide under your bed for those comrads who are living in bondage to their capitalist landlords. Most bigger, cheap presses tend to have a few problems: 1. ram usually wobbles before engaging 2. ram is usually not perfectly square to the pressed work, so some sides are higher than others 3. whether building a Krink or PSL, most large presses press down, so they have to be very tall to accommodate work pieces, hence the size of them. I had some luck building an AK with a few jigs made from two steel plates set apart by 3/4" threaded rods, so that's how I came by this idea.

I was rummaging through my scrap pile when I noticed these, left from changing brakes this summer (they are car rotors):

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I figured, they could serve real nice for a better AK press. I drilled 3 3/4" holes in each of them. After some sexy time with wire wheel, grinding all the fresh rust, I laid as many layers of paint as I could before impending rain. My stash of golden-sickle and hammer-black paints was running low, so I had to do with blood-red paint:

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I also had a 20 tonne hydraulic press with an optional air pump which comes handy when you trying to position a bunch of things with both hands (so you can use a foot-switch) or getting ready to crank up thousands of AKs. I haven't used it in ages because of the awkward air hose that I'm always afraid of damaging. Luckily the paint matches as it came from commie comrades from China (HF).

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Ok, let's get it on ...

first, I'm bending a receiver, using my earlier bending jig:

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I never used the press to get the barrel pin out, comrade Stalin tool is best suited for this. Here I'm pressing the barrel out with common, bolt-nut against the barrel:

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meanwhile elves heat-treated and finished the receivers:

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now it's rivet time:

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I'm using this jig to get into tight places:

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basically it's just a bunch of bits of scrap metal, hastily welded together:

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I decided to use steel rivets ($6 for 100) in popular imperial dimensions as oppose to golden rivets sold for $10 a dozen in some weird commie minikilogrammz:

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They look a bit too large, which is fine, because I will not allow anyone to make fun of my rivets that weigh more than the receiver. 20 tonne press has no problem crimping them as flat as I want them to be. At least I'm sure that they will never fail. I'm using an Al block to keep heads nice and round:

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with the receiver all done, I'm pressing the barrel back in using the same jig I used in my first AK build but adapted to rotor-press:

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To drive the barrel pin back in, I'm using a flat bit to push against:

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well, morning did pass rather quickly:

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shoots OK:

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... these f-ing commie rifles displacing more air out of the gun safe [rolleyes]
 
Reviving this thread from it's cryo storage.

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@Boris , seems that the pics have been caught up in the PhotoSuckit debacle. I think the old rotors press would be a nice compliment to a couple of super cheap builds I would like to complete. Via some nice catches from a couple different forum members I have some parts piles that can grow some ~$250 AK's. Some questions:

What size threaded rods? Diameter, pitch, length? edit- I see 3/4" diameter. I'll assume standard pitch. Looks like maybe 24" long?
What are the jigs (or just some nice squared up bars) I will need to hold the trunnion to get barrel out and then back in?
How to press out old rivets and pins? Special adapter for ram or use punch and hammer away with my arm that is strangely bigger than the other?
What jigs for the various rivets- at least the ones that can be done with such a press?
Any rivets that need some other tool to install? Such as trigger guard?

Any advice much appreciated. I don't really want to take up floor space for a big press, so this looks very attractive and cheap too! I have built many types of rifles from many calibers of Lego AR's to less ghey things like M1's and an M1A. However, no AK's so far. Seems like one can spend hundred$ on special tools or simply make something.
 
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I thought this was a WTS ad...#TAKEMYMONEY!

I would definitely be interested in building one of these rigs as well. We’re practically swimming in parts kits in the heartland (definitely not bragging like @Radtekk though) and have been fancying the idea of a new (OK, probably a few) AK builds and this would certainly fit the bill of my (current) nomad status.
 
That press belongs in the AK Hall of Fame.

If that doesn't exist, then start it.....the shovel AK being exhibit #1. [thumbsup]
 
I thought this was a WTS ad...#TAKEMYMONEY!

I would definitely be interested in building one of these rigs as well. We’re practically swimming in parts kits in the heartland (definitely not bragging like @Radtekk though) and have been fancying the idea of a new (OK, probably a few) AK builds and this would certainly fit the bill of my (current) nomad status.
[kiss][cheers][wave][dance][devil]
 

I think we need a Skysoldier "Kiss my ass" emoji so that you can properly reply to @76Too . [smile]

Back on topic-

I really like this design. Compact, strong, portable if you want it to be, and with just a little work you can have flat and parallel surfaces to index from.

I just need to figure out what jigs to make to get at the various rivets. Or is there one jig to kill them all? Maybe I can play around with cardboard templates and concoct something.
 
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Another shameless bump, paging @Boris in case there are surviving pictures of the old rotor press especially the jig details. Those blurred out PhotoBucket pics remind me of censored Japanese... well never mind.

Picked up some threaded rod and nuts plus did some scrap dumpster diving for some large flanges that will sub for the rotors. Nice holes already included and the perfect size for 3/4" rod. Brought one of those HF coupons to the local store and picked up a 12 ton bottle jack for less than two four packs of IPA that hipsters drink. Bottom of jack is a little uneven and it wobbles some, but I will grind down the high spot and be careful not to heat it up too much.
 
Bought some highly rated jigs / tools from a guy on Etsy. Fairly cheap and will save me some headaches trying to make a trunnion support for barrel pressing and another couple tools like a press pin adapter for the jack. Still need to make a 'reach around' (LOL) tool for getting inside the trunnion and reciever when pressing rivets. Unless I find something cheap I can make the press plates to do the trigger rivets.
 
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