This [...]]]> With this post I am happy to note that Axel, a friend of gun lab, is back for a visit and as always we put him back to work. And unlike what most people think of me we did actually allow him some time off to go to the local gun show and stores.

This post is about the continuing work that is being done on the VG1-5.

This weekend was spent working on a number of projects by different people and in different shops.

Axel spent most of his time working on making a stock pattern for the rough cut and the finish router work.

Before I go into great detail on making the stock pattern I have to stress that some people just do not like to change there ways. We have a rather complete machine and wood working shop. So when you see the method that the pattern was make it is all Axel.

It started with a wood blank that was roughed out on the old stock fixture plate.

This a really scary fixture to use with a 3/4 horse power router especially toward the grip of the stock. Even though there is a bearing riding against the fixture

it was still an interesting experience.

Axel took the rough shaped stock and fitted it to our test rifle.

A close up of the fit up.

Then it was off to make a pattern that would make the same thing over and over but still allow for the minor differences that we are going to encounter.

Now this is the point where German stubbornness comes into play. We will just go back to the fact that we do have a couple of nice work shops and in the saw room is a really nice band saw.

Did I mention that this tool works great on cutting Aluminum?

He did it the old fashion way  and when you don’t have much in the line of tools you use what you have and become expert with them. This is what Axel did.

He started by attaching the stock to the aluminum plate with the two stock screws and then a third point on the stock to firmly hold the blank to the plate.

He then marked out the stock out line.

Then he went to the drill press and drilled about a thousand holes,that may be a little exaggerated, but the number is close.

Then he put the stock that he previously fitted to the rifle and and spent quite a bit of time, between guns shows and gun store visits, and files everything away that did not look like the stock.

When it was all said and over this is what it looked like.

So now the new process for making the stock will be to lay out the stock with the aluminum pattern, cut the stock out with the wood shop band saw.

Then using the pattern cut the shape out on the router table using a straight cutter with a ball bearing guide.

After the shape is cut out go back in with a radius cutter to cut the couture.

The final set will be to plug the third hole with a wooden dowel.

Many thanks to Axel for his help this last weekend and we are a step closer to getting done.

With the summer heat this year, generally the same every year, it has just gotten to me for some reason. Probably [...]]]> Every weekend I have a list of projects that I want to do. Generally I can get through only 15% of what is on my list. This weekend it was even less then that.

With the summer heat this year, generally the same every year, it has just gotten to me for some reason. Probably due the A/C going out in the clean room and in the wood shop. Both of the units were small and really over taxed but they kept the temperatures down enough that you did not feel like you were sweating to death in the shop. Starting last weekend I made the decision to actually install heat pumps in both shops. The duct work has always been there but it was designed for an evap unit and not actual A/C. That is out after the serious rust issue that I have been dealing with.

Last weekend I ran the new wire for the 4 ton unit for the machine shop. This weekend my wife bought it and we unloaded it from the back of my pickup truck. With the backhoe still down it was another fun filled exciting weekend . It is how ever down on the ground and wired in both power and control.

The duct people will be out this week so I can do up drawings and these I will have made.

For the wood shop it needed a little more work. I first had to get a slab down for it and for the size that meant that I could not order it in it had to be mixed on site all 35 bags. However it is now done and that A/C unit will be picked up this week and put on the pad.

Still dealing with the heat and the fact that the fab shop will be coming soon on the shop to work in list it was decided to get the evaps working in there. This is one of those projects to complete at step “Z” you first had to start at step “A”. The fab shop had gotten a little out of hand in the past couple of months. The first step was to store somewhere all the cabinet fronts that I demo out of a house, these will be used in the wood shop.

Then a total clean up and up away project commenced. All the casting equipment had to be stored away as well as all the tools laying about.

You can actually walk down the isles.

Then the new sheet metal ducts that we did a while back had to be installed and the evap coolers flashing installed and coated down. The the evaps were moved into place.

Designing and making duct work is not my strong suite.

The evaps just setting on the roof.

The first evap installed.

A better picture showing both evaps installed

So then what did not get done off the list. Well first is the parts that I wanted to make on the 3d printer. I did not get to make the AR-16 pistol grip on the stock duplicator off of the 3D print that I wanted to make. I also did not fire up the wire EDM. I finally finished writing a cutting program for it. I also have not finished the water system for the fab shop evap coolers. I did get the duplicator moved but did not finish the dust system for it.

I also have not finished the video’s that I have been working on or the gun post that are setting on my computer.

There were projects that I have been wanting to accomplish that are fun. Some of the things I needed to finish were under the direction of the commander in chief of the house. Some [...]]]> Like all weekends I started out with a list that I could not possibly get done in the time frame allotted.

There were projects that I have been wanting to accomplish that are fun. Some of the things I needed to finish were under the direction of the commander in chief of the house. Some projects are necessary to finish the VG1-5 project. And some just needed to be done.

I started my Saturday morning with trying to get the pistol grip of the AR-16 rifle 3D printed. The PLA that came with the 3D printer is old but seemed to work on the first few projects. That was not going to be the case this weekend. The material did nothing but continue to break off in the feed tubes. After spending a few hours on this I just threw my hands but and ordered some new material.

I hope to back on this project next weekend.

On to the next project. This is doing a little upgrade to by duplicator. I have always found it to set to low for me so I wanted to raise it and changed where is sat slightly. I was able to put the risers on it after a little adaptive engineering.

However, when I went to look for my Johnson bad and skates, about an hour of looking, I could not find them anywhere. A friend borrowed and I will have them back on Tuesday. Then like a fool I tried moving it with out them and not such a good idea. More on this later.

So now off to another project and that is one of the trees at the house has been a little sick and needed to come down, this was a project handed down from the commander. So the task was set into motion. All the limbs had been cut down and taken to the dump all that was left to do was use the backhoe and remove the rest of the stump.

The backhoe decided to take the weekend off. Nothing would get it to start.

I wanted to install new A/C units in the wood shop and machine shop. With the temperatures that we have been having there is no joy in working in the shops. To do this in the machine shop I needed to take down the evap cooler first. This little project took several hours and was not the least bit of fun in the 110 degree heat.

However the A/C guy called about 2 in the afternoon to inform me that he did not pick up the units and it would be next weekend before they would be out. It was okay as I still needed to run the new electric line for the A/C’s and while I was at it I would change the wiring around a little. I also needed to install a return air duct. To do this work I first had to move the bead blaster.Then cut the osb and sheet rock off the wall.

Then the wiring was run for a new 40 amp circuit and set up out side with a new disconnect.

I went to use the small air compressor in the wood shop, the big one needs a new motor and that is another project for another day. It has been acting a little iffy lately so a new pressure switch was ordered and received on Friday.

Once again Murphy came back to visit. The switch that was ordered and suppose to work was not the correct type.

Once again the weekend did not go as planed. In addition to all the fun I had in the 110 degree heat some where along the line I pulled my back and could hardly walk,sit or lay down without being in great pain. Not sure if it was the trying to move the duplicator, taking down the evap, dealing with the tree or running the new electric. At that point I just threw in the town and took my wife to the movies.

I had it set up but the dust collector system was not [...]]]> The time has come up that I need to get back to doing more stock work. There is the VG1-5, the Gerot 05 and I really want my Scotti X working. All three of these projects require the stock duplicator to be working.

I had it set up but the dust collector system was not hooked to it. To say that it made an enormous amount of saw dust would really be an understatement.  So it was off to take some measurements and a trip to the sheet metal shop to make a funnel arrangement.

This was actually the easiest part of the project. I now had to get a sheet metal housing into a spot that had cross bars and was an exact fit.

This was accomplished by partially disassembling the duplicator and carefully moving the funnel in. Keep in mind that the duplicator is cast iron and really heavy, so we did not want it falling on anyone. With a great deal on determination it was finally accomplished.

The funnel assembly set perfectly on the lip of the duplicator.

When the foot pads are installed and the unit raised the alignment between the dust collector sweep and the sweep that will go on the funnel  should be spot on.

Soon it will be back in service.