[yosuthnmasa]

Well, I got my AMD-63 parts kit in today and it is beautiful. I can't wait to put this gun together. I also ordered to blanks from ACE today in the group buy section..what a deal! Anyway, I'm getting excited about the build and want to go ahead and pick up some of the necessary tools. This is my first build, so you guys will have to forgive me for the more basic questions. First off, for measuring, what kind of calipers would you recommend? The electronic or dial? Any specific recommendations for a decent pair that won't kill my pocketbook? Also, I need all the necessary drill bits and files. What type of drill bits will I need? One the Ace Arms website, they sell the cobalt bits. Should I look for ones like this or are there alternatives? Last, I do have a dremel, but i figure for some of the curved corners such as the magwell, I will need some files. What do you guys suggest for this as well?

Edit: Forgot to ask about a wrench for tapping? Any suggestions on this would be great.

 

[7.62x39]

The digital calipers are really nice.
Not only do I find them faster to use, they also do the conversion from metric to decimal automatically.

For drill bits you really need a full index, including fractional, numbered and letter drills.
These are available from HF for as little as $39., but buy the best ones you can afford.

And yes, you will need a assortment of files, including a rat tail for the corners.

 

[tarawa]

Edit: Forgot to ask about a wrench for tapping? Any suggestions on this would be great.[/QUOTE]

Check Enco, MSC, Harbour Freight for the best price on a benchtop tapping tool (~100.00 or less). With the right tapping oil, it is almost immpossible to break at tap with one of these.

 

[sniper69]

Well, I got my AMD-63 parts kit in today and it is beautiful. I can't wait to put this gun together. I also ordered to blanks from ACE today in the group buy section..what a deal! Anyway, I'm getting excited about the build and want to go ahead and pick up some of the necessary tools. This is my first build, so you guys will have to forgive me for the more basic questions. First off, for measuring, what kind of calipers would you recommend? The electronic or dial? Any specific recommendations for a decent pair that won't kill my pocketbook? Also, I need all the necessary drill bits and files. What type of drill bits will I need? One the Ace Arms website, they sell the cobalt bits. Should I look for ones like this or are there alternatives? Last, I do have a dremel, but i figure for some of the curved corners such as the magwell, I will need some files. What do you guys suggest for this as well?

Edit: Forgot to ask about a wrench for tapping? Any suggestions on this would be great.

I have to agree that the digital calipers are the way to go, although I have to admit I have a dial caliper that is marked in metric. For a digital caliper Harbor freight has some for around 18-22 dollars. Although if you want name brand I always liked the mitutoyo and the starrett brands. But they are more money to get (like around $100 +). For drill bits I bought a set similar to what harbor freight sells. They work great, but are harder than hell to get out of a hole if you break one off. For files I recommend an assortment of different shapes and size. Also get a file handle or two, they fit over the pointed handle of a file and keep your hands safer. As for tapping, I have a tap handle like those sold at home depot, lowes, sears, HF, etc. Not to expensive (under $10) and it works good. Just make sure that you keep it straight.

 

[Co7t]

The digital calipers are really nice.
Not only do I find them faster to use, they also do the conversion from metric to decimal automatically.

I'll have to agree on the digital ones. I hate working with numbers and am always looking for ways to make my things easier when it comes to measuring things - the digital caliper ROCKS! :headbang: I paid 22.00 for mine and I use it to get me an approximate ballpark to work with whenever I gauge things. Oh yeah, that decimal/metric conversion is as easy as a press of a button.

Co7t

 

[yosuthnmasa]

Does anyone know if Brownells has any of the tools that we've been talking about that are decent? I have my C&R on file with them and get a pretty hefty discount on many things Are they worth a shot? Last, are these the drill bits you guys were talking about: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=1611 Or you guys talking about the $79 cobalt ones?

 

[sniper69]

Does anyone know if Brownells has any of the tools that we've been talking about that are decent? I have my C&R on file with them and get a pretty hefty discount on many things Are they worth a shot? Last, are these the drill bits you guys were talking about: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=1611 Or you guys talking about the $79 cobalt ones?

yep those are the drill bits. As for brownells they do have the name brand calipers (do a search with keyword calipers). Brownells also sells headspace gauges. As for the other stuff - I'm not sure (I'm sure they sell files etc, but don't know from personal experience).

 

[hotbarrel]

you guys are not going to like my calipers,,, I have to look carefully and read the slide. kind of old fashoned but they work

 

[yosuthnmasa]

"you guys are not going to like my calipers,,, I have to look carefully and read the slide. kind of old fashoned but they work"



what kind of calipers have slides?

 

[sniper69]

"you guys are not going to like my calipers,,, I have to look carefully and read the slide. kind of old fashoned but they work"



what kind of calipers have slides?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=7914 ones like at the link. They are the same design as a digital or dial caliper setup just you read them like it is a sliding scale, for lack of better way of putting it. The slide calipers I had to use one time were made by starrett (it made me appreciate the digital all the more, and I never forgot my toolbox key after that, lol).

 

[yosuthnmasa]

they sure are cheap though!

 

[Rule .308]

They are called "vernier" calipers or as the old timers call them "very nears" because that is what you have to be to read those buggers . All of my mics are vernier style and so are some of my calipers.
On the drill bits, a full set of number, letter, and fractional are nice but I would research it and find out exactly which sizes you will need and spend the money to buy good American made bits. It is amazing how far off the cheap chinese bits can be. I recommend something like Chicago Lathtrobe (SP?) or Cleveland Twist and I prefer the split point bits as they don't "walk" around near as much if at all. You're going to want your trigger axis pin holes as snug as you can get them and you will find that spending a couple of bucks on a good quality bit will pay off big time in the long run. Look over at Enco, MSC, McMaster-Carr, Rutland tool, or go to the links page at mini-lathe.com. They will have a multitude of places where you can look at this stuff. In a pinch your local Sears will have what you need too.

 

[Rhino_66]

I said it before and I'll say it again... You can't have enough sets of good tools AND cheap tools. I have at least 1 additional set of Chinese tools for each of my Stanley, Craftsman, and Mac sets. The good sets have a lifetime warranty and are replaced if you break something. The cheap stuff can be thrown away when it breaks and you don't worry about it. I have reservations about making custom tools out of high dollar stuff, but I don't have a problem taking torch or welder to the Chinese pieces.

Harbor freight also has a digital multimeter for $3.99 and it comes with a battery. For that price, you can almost afford to throw it away when the battery dies. Telescoping magnet-on-a-stick was $1.99. Telescoping mirror-on-a-stick was $2.99. I can't get out of the freakin' store without spending at least $25.00 every time I go!

Rat tail files and flat files will both be necessary for finishing off the magwell, trigger, and pistol grip nut holes. Ideally you should have coarse and fine tooth files of both types. A set of jewelers files would be nice, too. They're really small and can get into really tight areas.

 

[yosuthnmasa]

Harbor freight may become a replacement for Wal-Mart soon. It sure will be nice to have all these tools that I've been needing for a while, much less to help me build so many fun toys. Luckily some of them won't absolutely kill me in prices. Another thing that's been occupying my mind lately is the rivet smasher that hcpookie has designed out of bolt cutters. This really is a cheap alternative to buying a $100 hand rivet gun, and/or a 20 ton press. With my budget, these things would be perfect. And from reading some of the results, this rivet smaher should really do the trick.

 

[hotbarrel]

SNIPER69
I think the days of guys knowing how to read I slideing scale are allmost over, gone the way of the slide rule to do complicated math. Good luck finding anyone that even knows how to read it. now they just look at the digital read out. not that I am saying that is bad but how to read I slideing scale is allmost a lost art now..
P.S. I realy think my set are just a bit nicer than the HF plastic set, but that is the design, they are as accurate as you are carefull in reading them

 

[sniper69]

SNIPER69
I think the days of guys knowing how to read I slideing scale are allmost over, gone the way of the slide rule to do complicated math. Good luck finding anyone that even knows how to read it. now they just look at the digital read out. not that I am saying that is bad but how to read I slideing scale is allmost a lost art now..
P.S. I realy think my set are just a bit nicer than the HF plastic set, but that is the design, they are as accurate as you are carefull in reading them

I'm sure the set you have, hotbarrel, is nicer than the HF set. It is probably one of the nice metal sets. I was just using the HF link as an example to show what they look like. I feel a lot of things seem to be a lost art. But then again, even though I love technology, I feel it is important to know how to do things in case of a lack of technology. It is amazing how many people can't measure without a digital readout (I worked with some guys that couldn't even read a dial caliper). But that is another story...

 

[JA545]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47257

This is the deal and they give the same readings as my high dollar US mfg. micrometers.

 

[Sangrun Hunter]

My Dad gave me his extra set of digital calipers. I don't know what I would do without them! I do have a dial set from HF and a 6 peice set of measuring tools from HF that do all kinds of different stuff.

I would buy a set of digital calipers now if I had too. It makes it so much easier on the eyes.

 

[hcpookie]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47257

This is the deal and they give the same readings as my high dollar US mfg. micrometers.

Agreed, you can't beat these calipers!