Castle nut staking setup? [Archive]

bp7178

03-10-11, 13:03

Yeah, that will be more than adequate. The metal the end plates are made out of is pretty soft compared to the hardened metal of a center punch. Just make sure you use a center punch with a nice sharp point.

I gave mine a few light taps then a couple of hard ones, worked perfect.

Kind of aim the punch ever so slightly toward the castle nut, working closer to the outer edge (as opposed to center) of the end plate.

markm

03-10-11, 13:06

I just lay mine down on the bench and do it. :confused:

jonconsiglio

03-10-11, 13:15

On my last one, an SR15 with an ASAP plate, I just held it in my lap and used one of those auto punches a few time. It looks pretty good too.

ASH556

03-10-11, 13:17

Dude, I know where you're coming from; the first time I did one I was freaked out. Then, I hit the punch with a hammer and it was done. Super easy. I started with the mag block locked in the vise and the receiver locked in with that, but found after the first hit that it's better to support the receiver extension (buffer tube). I would just clamp the vise directly to the receiver extension with some rubber jaw inserts. Obviously, don't crank it too hard, but it really doesn't take all that much to hold it. Put the punch on the endplate next to the notch in the castle nut, and give it 5-6 good strikes. I think the mistake most people make on this is trying to angle the punch so as to push the material into the castle nut. With a good center punch, the material from the endplate will take the path of least resistance, and that will push it into the castle nut notch (i.e., just hold the punch vertical, and dont try to angle it towards the notch)

SA80Dan

03-10-11, 13:55

I just lay mine down on the bench and do it. :confused:

This. Using this:

http://www.tooltopia.com/mountain-6218.aspx?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=MTN6218&utm_campaign=googlebase_18u

Well worth $3.98 and frees up what would be your "hammer hand" to carefully hold the lower in place.

Belmont31R

03-10-11, 13:59

I do it in my lap with a skinny nail punch and a light hammer. Looks good and never had one come loose.

Just have to go slow on the first couple whacks before the punch gets a good bite into the metal. Then angle it slightly to the cut out in the castle nut, a few more hits, and its GTG.

Then I touch up the 'holes' with a little cold blue, wipe it off, and then wipe it with a little oil.

markm

03-10-11, 14:59

I do it in my lap with a skinny nail punch and a light hammer. Looks good and never had one come loose.

Yeah. It doesn't take much. You're trying to keep the nut from backing off.... not fuse the thing there for life! :D

nimdabew

03-10-11, 15:12

This. Using this:

http://www.tooltopia.com/mountain-6218.aspx?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=MTN6218&utm_campaign=googlebase_18u

Well worth $3.98 and frees up what would be your "hammer hand" to carefully hold the lower in place.

I just bought one of these at Home Depot and staked three of my lowers in 2 minutes? Great tool to have.

bleaman225

03-10-11, 15:12

Yeah. It doesn't take much. You're trying to keep the nut from backing off.... not fuse the thing there for life! :D

Haha that's a good point. I remember the first one I did myself, it was an attempt at fusing for life. From that point on I got a little more of a soft touch.

I've found it really is easiest to do it in your lap or laying on the workbench. As has been said many times before

browneu

03-10-11, 18:53

I just bought one of these at Home Depot and staked three of my lowers in 2 minutes? Great tool to have.

Yep, I did the Home Depot thing. Requires one hand and is super easy.

bkb0000

03-10-11, 18:56

I just lay mine down on the bench and do it. :confused:

I do it in my lap with a skinny nail punch and a light hammer. Looks good and never had one come loose.

Just have to go slow on the first couple whacks before the punch gets a good bite into the metal. Then angle it slightly to the cut out in the castle nut, a few more hits, and its GTG.

Then I touch up the 'holes' with a little cold blue, wipe it off, and then wipe it with a little oil.

it's never even occurred to me to chuck up a lower for staking... workbench is all you need.

Rmplstlskn

03-10-11, 20:01

I do mine by biting down with my teeth.... Sissies... :no:

Rmpl

Iraqgunz

03-10-11, 20:04

The simple solution is to use an old magazine, lock it in the vise and tap away. Takes all of about 3 minutes.

Belmont31R

03-10-11, 20:04

I do mine by biting down with my teeth.... Sissies... :no:

Rmpl

I tried that but broke the castle nut in half....they don't make them like they used to...:cool:

khc3

03-10-11, 20:21

I just lay mine down on the bench and do it. :confused:

Yep that would be my first instinct, but most of my DIY efforts involve at least one failure producing something scratched, cracked or broken before I find out how to do it right.

I will go ahead with confidence!

markm

03-10-11, 20:21

I can't believe no one had welded the thing on. :confused:

nimdabew

03-10-11, 23:12

I can't believe no one had welded the thing on. :confused:

I would think it would be hard to weld steel to aluminum but what do I know. I am not a welder.

Eric D.

03-10-11, 23:28

Quite right, its impossible. You could always braze it :lol:

I would think it would be hard to weld steel to aluminum but what do I know. I am not a welder.

Dunderway

03-10-11, 23:32

I've used a spring loaded punch on the few that I've done, but what do they use at the factory? I know it all works the same, but I would get some satisfaction out of seeing that nice rectangular stake that perfectly fills the slot in the castle nut like a factory Colt.

M90A1

03-11-11, 12:29

I would think it would be hard to weld steel to aluminum but what do I know. I am not a welder.

Uh, wouldn't you be welding the nut to the steel endplate? ;)

It would only take a small tack weld. That would still take a pretty good welder, to not overdo it, and be totally overboard when staking it is so easy.

Iraqgunz

03-11-11, 14:30

There is a staking machine at the factory that does it. Ken Elmore from SAW showed me a type of press they designed and built to do factory type stakings.

I've used a spring loaded punch on the few that I've done, but what do they use at the factory? I know it all works the same, but I would get some satisfaction out of seeing that nice rectangular stake that perfectly fills the slot in the castle nut like a factory Colt.

jklaughrey

03-11-11, 14:34

Uh, wouldn't you be welding the nut to the steel endplate? ;)

It would only take a small tack weld. That would still take a pretty good welder, to not overdo it, and be totally overboard when staking it is so easy.

Exactly, fixing a non problem where there isn't one!

An Undocumented Worker

03-11-11, 18:38

Quite right, its impossible. You could always braze it :lol:

It's not impossible, but it does take extraordinarily unconvential measures to weld dissimilar metals to each other.
Explosive Welding
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosive_welding

Friction Welding
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friction_welding

And Electromagnetic Pulse Welding
http://www.english.pstproducts.com/index_htm_files/empt%20forming%20welding%20crimping%20and%20cutting.pdf

Also take a look at some of your pots or pans in the kitchen, many are Stainless steel with aluminum cladding on the bottom.

As for welding the castle nut to the reciever extension or lower, not necessary. You could weld the castle nut to the endplate, but staking works just fine

english kanigit

03-11-11, 20:26

Ehh, I keep an automatic center punch in my 'gunplumber' box just for this reason. The box is in my gun bag when the real tools are at home.

Ek

Iraqgunz

03-12-11, 00:46

I guess some of you took the original welding comment to heart. It was a sarcastic joke and nothing more. Anyone who suggests "tack" welding a castle nut/ end plate probably needs to have their head examined.

markm

03-12-11, 13:18

bkb0000

03-12-11, 14:39

I agree. And we found out last night what OVER-staking will do. If you need to get the plate back off of the RE, and over stake beats the metal into the inner diameter of the plate and ****s up the RE thread when you try to take it off.:rolleyes:

yep.. which then makes it a nice pain in the ass to center the RE. if you don't opt to just replace it.

the end plate just needs to be staked enough that a small bump of material is visibly inside the notch. anything more than that is unnecessary, and probably detrimental.

Iraqgunz

03-12-11, 15:12

Here is a pic of one of my stakings from the other day.

7700

NavyDavy55

03-12-11, 15:41

Here is a pic of one of my stakings from the other day.

What is the orange/red substance on the threads? Anti-seize?

Or my old eyes playing tricks on me?

Iraqgunz

03-12-11, 15:46

Yes. It is anti-seize from Loc-tite.

What is the orange/red substance on the threads? Anti-seaze?

Or my old eyes playing tricks on me?

knguye11

03-13-11, 17:03

I think spring loaded punch is safest. You can test adjust the load before punching on the nut :D

http://gallery.me.com/k.nguyen/100030/IMG_5405/web.jpg

http://gallery.me.com/k.nguyen/100030/IMG_5409/web.jpg