Michael's Build! yeah yeah, another build thread ;)

[bolex]

You may want to invest in an auto-dimming helmet to prevent burns on your neck. Your project is looking good.

[Michael J]

You may want to invest in an auto-dimming helmet to prevent burns on your neck. Your project is looking good.

well, i don't have a welding unit, i just do this stuff at school, so unless i go buy a unit, the helmet becomes useless at the end of june .

Also update on my stance of being 1/16 too short:
I guess i'll just cut my weld, and reweld, i don't want to screw around with the thing, i'll just do it properly. I don't know the repercussions of modifying everything to fit, and as the picture has showed, i guess i am a little bowed! I double checked my rail fit, and i am not only 1/16 to short,but the very last rail rivet hole is also 1/16 to low. It is not as bowed as that dumb picture portrays it, but i guess it is off by a tiny bit.

That seems to be the only warp though, no twisting of any sort, all the axis seem to be straight except for that small bend. But it only warped on the "up and down" axis, and did not twist to the left or right, or rotate at all.

[www.Prussia.us]

Michael I applaud your honesty and determination.

The first time a couple of friends and myself tried doing some of these things years ago it resembled a Three Stooges episode, except a lot less laughing and a LOT more swearing .

You are doing well, keep at it .

[Michael J]

Thanks prussia, glad to know i'm not the only one who has done this badly !

Anyways, as of 20 minutes ago, she has been cut . Brought a tear to my eye, but i am determined to get a show-quality piece of art out of this! Well maybe not show quality, but i want it to be at least "sellable", should i ever have to do that . University is $6000 a year, minus room and board, food, gas, etc . I i ever get into a bind, this baby will buy me 6 months , or give me that extra "boost", to afford me another year .

I'll post new pics once i get her welded back up i guess. Could be tomorrow, or tuesday.


Good thing i bought this instead of the 1919 parts kit, or else i wouldn't be having so much fun . I heard they are a lot more lame to build, than the '42.

[m1-dan]

1919 was easier and cheaper than these 42 builds. Mine was done over winter of 2006 and it runs like a beast.

[Michael J]

I want to do a dual 1919's after this, or if i can get enough cash from selling my m53, maybe do the "m3hb" build. Chances are, i'll probably end up going down the dual 1919a4 route. My only issue is, as easy as the build is for everyone else, nobody will accept my internals to be machined, because no one wants to ship across the border. Coincidentally, the internals look to be the hardest part of the build ! The rest is pretty much drilling and riveting, i don't even think you have to weld anything in the 1919 build. Also, getting a semi rsp here will be a b*tch. A 100% rsp will cost me $800 alone to ship it through a licensed US export/import company, and 25% added to that for taxes. Manufacturers don't like selling 80% plates, because they are playing it safe. Therefore that leaves blanks, which shouldn't be too bad machine, aside from the fact i don't know the design of the semi rsp's...

Basically problem after another, but i'll tackle that when i get there .

[johnnymg]

I want to do a dual 1919's after this, or if i can get enough cash from selling my m53, maybe do the "m3hb" build. Chances are, i'll probably end up going down the dual 1919a4 route. My only issue is, as easy as the build is for everyone else, nobody will accept my internals to be machined, because no one wants to ship across the border. Coincidentally, the internals look to be the hardest part of the build ! The rest is pretty much drilling and riveting, i don't even think you have to weld anything in the 1919 build. Also, getting a semi rsp here will be a b*tch. A 100% rsp will cost me $800 alone to ship it through a licensed US export/import company, and 25% added to that for taxes. Manufacturers don't like selling 80% plates, because they are playing it safe. Therefore that leaves blanks, which shouldn't be too bad machine, aside from the fact i don't know the design of the semi rsp's...

Basically problem after another, but i'll tackle that when i get there .

http://www.1919a4.com , Alot of good information there. I believe even blueprints for the RSP. Give it a try

Johnnymg

[Michael J]

Progress so far: Re-welded my re-cut receiver , like last week. I thought that i screwed up again, and was another 1/16 short again, but the rail i used for measuring stuff was bowed! I fixed that, and i am no longer 1/16 short . I am however less than 1/32 short, or something completely insignificant. I also though i had twisted, but those darn protruding welds on the inside tricked me! As i began to file, things started to fit perfectly after all. Unfortunately, i am filing by hand with this tiny @ss file, and it is a PAIN! Ah well, only a couple hours in, and pretty much done. Also, as you will note, once i get new pics up, i welded over those stupid bubbles. Seriously, this one spot resembled swiss cheese, it was sorta okay on the surface, but as i dug it out, it was hollow!

I will have my new ratchet plate + barrel bushing probably by like monday or tuesday (thanks to the help of Bil , but not to forget Garry, who got me my IMA rear that i am building right now ! ). I will post new pics once i get some significant progress made, well, once i get the ratchet plate attached anyways.

[Bil]

Michael-any spots that have bubbles should really be cut out and rewelded,not welded over.It will be much stronger.Small divots or defects in the weld can be filled,but not anything serious. ---bil

[Michael J]

sorry for the confusion Bil, i did cut them out, then welded over the area, is what i was getting at. Real pain in the butt, but i knew that the bubbles would be a weakened area, vulnerable to the vibrations cause from shooting the thing.

[Michael J]

Got a riddle for ya guys!

What do you get when the people employed to distribute firearms information are dipsh*ts?


You get an IMA receiver that cannot be legally used, because apparently unlike your laws, we cannot use ANY remnants of the original receiver, without creating an illegal "machine gun"! I asked the mongoloid woman working at the canadian firearms center specifically about this, and well maybe she was having her period and got distracted... Or maybe she was just born stupid, idk...

So it looks like i shall be needing to invest into a completely new receiver, most likely BRP stampings or something rather expensive . I suppose even if i was forewarned about this, i'd still be spending the cash, but the false hope kinda p*ssed me off, and shipping included etc, the IMA rear cost me like $180 or so.

Thank goodness, at least the possession of an "original" isn't illegal, so i guess i'll just hold onto it as an investment, "sigh"...

[Bil]

Sorry to hear that,but we have people like that down here,too We call them the BATF! ---bil

[www.Prussia.us]

While being out the investment is unfortunate, better to learn that way, than e-mailing us from prison after you had it built and confiscated. Also the skills learned along the way can only help, however it is quite a setback. Hopefully you will be able to get the resources to get back in the saddle on this project.

[Michael J]

Thanks guys , you are right, better i find out now than when it's too late! I'm still determined to get this gal up and running, will be a bit more costly than estimated , but i'm not giving up.