Author Topic: Home made Fore end Spacer (Read 3085 times)

Metaldoc · « **on:** March 09, 2011, 08:08:24 AM »

One of the members here recently sold me a nice schnable fore end but it was without a spacer. I'd thought about trying to make one anyway so this was the impetus I needed. For the first try I used a chunk of 6061 T6 aluminum. It came out well enough I'm going to see if I can find a piece of brass stock.

Anyway here it is in the raw. I still need to polish and very slightly break the sharp edges. Not sure if I will blacken it or not. Depends on if I try a trigger guard.

Old Fart · « **Reply #1 on:** March 09, 2011, 08:10:24 AM »

Did you do it on conventional or cnc?
Looks good by the way.

Metaldoc · « **Reply #2 on:** March 09, 2011, 08:22:21 AM »

Thanks! I machined it on a conventional vertical mill. ( I am like your username, just an old fart machinist who doesn't speak cnc.)

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** March 09, 2011, 08:35:58 AM »

Nice work Doc!!

Tim

dave29 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 09, 2011, 08:56:48 AM »

Looks good! I also like it in the "silver" form. Really looks nice.

tallyho · « **Reply #5 on:** March 09, 2011, 11:39:54 AM »

Yeah, what dave29 and quickdtoo already said... and it's a great example that supports your handle Metaldoc.

dave29 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 09, 2011, 01:06:42 PM »

How many hours did you end up having in it?

Metaldoc · « **Reply #7 on:** March 09, 2011, 01:11:23 PM »

Quote from: dave29 on March 09, 2011, 01:06:42 PM

How many hours did you end up having in it?

Thanks for all the kind words fellas! It took me a little more than two hours to make this one but that included a fair amount of head scratch'n time. I think I could make another in about an hour if I keep my wits about me!

dave29 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 09, 2011, 01:22:45 PM »

Quote from: Metaldoc on March 09, 2011, 01:11:23 PM

Quote from: dave29 on March 09, 2011, 01:06:42 PM
How many hours did you end up having in it?

Thanks for all the kind words fellas! It took me a little more than two hours to make this one but that included a fair amount of head scratch'n time. I think I could make another in about an hour if I keep my wits about me!

That is less time than I thought it would be.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 09, 2011, 01:45:39 PM »

We are at a point where it is getting hard to find a manual machinist anymore, and a few CNC guys Ive talked to kinda scratch their heads when I talk about some projects. Sure, they can do it, but they just dont think that way, start to finish that us old school guys do. Then there is the making fixtures or jigging up a job by modifying something, or skinning off a few tenths by a little thumb pressure on the lathe toolpost (toolpost? whats that?).
The big thing I miss is the ability to 'see' the project in my head three dimensionally like I used to.
In fact, somewhere in my heart troubles I lost most of the head picture stuff at all; cant see columns of numbers either to work on anymore.
Oh well, thats what paper and pencil are for........
Nice Job Man!

quickdtoo · « **Reply #10 on:** March 09, 2011, 02:48:02 PM »

Ok fellas, GBO rules don't allow buying and selling in discussion forums except by paid advertisers, we have a site sponsor that sells spacers and trigger guards, in fact he's ready to ship spacers right now, so be sure to check the H&R Classifieds.

Tim

Metaldoc · « **Reply #11 on:** March 09, 2011, 03:12:27 PM »

Don't worry Tim, I've got no intention of trying to peddle these things. It's just something I wanted to try making and thought I'd share the results here and just maybe encourage someone else with access to a mill to try it.

The vendors that take the time to tool up and write a program to make these things deserve their niche here. For what they are charging and the small volume they can sell, they aren't getting rich here. Looks to me like more of an accommodation to the members.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #12 on:** March 09, 2011, 03:25:12 PM »

That's fine, just didn't want to get any hopes up, we've had two or three other machinists step up to the plate offering to make them, Talley worked on the them for over two years, then bowed out, spacers have been fairly easy to come by, they've been available on ebay and on Gunbroker, but Toth is the first to actually come through with a machined replacement trigger guard which is very complex in comparison as far as mfrg them in marketable quantities.

Thanks for sharing.

Tim

Metaldoc · « **Reply #13 on:** March 10, 2011, 04:37:27 AM »

Just to clarify, I do NOT want to make these to sell.

I've received some pm's asking if I would be interested in making a few. While it is a compliment to be asked, I must decline. There seems to be precious little time to work on my own projects and I have a pile of 'em!

So please go to the classifieds and support the vendor that has invested the time to set up a program to offer a very nice finished product. With a little encouragement perhaps he would be inclined to offer brass or aluminum spacers as well.

Thanks to those that asked and I hope you understand my position.

Stuart C. · « **Reply #14 on:** July 02, 2012, 05:27:09 AM »

Quote from: quickdtoo on March 09, 2011, 02:48:02 PM

Ok fellas, GBO rules don't allow buying and selling in discussion forums except by paid advertisers, we have a site sponsor that sells spacers and trigger guards, in fact he's ready to ship spacers right now, so be sure to check the H&R Classifieds.

Tim

Tim/anybody,
I know this is an old post, but who is this sponsor and are they still offering these?
Thanks!

quickdtoo · « **Reply #15 on:** July 02, 2012, 07:19:11 AM »

Toth still has the spacer listed on their website, but they're no longer a site sponsor, I think the trigger guards never really went into production, although I know some were made.

Tim

http://www.tothtool.com/

Stuart C. · « **Reply #16 on:** July 02, 2012, 07:28:47 AM »

OK, thanks.

It appears Moyers Gun Repair is accepting orders for both the spacer and trigger guard in steel, stainless or brass.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #17 on:** July 02, 2012, 08:16:12 AM »

Good luck, I won't recommend them even if they are actually making them, Midway listed them as discontinued by the mfr when they last had them on the midway site, they also had terrible reviews which several members here experienced including myself.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,165552.0.html

SEK_22Hornet · « **Reply #18 on:** July 02, 2012, 11:19:27 AM »

Looks great!

SEK_22Hornet · « **Reply #19 on:** July 02, 2012, 11:29:41 AM »

By the way - I just went looking in the classified section and couldn't find anything about someone selling trigger guards or spacers - can someone point me the right direction?

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #20 on:** July 02, 2012, 12:08:39 PM »

I do not think there is anyone, with the exception of maybe Moyers, that actually make trigger guards. I do not think anyone is doing the spacer either. I have had no dealings with Moyers, but I believe Tim and would not go there. I think several people have thought about it, but bowed out when they found out how much they cost to make and what little people are willing to pay for them.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

quickdtoo · « **Reply #21 on:** July 02, 2012, 12:16:44 PM »

Quote from: SEK_22Hornet on July 02, 2012, 11:29:41 AM

By the way - I just went looking in the classified section and couldn't find anything about someone selling trigger guards or spacers - can someone point me the right direction?

That's because he's no longer a site sponsor, see reply #16.

Tim

glockmeister · « **Reply #22 on:** July 04, 2012, 02:41:20 AM »

Metaldoc, Wow!! As a former machinist and one who still dabbles in it some on pet projects that looks great to me. Keep the pictures of projects coming, may even gives us some ideas. Take care, John.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #23 on:** July 04, 2012, 03:39:03 AM »

Metaldoc hasn't been online here for almost a month now. $:-\$

Tim

Metaldoc · « **Reply #24 on:** March 07, 2013, 06:53:03 AM »

Had a few setbacks come along, including a 'widow-maker' heart attack that the Good Lord decided I should survive.

Anyway, a few days ago, I was back looking around and saw some discussion on brass forend spacers http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,276188.msg1099674056.html#msg1099674056

and remembered I had planned to make one someday. So, having been prodded into action, I found a chunk of brass and 'whittled' this one out.
That's a factory plastic one next to it for comparison sake.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #25 on:** March 07, 2013, 07:42:49 AM »

Looks great, glad you're still with us after the heart attack!!

Thanks,

Tim

gcrank1 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 07, 2013, 07:47:37 AM »

'Widow Maker' = LAD artery; had that one myself 20+ years ago, and 3 more since.........still kickin', just not as high

; certainly GLAD you made it!
It sure does cause a break in a guys thinking, but it doesnt seem to have affected your skills, thats one fine piece of work. Now everybody is gonna want one

.......

hoytcanon · « **Reply #27 on:** March 07, 2013, 08:10:43 AM »

Quote from: gcrank1 on March 07, 2013, 07:47:37 AM

Now everybody is gonna want one .......

Ahemmm... or four.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #28 on:** March 07, 2013, 08:14:19 AM »

Quote from: quickdtoo on March 09, 2011, 02:48:02 PM

Ok fellas, GBO rules don't allow buying and selling in discussion forums except by paid advertisers, we have a site sponsor that sells spacers and trigger guards, in fact he's ready to ship spacers right now, so be sure to check the H&R Classifieds.

Tim

Quote from: Metaldoc on March 10, 2011, 04:37:27 AM

Just to clarify, I do NOT want to make these to sell.

I've received some pm's asking if I would be interested in making a few. While it is a compliment to be asked, I must decline. There seems to be precious little time to work on my own projects and I have a pile of 'em!

So please go to the classifieds and support the vendor that has invested the time to set up a program to offer a very nice finished product. With a little encouragement perhaps he would be inclined to offer brass or aluminum spacers as well.

Thanks to those that asked and I hope you understand my position.

nanuk-O-dah-Nort · « **Reply #29 on:** March 07, 2013, 12:33:39 PM »

such a downer that we can't get those types of things up here.

one of these days, I'm gonna have to grab a chunk of steel, some drill bits, files.....