Looking for a CNC shop for 80% lower work

[kevhunt80]

Does anyone know of a machine shop in mIddle Tennessee (Nashville, Murfreesboro, Franklin, etc) that can complete an 80% AR lower?

[Garufa]

If I'm not mistaken if machine shop completes it then they would in fact become a firearms manufacturer and would need the proper FFL.

[No_0ne]

If I'm not mistaken if machine shop completes it then they would in fact become a firearms manufacturer and would need the proper FFL.

 

^This.  You probably don't want to go down that road ...

[Clod Stomper]

You gotta do it yourself.

Someone may let you rent time on their milling machine.

[CommsNBombs]

Yeah bad idea. Might find someone who will let you use their machine but youd have to provide the CAD file and be the one who pressed the button.

Its not too hard to do on your own - renting CNC time you might be better off buying a stripped lower from Anderson Mfg

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[hipower]

Yes. The 80% lower bit has pretty much been good only for those selling them. JMO

[173rdABN]

FFL's cant allow you to do it either. Even if you do it in their shop. You are creating it on their machines and grounds and it would need to be engraved with their information and sold under their FFL after being logged in their books. Unless a friend has a mill for you to use... thats about your only option. 

[Jct1911]

As above, can't even rent a machine shops tools and machines. Buy a drill press, jig and bits, finish at home.

[TNWNGR]

Actually you don't have to use a CNC machine you can do everything on a decent sized milling machine. Buy the milling machine, do several recievers for future builds and either keep it for future projects or sell it. http://www.homegunsmith.com/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi

[10-Ring]

At around $40 a pop for good stripped lowers what is the appeal of the 80% lowers?  I could understand it if lowers were $400 again but last time I looked at 80% lowers they were more than complete ones.

[Oh Shoot]

At around $40 a pop for good stripped lowers what is the appeal of the 80% lowers?  I could understand it if lowers were $400 again but last time I looked at 80% lowers they were more than complete ones.

 

Under the radar, off the books secret squirrel stuff -- ya can't overthrow the gummit if they know what you have and all that. ;)

 

- OS

[56FordGuy]

At around $40 a pop for good stripped lowers what is the appeal of the 80% lowers?  I could understand it if lowers were $400 again but last time I looked at 80% lowers they were more than complete ones.

 

If you're already setup with the equipment, they're a fun project. I just like making stuff, and wouldn't mind doing one. There's no real cost savings, but then I could say I truly 'built' my AR instead of just assembling a Lego set. :lol:

[Clod Stomper]

Nope. No cost savings at this time. When I finished my first one, finished lowers were about 150. Don't remember what the 80%s were, but less than that. And they were off the books.

That may not seem like a big deal to some people, but to others it's worth a premium.

[musicman]

There's always someone selling stripped lowers ftf as well. Both off the books and more likely to be in spec and of higher quality. It's too late for me anyway, da gubmint already knows I got more than a couple pieces. :/

[DaveTN]

Look for someone that works in a small shop or has a knee mill or even a good drill press in their garage. You don’t need CNC or CAD files. I doubt you will find any machine shop owners that will risk the liability of letting you do your own, but it shouldn’t be that hard to find someone that will do it for you.

[Caster]

All legalities aside, I highly doubt any owner of a CNC mill will make time for you. Having run one for many years, I know first hand they stay running all the time. If they aren't making chips, they are costing the company money. Billing out anywhere from $100/hr to over $500/hr depending on the job and complexity, they don't have time for piddly little trifles. One shop I worked had a five axis machine that billed out more in an hour than I made after taxes in a week AND this was over 10 years ago.

[DaveTN]

All legalities aside, I highly doubt any owner of a CNC mill will make time for you. Having run one for many years, I know first hand they stay running all the time. If they aren't making chips, they are costing the company money. Billing out anywhere from $100/hr to over $500/hr depending on the job and complexity, they don't have time for piddly little trifles. One shop I worked had a five axis machine that billed out more in an hour than I made after taxes in a week AND this was over 10 years ago.

That’s may all be true, but why would you want a CNC mill for finishing an 80% lower? CNC is not always the best tool for the job; it could be done on a manual knee mill while a CNC was being programmed. And chances of him finding someone that would do the job or let him do it on a manual mill are a lot better.

[56FordGuy]

That’s may all be true, but why would you want a CNC mill for finishing an 80% lower? CNC is not always the best tool for the job; it could be done on a manual knee mill while a CNC was being programmed. And chances of him finding someone that would do the job or let him do it on a manual mill are a lot better.

Very few commercial shops have any machines sitting idle, especially older manual machines.

I think the odds of finding any shop willing to let a novice walk if from off the street and operate any type of equipment is going to be very, very slim. There's a huge insurance liability, not to mention the potential to damage the machine or just plain burn up tooling before they even know what you want to make. I doubt walking into any operational machine shop you'll even get far enough to tell them you're trying to make a gun, and if you do their unfamiliarity with the 80% lower laws will shut any of the very, very few potential doors that may have been open.

An 80% lower is pretty much a project where you have to have the equipment yourself, or have a personal relationship with someone that does.

[Caster]

That’s may all be true, but why would you want a CNC mill for finishing an 80% lower? CNC is not always the best tool for the job; it could be done on a manual knee mill while a CNC was being programmed. And chances of him finding someone that would do the job or let him do it on a manual mill are a lot better.

Ohh you're abaolutely right. I tell ya, it makes my skin crawl to see 'CNC' on everything nowadays. Like that makes it soooo much better? CNC really shines at high speed production work and complex geometry and kellering. One or two peice jobs are often a waste of programming time.
I'm baffled at how people think CNC somehow means better quality. A CNC is stupid. I mean dumb! It will do what you tell it to every time. Program Z -50.000 and see what it does. Yes, it will make a valiant attempt to drive a tool through the floor unless there are soft stops in the parameters. A CNC is only as good as the programmer and the guy setting it up. A machine capable of holding +/- a tenth is still crap with sloppy set ups, poor tooling and improper tool offsets.

Anyone who needs proof only need look at a pr 64 winchester or a 50 year old Colt revolver.

[DaveTN]

Ohh you're abaolutely right. I tell ya, it makes my skin crawl to see 'CNC' on everything nowadays. Like that makes it soooo much better? CNC really shines at high speed production work and complex geometry and kellering. One or two peice jobs are often a waste of programming time.
I'm baffled at how people think CNC somehow means better quality. A CNC is stupid. I mean dumb! It will do what you tell it to every time. Program Z -50.000 and see what it does. Yes, it will make a valiant attempt to drive a tool through the floor unless there are soft stops in the parameters. A CNC is only as good as the programmer and the guy setting it up. A machine capable of holding +/- a tenth is still crap with sloppy set ups, poor tooling and improper tool offsets.

Anyone who needs proof only need look at a pr 64 winchester or a 50 year old Colt revolver.

Ha Ha Ha,same here. I’ve worked in the industry most of my life; I have to smile when I see all the “CNC” stuff, “CAD Designed” or “Aircraft Grade Aluminum”.

However…. I have to disagree with you on the “things aren’t made like they use to be” idea. Things are made exactly the way the manufacturer wants them or the way the price of the product dictates. Guns are very good example. You get what you pay for. The cheaper a gun the more popular it will be and the more forgiving the reviews will be. My company makes aircraft parts. You would not believe the checks, documentation and certification that go into those parts. That costs a lot and takes a lot of man hours on top of the hours the part is actually being machined.

Machinist, Toolmaker, Moldmaker, etc. is a dying breed; the tech schools are putting out machine operators and too many of the companies don’t have training for them once they start work. I suspect that will cost us dearly later.

[peejman]

You make aircraft parts? We fix turbine engines.

And yes to what you and Caster said about CNC, CAD, etc. That's pure marketing.

[DaveTN]

You make aircraft parts? We fix turbine engines.

Yes, we mainly make large 5 axis parts for Gulfstream, Lockheed, Airbus and Bombardier.
I tell people we create paperwork, and occasionally make an airplane part.

[peejman]

Yes, we mainly make large 5 axis parts for Gulfstream, Lockheed, Airbus and Bombardier.
I tell people we create paperwork, and occasionally make an airplane part.

Indeed. We recently made the switch to a (mostly) electronic system. It's been... interesting.

Do you make composite parts?

[DaveTN]

Indeed. We recently made the switch to a (mostly) electronic system. It's been... interesting.

Do you make composite parts?

Only a very few. Mainly we make large structural components; bulkheads, ribs, beams, etc.

[Alpha13]

Going back to the original topic. This is a tool that if I could afford I would buy. https://ghostgunner.net/


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