I've bought a littlemachineshop mid-level minimill (w/DRO &c), as I'm working on some 2011 builds and some accessory ideas.
Any good information on what gunsmithing-specific accessories and tooling I should look into as time goes on?
Also, normal milling accessories that can be used in creative ways?
My list of to-gets:
Stock to practice on to avoid doing an unfamiliar operation on a real gun
Extra aluminum (scrap) block stock to make custom fixtures for more solid, supported clamping of parts.
soft jaws
Dovetail cutters, as appropriate (are there any that are so common that they're a must-have? I don't even know which one is common to most 1911s, there seems to be at least 3 or 4)
v-clamps for things like barrel porting
sine bar for odd angles
turntable (I intend to experiment experimenting with custom, curved lightening cuts, although I'm suddenly wondering how to do smooth ellipses, which I think would look even cooler)
Picatinny rail form cutter
Similar things:
I own a couple of fixtures for hand work that I expect can be clamped into the mill.
hand-tap and die set
I suppose one could possibly do a mediocre job 'turning' a rod to outside diameter size by locking the quill and putting a turning tool in a vice (but this is really a lathe thing)
Any ideas on specific size endmills or non-usual drill bit sizes that might come in particularly useful for some tasks?
What's some good types of bar or block stock to have on hand?
-JRP
Any good information on what gunsmithing-specific accessories and tooling I should look into as time goes on?
Also, normal milling accessories that can be used in creative ways?
My list of to-gets:
Stock to practice on to avoid doing an unfamiliar operation on a real gun
Extra aluminum (scrap) block stock to make custom fixtures for more solid, supported clamping of parts.
soft jaws
Dovetail cutters, as appropriate (are there any that are so common that they're a must-have? I don't even know which one is common to most 1911s, there seems to be at least 3 or 4)
v-clamps for things like barrel porting
sine bar for odd angles
turntable (I intend to experiment experimenting with custom, curved lightening cuts, although I'm suddenly wondering how to do smooth ellipses, which I think would look even cooler)
Picatinny rail form cutter
Similar things:
I own a couple of fixtures for hand work that I expect can be clamped into the mill.
hand-tap and die set
I suppose one could possibly do a mediocre job 'turning' a rod to outside diameter size by locking the quill and putting a turning tool in a vice (but this is really a lathe thing)
Any ideas on specific size endmills or non-usual drill bit sizes that might come in particularly useful for some tasks?
What's some good types of bar or block stock to have on hand?
-JRP
