Comments on: AR-180 part 3

By: Chuck

Chuck — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 04:06:18 +0000

Thanks for the comments. You are correct in that it is easier and less expensive to water jet the rough shape out then building a cutting die for the limited number that we make here at Gun Lab. I still think you would need to seriously look at the numbers if you were doing thousands. However, with water jetting changes could be made easier and with less expense.

By: Loess

Loess — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 03:52:24 +0000

I’m also loving these AR18 posts, my day job is designing sheet steel fabrications for truck suspensions, so everything looks somewhat familiar.

By: JNC

JNC — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 22:50:00 +0000

Excellent article. I’m actually checking the site regularly for the next iteration.

I think where they used the stamping press technology in the 1960’s using expensive dies. Its now begging for a CNC laser or plasma cutter which could cut out blanks all day long.

Flat patterns (.dxf) out of Solidworks models sort according to sheet metal gage and hit cycle start, change sheet thickness, cycle start, repeat. Fold,form,TIG.