In Rich's post #11 it looks like this could be accomplished with a drill press?

Those "remodeled" mag bottoms look great. Such talented and creative folks on this forum.

Sure you can do it in a drill press!
Most presses have a depth stop, if it does not, just be careful!
Heck, you could do it with a hand drill.

yyyyeeeessss & no!
 

It very soon becomes a project in stability..... A mill, or a Lathe, usually have considerable "stiffness & stability" built into the spindle or quill..... so if you can hold the work, you don't have to worry about chatter... if you have a real good drill press, and mount the tool bit as high as you can and move the quill as little as possible, you might have good results IF the work is clamped tight as well.... 5/8" and larger are pretty stout bits, especially if sharp?.... With plastic, you just might get away with it..... turn it slow??? otherwise, you're probably going to have issues... :eek:... best to all, til...lat'r...GT...:cheers:

Ooh, I'd love to see that! Post lots of pics! And don't be embarrassed! :thumbup:

I had some experience in the past drilling holes in Lexan and Plexiglass. The secret for success, particularly in hand work, is a material-specific bit that is profiled to cut plastic. The edges are barely relieved, so the cutting edge is very close to 90 degrees, and they more scrape than cut. A regular bit will dig right in and advance without enough material being removed per revolution. This, in turn, causes binding--just like driving in a wedge--and the piece will pop/crack/shatter apart. Using something with a controlled rate of advance, such as the mill, helps a lot. I'm wondering if a pre-heated bit would net better results on the brittle plastic ones.

I "removed" the rings from a mec-gar mag the day GT posted this idea.
Used my drill press and a "normal" 5/8" drill; works fine.

You guys that have equipment and knowledge of how to run them are spoiled!

Us poor farm boys know how to make do.

No need to take a picture, it was easy. I'm going to buy a ball mill so the cut will be round and smoother, instead of kind of conical.

I run my press slow, and with the geared feed on the "press" it is pretty easy to move the bit down
slowly enough, if I set the stop, cut, reset, I can get a nice job.

My press is probably 50 or 60 years old and a little heavier than some.

My Dremel has a big pink round grinder..Like Don, I have very little in the way of machinery. My "lathe" is a drill clamped into a shop vise and a file. It's surprising but you can make some really fine brass parts with it and a dial caliper!

Jerry,
you made me smile, I've made more than one firing pin and shaped and shortened screws and pins with the same "lathe".

Now I use my drill press, but the horizontal "lathe" was easier to see and work with !:cheers:

I used a grinding point, sanding drum, and polishing bud in my dremel today to put the ramp in my luger carbine barrel! One can't tell it from the original bbl. I used as a guide.:evilgrin:

Yes..I have always envied a nice lathe..and the skill to run one. But I have neither. It would take space I don't have, time and quite the learning curve. But I really appreciate the projects presented on here by those with the skill. It's always fascinating.

Buy a 5/8" or 3/4" wood bit instead. The flat one, with a central spike point. Grind the spike off and grind a radius on each side, angled so it will cut. Use that for the Mec-Gar knobs.

I did this with a larger wood bit to cut reliefs in Spanish Mauser stocks, the ones with straight bolt handles. I heated the handles with a torch and bent them, then added the reliefs. Looked as good as a German Mauser K98.

So far, that's about half a dozen ways to skin this cat. Luger University never ceases to amaze! Always a seminar and lively discussion about related finer points, techniques, alternate routes, plans, dreams, losses, and victories... The forum is a remarkable team which cover just about all the bases!:thumbup:

It was too late last night (it was dark...and scary...), so this morning I went out to the tool shed and dug out my 'Mauser bolt reliever' modified wood bit. I forgot to mention that the shank should be as short as possible but give good support in the drill press/mill chuck jaws. IIRC, I also used high speed. The better to send pieces of work flying around the basement. :evilgrin:

I also have an old Harbor Freight drill press vise that allows movement (about 4") in the X and Y axis. I'm not sure if I'd trust it to steel, but it works satisfactorily on wood, plastic [Delrin!], and to a degree, aluminum. :rolleyes:

All could be used for simple tasks like dishing out magazine knobs, small milling of wood holes/slots, etc.

...Oops...Am I giving away G.T.'s trade secrets??? :( Disregard, people!!! This can not be done at home!!! Strictly for professionals!!! Move along!!! Nothing to see here!!! :grr:

Gerry, back in the 70's/80's, before I bought my Bridgeport [now gone], I used a tool post milling attachment for my South Bend 14 1/2" x 60" lathe. There's a couple on eBay right now but pretty high price and kinda small...

But they can bridge the gap between a lathe and mill until you can find/buy a milling machine. I used mine for milling out reliefs for Bo-Mar BMCS low-mount rear sights, dovetails, S&W micrometer K frame sights, etc - all in 1911 slides. It was also good for making small parts. It adds 360º adjustability to the lathe, plus an extra 'Z' axis. :thumbup:

(Just to be clear, you mount the end mill in the lathe chuck and this attachment to the tool post!) ;)

If I didn't have the mill in my Chinese 3in1 machine I'd buy this attachment. :)

I know this is an old post, but I'm amazed that everybody can perform the
quality they do without the right tools. You can buy a small very precision
mill from Grizzley for $754 shipped. I bought my small harbor freight lathe
for $500 used. Its called a precision where they hand scrape the rails. Both
will do quality work, equal to your talents.


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Aren't you the guy that thought books cost too much?

So that's where you store the lathe chuck key! I wondered where to keep it so I wouldn't lose it. :thumbup:

And the power strip is a handy way to keep all your power cords together. :cheers:

I swear, there's not a day go by that I don't learn something new! :D

Not good practice in a lathe used by more than one person, maybe marginal if you're the only one in the shop!