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AKS kit build w/pics


Federal Farmer

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How do you check your temps, it makes a big difference if you get to hot or not hot enough. There was a big problem with early make 1903 springfield recievers as they were not heattreated proper adn were week.

 

The hardening that is done to an AK receiver is only needed at the pin holes for the hammer and trigger, the rails that the bolt and carrier run on and the ejector. The AK sheet metal receiver differs considerably from a typical receiver such as the 1903. The AK receiver holds the trunnion in place. The locking lugs for the bolt are located in the trunnion, not the receiver. I would definitely avoid getting any substantial heat anywhere near the trunnion or barrel as that would likely alter the heat treatment adversely.

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I'm at what seems to me to be the first truly tricky step. I have to temporarily attach the rails in place and trim the mag stabilizers and the ejector to the proper dimensions (they come oversized). Then I have to heat treat them and permanently affix them.
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Why can't you weld the rails in place, trim the ejector and mag dimples and then harden everything in place?

 

I've built a couple rifles using serialed receivers, but I have a bit of metal working experience and have read some on building AK's "from scratch".

 

This would involve temporarily installing the front trunnion, but that could be done with a pop rivet, I would think. It would then be easy enough to drill out the pop rivet and remove the trunnion before taking the torch to it.

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Why can't you weld the rails in place, trim the ejector and mag dimples and then harden everything in place?

 

I've built a couple rifles using serialed receivers, but I have a bit of metal working experience and have read some on building AK's "from scratch".

 

This would involve temporarily installing the front trunnion, but that could be done with a pop rivet, I would think. It would then be easy enough to drill out the pop rivet and remove the trunnion before taking the torch to it.

 

I've been going by the manufacturer's instructions:

 

Oversized mag stabilizer on ejector and right
side rails will need to be trimmed. It’s easier
to do this before welding the rails in. The best
way would be to get them close to the right size
and final fit them after welding. That way if the
mag opening is off center it can be accounted for.

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Gotcha. You can't go wrong following the directions.

 

I am open to insights on the best way to trim the parts. Grinder? Of course, I don't have one of those...just my dremel and that would be hard to use for this purpose. Sigh...guess I got another tool to buy... :hairy:

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Reinforced cutting wheels not just the generic plain jane ones you twist just a bit and you will snap those in a heart beat. . And if you have to open up a hole just a bit or nudge something like a magazine opening (remember guys opening up single stack sagas to normal magazine widths? ) Slap one of these in you tool box.

Dremel 9903 Tungsten Carbide Cutter

 

 

 

I have gotten them out of Menards. These will open up steel rails and get you into trouble if you get careless, but compared to dremel grinding stones (which will disintegrate if used on a AK) or some of the generic cutters you may get in a combination kit. The 9903 will get the job done.

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  • 3 months later...

It has been quite a while since I've updated this thread. It is going slow as I'm at a tricky stage now. I have to trim down the mag stabilizers and I don't want to make a mistake.

 

Shown is my dremel with router table using a tungsten carbide cutter, as suggested above.

 

post-464-0-27879800-1345787290.jpg

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  • 4 months later...

I've been gearing up and educating myself on MIG welding in anticipation of welding the rails into my AK receiver.

 

First, my safety equipment.

1) Smith & Wesson .38spcl +P JHP, in case violent radical luddites break in to smash my machines (very low probability) and 2) ABC type fire extinguisher in case i set myself or my immediate surroundings on fire (low probability).

 

post-464-0-76769600-1357454797_thumb.jpg

 

Materials for my first welding project, a welding table. The top is a approx 32" x 58" sheet of 1/4" steel.

post-464-0-07043900-1357454813_thumb.jpg

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That little Nascar edition Lincoln is a pretty nice home/hobby welder. I've used one quite a bit. (In my uncles garage) (I've been an industrial welder for over 12 years)

 

When you're welding up that 1/4" table, it's gonna be pretty much cranked to max settings to get good enough penetration. Pay special attention to it's duty cycle. You'll fry it quick running at max amperage. When I was testing my uncles welder, it did NOT have an auto-off overload/protection circuit. I think it was 20% but yours may be 30% duty cycle. Just remember, weld 2 minutes out of 10 - or - weld 3 out of 10, then let it cool for the remainder of those 10 minutes.

 

If you deem it necessary, it will help get better penetration if you bevel the ends of the legs at a 45 degree angle to about half of their thickness or so. Just don't get carried away or welding them will require more wire and possibly multiple passes.

 

 

GB :)

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Where did you get that steel? If you don't mind me asking...

 

A company out in Franklin Park. I think the name is Suburban Welding or something like that. The plate was an odd size so they gave it to me for $100. I paid a total of $280 for the 2x2 pieces cut to my specified lengths plus taxes.

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Question for the welders out there: I'm going to chamfer the 2x2s, but only expose the weld points on the plate (no trough - just bare shiny steel). Is that correct?

 

For the 2x2 to 2x2 the plan I'm following simply butt joins them. It does not call for joining cutting them at 45 deg angles. I plan to chamfer the ends that butt into the other 2x2 but only expose the weld points on the end pieces. Again, is that correct?

 

The 2x2s are 1/8" steel and the plate is 1/4".

 

By the way, those casters are the biggest that Menards had that had brakes. They are rated to 800lbs.

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Where did you get that steel? If you don't mind me asking...

 

A company out in Franklin Park. I think the name is Suburban Welding or something like that. The plate was an odd size so they gave it to me for $100. I paid a total of $280 for the 2x2 pieces cut to my specified lengths plus taxes.

 

I miss-typed...meant $280 total counting the $100 for the plate.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

 

 

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I've been prepping the steel for my welding table. Meanwhile I wanted to try my hand at a few practice welds on some scrap. Turns out that Lincoln-Electric mistakenly included two 0.035" inner wire feed guides instead of one 0.035" and one 0.025". So now I have to get that swapped out before I can set up the welder.
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  • 5 weeks later...

Update: This project still in the works.

 

I've welded the top of the welding table frame to the welding table top. My welds are still ugly, but I'm getting better and they are strong enough for this purpose.

Next I will weld on the legs and the bottom of the frame then attach the casters.

 

This is the plan I am using though I have adjusted the dimensions and am not incorporating the plasma grate, chute, or, at this time, the bottom shelf.

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I've been gearing up and educating myself on MIG welding in anticipation of welding the rails into my AK receiver.

 

First, my safety equipment.

1) Smith & Wesson .38spcl +P JHP, in case violent radical luddites break in to smash my machines (very low probability) and 2) ABC type fire extinguisher in case i set myself or my immediate surroundings on fire (low probability).

 

post-464-0-76769600-1357454797_thumb.jpg

 

Materials for my first welding project, a welding table. The top is a approx 32" x 58" sheet of 1/4" steel.

post-464-0-07043900-1357454813_thumb.jpg

 

I approve of this!

 

I went with 48"30" for my table. 3/16" top.

 

Are you MIGing or stick welding?

 

As for steel I get all mine from Adams in Mchenry. Fantastic prices, and they beat OnlineMetals in price every time. Just ordered 73 dollars of aluminum from Adams, and OnlineMetals wanted 113 before shipping.

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If you can, leave a lip on the table top itself. That way you can clamp on the edges of the table. The other thing I though was cool:

 

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?p=581598

 

I do a lot of fixturing for my welding since I started doing aluminum stuff recently, and this guys table was pretty amazing.

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