Is a receiver block in a 4" bench vise adequate to hold the lower while staking the castle nut?
Any tips on how to secure the lower would be appreciated.
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Is a receiver block in a 4" bench vise adequate to hold the lower while staking the castle nut?
Any tips on how to secure the lower would be appreciated.
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.
I just lay mine down on the bench and do it. :confused:
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.
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)
This. Using this:
http://www.tooltopia.com/mountain-62...googlebase_18u
Well worth $3.98 and frees up what would be your "hammer hand" to carefully hold the lower in place.
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.
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
I do mine by biting down with my teeth.... Sissies... :no:
Rmpl
The simple solution is to use an old magazine, lock it in the vise and tap away. Takes all of about 3 minutes.
I can't believe no one had welded the thing on. :confused:
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.
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/i...%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
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
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.
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.
Here is a pic of one of my stakings from the other day.
Attachment 7700
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