Rhigt Side Plate


Getting ready to center drill the third bottom plate hole.	Tapping the second bottom plate hole. 4 - 40 Tap

Click here to watch the video of me drilling and tapping the first hole. (It's about 2 mins) I wont bore you with all five but I do have them recorded if you really want to see it.

The next step I machined the charging handle slot.


Using a center cutting end mill to cut the opening of the charging handle slot. I then switched end mills and milled the rest of the slot in one pass.	The completed slot.

For some reason these are the only two pics I have of this step but I have a video of it so click here to see it. (About 2 mins)

Next I drilled and counter bored the top cover pivot bolt hole.


I used a transfer punch to locate this hole from the LSP and then used a center drill to deepen it up a little to keep the #25 drill from walking.	This hole needs to be counter bored for the head of the bolt. I used a 7/32 endmill.

Here is a one min video of this step for your viewing pleasure!

Next step I drilled the pintel hole.

Here's a close up. I didn't do this all in one shot. When I mentioned that I wasn't a machinist it doesn't mean that I'm totally lost.

Here's one not so close.

Click here for the 1 min video.

Next step for me was to cut the slots for the back plate and the breech block / trunion.

I didn't have the right size counter bore for the top plate bolts yet (so I thought) so I

move on to keep the project rolling.


Here's a close up of the end result. The print calls for the slot to be a lot deeper then it really needs to be. Measure your parts and adjust accordingly. Although following the print wont hurt anything.	I moved the vise jaw to the outside of the clamping head. This way the RSP could be held so I could use my power cross feed.

Here's a 30 sec video of the breech block slot being cut.

Next I made the relief cut for the top cover feed lever pivot.


Using a half inch end mill taking just enough to clear the pivot.	All done!

Watch the vid by clicking here


Getting ready to center drill the first top plate holes.	First hole drilled.

Two nicely counter bored holes. Drill and then switch to the mill to keep the counter bore centered over the drilled hole.	The print calls for a .305 counter bore. I had an old 5/16 end mill that had been sharpened a few times and was .305. You get lucky every now and then.


Here is my RSP after it had been Blanchard ground to size. Not the finish I was hoping for when I had the idea to go with Blanchard instead of surface grinding it. Not a big deal just means more work sanding later.	Here's the RSP clamped in the vise and I'm using my fancy laser edge finder to get the datum's to locate the five bottom plate holes. The laser takes a little time getting use to but when you do it's very easy and fast to use.


Here's a close up. I didn't do this all in one shot. When I mentioned that I wasn't a machinist it doesn't mean that I'm totally lost.	Here's one not so close.