Has anyone built a rifle using Flat bent with 555th jig?

Chiroone, I started my first receiver but ran into some problems with the upper rails and one side of the receiver. I made some comments about it in the thread from the GB on flats I think, or it may have been 555th's thread. How bout you?

No, I am on the list, I have not gotten it yet. The problem is always going to be the top rails. Also, getting the flat centered in the box to get a good straight bend and not messing up the trigger pin holes. Trying to see if 555ths jig solved those challanges.

Yep. I built my own jig after seeing 555th's in a post with deminsions. Pressed my first flat from Tapco this afternoon. Worked slick as a whistle. Also while I was building the jig, I built a jig to form the top lips. Worked pretty well too. Wish I had a digital camera so I could post some pictures.
Big Daddy

Do not weld the three center pieces together. Once you've bent the flat and top rails you would not be able to remove it due to the mag dimples.

Cephus said:

Thanks I wasn't thinking . But if you make a slot along the dimple line then you could ,I think just a thought. Now can i use just the tools I stated ?
TAI :thumbup1:

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Yeah those tools could do the job. The base needs to be welded, but you might be able figure out how to bolt it together. Just take your time and make the side pieces perfect.

Edit: Congrats, Big Daddy, now get busy and build a bunch of AKs :cheers:

Cephus. You don't want to weld the three center pieces together The reason is because you have to make relief cuts for the various dimples in the flat (if your using a Tapco flat). I made the reliefs with a drill press and a dremel. I had a friend make the two outer plates for the internal section of the jig and used a piece of 1.25 inch key stock for the center. The outer form of the jig was made of 2x2x1/4 angle iron that was cut and welded by the same friend.
Aside from the jig the tools that I used for my build were a drill press, hand drill, Dremel, various files, and taps for appropriate sizes of screws.
Hope this helps in your build.
Big Daddy

Cephus said:

Thanks for the incouragement 555th . I do my best to keep the sides inline,is it best to use a corner clamp on them to keep alined or just use a sq. for the job. TAI

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After I cut out my sides, I bolt them together and do all the finish work with them bolted so it makes a matched pair. Make the side pieces out of 1/4' plate and the center spacer out of 3/4" keystock. Pollish the insides of the base to keep the flat from binding and pulling loose and use some lube while pressing.

Has anyone else used one of 555th's jig to bend a flat?

I have not finished my build but have bent a flat using 555th's jig. I had bolted everything together so I could fit the front and rear trunions and bottom rails. I have had the carrier and bolt, FCG, and hammer installed and all looks like it will work (this is my first build, not my first AK). I have to heat treat, then parkerise and am waiting on the arrival of plinkers riveting jig to finish. I have no doubt in my mind (maybe a little dremmel work after it is finished) that all will work out.

I did have to do some trimming on my top rails and for trunion fitting. I have a 1/4 HP foredom flexible shaft tool which makes easy work of the trimming.

Thealien, How was ? was easy to use ? any problems during the benting ?
Cephus, I got one jig coming, maybe we can have a bent party.

Easy, very easy. Centering the flat is the most difficult.

I have been busy with other projects so I have not finished (sep 14 ya know).

One could easily bend 10 flats in an evening. I wanted to do one almost complete in case I messed anything up I could learn from my mistakes rather than repeating them.

Once you've got your jig PM me and I'll have a little more to say!

Mark

With down time waiting on the new cradle portion of the jig, I decided to go ahead and see if I could salvage the flat I screwed up. I took a dremel and hammer to one side of the receiver and finally got the front trunnion to fit in with the rivets. But, I went ahead and decided to dry fit the axis pins in the fcg and they are too short even when bending the sides in. I think I am back to square one with the receiver. With the cradle being too wide on one end, I think when it bent the flat the bottom of the receiver got too wide because the bend wasn't a perfect 90. I think this is contributing to the pin not going all the way through. Hopefully this will be cleared up with my next flat.

Great idea, and I will probably give it a try although I think it is just too wide. I actually should've fit these portions first before taking all the time and fixing/beating/bending the front of the receiver to make the front trunnion fit...and installing the TG. I was thinking that my receiver is similar to a GT before they started trimming down the trunnions so that they could use all the existing pins. I guess I could make the pin goes as far as it will and then try to weld them in permanently. I wouldn't ever be able to take out the FCG though. It may just be worth it to cut the trunnion back out along with the TG and start with a new one.

No, I'm waiting on a new setup Cephus.

I hope I can bend a couple flats this weekend. It looks like getting the flat lined up is going to be the toguh part. I plan on using a pen and straightline to measure everything on the flat to get it nice and centered. After that looks like it will be a piece of cake.

Akkid/Ghtomrk said:

I hope I can bend a couple flats this weekend. It looks like getting the flat lined up is going to be the toguh part. I plan on using a pen and straightline to measure everything on the flat to get it nice and centered. After that looks like it will be a piece of cake.

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Ghtomrk,
please check the inside of the base, I think 555th Jr. forgot to smooth the metal and it would cause some binding. I know he did on yosuthnmasa's jig and I'd hate to see you scar up a flat. Look at the inside and if its not shiney you'll need to sand it down or grind the roughness off. Sorry, we missed that detail on the first 4 Jigs we shipped out and I'm trying to let those 4 people know. It won't take you long if that's the case and again ...SORRY

No problem, Ill get it to work fien Im sure. I also sent you a PM. Thanks again.