Lower rail attatchment revisited

1687 Views 23 Replies 14 Participants Last post by Polish Taipan, Sep 16, 2004

Polish Taipan

Discussion Starter · Sep 12, 2004

Ok guys can I weld these on with a MAPP set up? I don't really want to sink another $150 into my tools for a spot welder just to be able to attatch my lower rails? Any easier ways to do it that will look ok? :thankyou:

1 - 20 of 24 Posts

warejr

· #2 · Sep 12, 2004

lower rails

you could try drilling holes where the rails are mounted, i used a 3/16 drill and do 2 or three per side. take it to a welding shop and wire weld them in. after that its easy to file the welds down flush to the reciever. jw

Grendeljaeger

· #3 · Sep 12, 2004

Unless you can braze them in (I have never heard of anyone doing it) I don't think you can use your Mapp set up. :frown: So you either screw them in or have someone weld 'em for ya. You can use a mig set up and use plug welds but that ends up being a lot of work dressing the welds. :dunno: :dunno: I was in the same delima and broke weak and bought the spot welder. Buy 5 or more kits to build and then buying all the tools dosn't hurt as bad.

LynC2

· #4 · Sep 15, 2004

I would bet you could silver solder them in place and they would work out fine. I plan to give it a try on some future builds using Tapco flats. It is a very strong method if done properly.
Lyn

Polish Taipan

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 15, 2004

LynC2 said:
I would bet you could silver solder them in place and they would work out fine. I plan to give it a try on some future builds using Tapco flats. It is a very strong method if done properly.
Lyn

Anyone else like to chime in on this idea?
Let me know if it works Lyn.

Thumb Clip Pull Pin

· #6 · Sep 15, 2004

I think that I would drill the receiver in three places where the lower rails are to mount and weld through the hole to the lower rails. (I have not actually done this, but I have read about it here and else were!) That is what I would do.

2nd Choice... send your receiver to one of the guys that has bought one of the spot welders and have them spot weld it properly.

3rd Choice... find a sheetmetal/fabrication shop near you and ask the owner if he will spot weld it for you. It should only take a couple of minutes and only cost a few bucks or a six pack of beer.

Just a couple of thoughts,

Yours,
Thumb Clip Pull Pin

Polish Taipan

Discussion Starter · #7 · Sep 15, 2004

Too bad the second choice is illegal, unless they were a FFL. That would be a good option. I may call some sheet metal workshops today to find out if any will do it for me.

Thanatos

· #8 · Sep 15, 2004

Has anybody ever seen the plans for a homebrew spotwelder on the net? The plans I saw use the primary winding of a microwave transformer with a new secondary wound on. I wonder how well this would work. I may have to look for a used microwave and give it a try while I am laid off. If it worked, it would be a spot welder for the masses!

justashooter

· #9 · Sep 15, 2004

Polish Taipan said:
Anyone else like to chime in on this idea?
Let me know if it works Lyn.

been there, done that. used a maap gas torch to silver solder, and it worked just fine. if i had oxy/acetylene, brase would have been an option. maap/oxy does brase, but the bottles are gone in no time.

at present, i am using 3/32 E6011, and a stick welder at about 60 amps. spot at each end, and spot from center to rail to shell. use a brass backup bar if you are not sure about your ability to control your puddle.

Grendeljaeger

· #10 · Sep 15, 2004

LynC2 said:
I would bet you could silver solder them in place and they would work out fine. I plan to give it a try on some future builds using Tapco flats. It is a very strong method if done properly.
Lyn

Silver soldering is not really soldering, but a form of brazing, where there is a mixing of the metals being joined. I believe you are right and it may be strong enough. This is not to be confused with low temp silver soldering that is just soldering and that would not have as much strength, and would probably not last.

scubadvr

· #11 · Sep 15, 2004

Is the heat necessary to silver solder a consideration ie. warping the receiver? Jack

hcpookie

· #12 · Sep 15, 2004

scubadvr said:
Is the heat necessary to silver solder a consideration ie. warping the receiver? Jack

"Yes"

1600 degree will warp the receiver, no doubt about it. *IF* I were to try it, and I wouldn't, I'd put heat paste AND a copper block around the area, so as to keep the heat to a minimum. I've heard anecdotal stories of people partially submerging their FAL barrels in a bucket of water to act as a heat sink, but probably won't work for a receiver. Just not a good idea IMO.

My friend MIG'ed my ACE receivers (old kind) and they had a slight amount of warpage. We took a copper tube, hammered it flat, and clamped it down to act as a heat sink and was very careful with the welds (alternated ends, allowed cooling time, etc). YMMV

We did some testing w/o the gas, using flux wire and it worked well. Sat it down to the lowest setting. Had LOTS of splatter, but it was manageable. Someone mentioned a coating to prevent stickage in another thread... IMO, when I do more, I'm going with this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44567

Again, YMMV.

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Polish Taipan

Discussion Starter · #13 · Sep 15, 2004

Good find Pookie!! I may order that tomarrow, but then I have to learn to weld, lol. Stupid question, would this be safe to use in my apt? This looks like it could do all sorts of welding. What else could it be used for with AK's?

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package

· #14 · Sep 16, 2004

I bend mine flat.Then i clamp down my rails with needlenose visegripe.Then reach in and mig weld in about 5 places.Turn your gas up to 20 lb. wors great

Thanatos

· #15 · Sep 16, 2004

I guess I would never consider welding in my house unless it was TIG. It seems to me that wire feed and stick throw too many sparks to be safe enough for me to use indoors. Also, the smell of the welding won't impress your neighbors either.

hcpookie

· #16 · Sep 16, 2004

Agreed, I'd do this in the garage. Sparks will create a fire hazard...

sniper69

· #17 · Sep 16, 2004

Polish Taipan said:
Good find Pookie!! I may order that tomarrow, but then I have to learn to weld, lol. Stupid question, would this be safe to use in my apt? This looks like it could do all sorts of welding. What else could it be used for with AK's?

From seeing how easy it is to start fires when welding - I wouldn't recommend welding inside your apartment. I remember a few fires that happened about 10 years ago at one of my previous employers that were started by "sparks" from welding that landed farther than expected. Of course we always buddied up so that while one person welded the other had a fire extinguisher handy (this was when we were having to do repairs around materials that couldn't be moved that had the potential of catching fire). If you are in a ground floor apartment and have a back porch - maybe it would be ok to weld on the back porch - but that would be up to you (and hopefully the owner of the building wouldn't mind

).

Polish Taipan

Discussion Starter · #18 · Sep 16, 2004

What if I built a metal sided "welding box"? Say 3' x 3' x 3'? Built with plywood sheets covered by some thin sheet metal and have a fire extinguisher standing by

.

tuolumnejim

· #19 · Sep 16, 2004

Go to the hardware store and buy a pop rivet gun use 1/8 steel rivets and your set.

Polish Taipan

Discussion Starter · #20 · Sep 16, 2004

Sorry, I like the look of the welds much better than a line of rivets going down the side.

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