[Sangrun Hunter]

Come on guys and lets post a list of tools for the newbies.

I'll start,

Drill press (Makes life much easier)

115 pc index drill bit set

Taps

A press in some cases

A good vise

A drill press vise is really good to have

A set of punches for getting pins out

2lb hammer

I'll stop here and let the pro's around here fill in the details

 

[Chiroone]

What do you guys think of those so called titanium nitride coated drill bits from HF. I think you get like 115 different sizes for about $59. Anyone use these and do they work morre than once?

 

[hotbarrel]

I have an arbor press I use a lot. it opens up about to ten inches and only cost $25 at a discount tool tent on the side of the road. I use it for barrel pins and to crush trigger guard rivets. I also use it when I have to make rivets myself. I make the piston rivet here.
1 arbor press
2 4 pound hammer {for forming the home made rivets}
3 a cordless "or corded" hand drill
4 screw drivers simple but required
5 my handy dandy bucking bar and trigger guard rivet crushing adaptor
6 tig welder "not required but nice"
7 allen wrench {screw method and brake set screw}
8 I allways need a bottle of blue touch up for screw and rivet heads
just a few more to help make the jod easy

 

[sks_hunter]

Hey, Hotbarrell...
you mentioned a bucking bar for riveting???
what's that?
any chance I can pick one up somewhere?

 

[hotbarrel]

sks_hunter
a bucking bar is a tool used to "reach" into the trunion, you press the bucking bar instead of the rivet directly. I am going to post photos and more detailde info in the home builder lounge to make it easyer for others to find it in a search later on. check it out you will see it is easy to make and can do a great job with just a simple design. you can also BUY a bucking tool if you look and ask around. personaly I do not have extra cash for fancy tools when it is so easy to make one. mine has done a LOT of rivets and has not and bent or failed at all. I have offered to give a welded blank for free before without any takers. Go figure. plenty of guys paid out bucks to buy a tool to accomplish the same job. check out and read the other post I know you can weld well enough to make a GREAT bar for free or allmost free :rockin:

 

[Toten Kopf]

I've been trying to collect all the necessary tools to do a professional build (meaning rivets) but to tell the truth I sometimes get lost with which one does what. This guy makes a barrel assembly tool which is cool but is it for just putting the rear sight base on and the gas block or is it used for installing/removing barrels into trunions? Yes, I'm a newbie to AK's but I know quality when I see it and no one ever complained about quality. Hopefully I'll get the rivet jig for this and the rivet jig for that and the barrel install/remove tool and this and that.
Just hope you "Experts" can help me make sure I get the right "STUFF". You have all been a great help (from another site$$), I just want you to know that I appreciate it.

 

[hotbarrel]

I am not shure what or who's barrel assy tool you mean to be shure of what it will do. do you have a photo or link to it? sounds like a tool to hold the trunion when you press in the barrel, but without more info I could be totaly wrong.

 

[Toten Kopf]

At the other web site the name was Xebec(barrel assy/disassy.), still haven't got any reply from him about the tool.

7.62x39 has contacted me and I'm trying to get that arrangement completed.

The other tool (riveter for front trunion and maybe another riveter for the rear)was made by plinker762, still no word from him either.

Sometimes it's tough trying to catch-up on things that were done in the past but I'm not giving up just yet.

 

[bigblock]

You also need a digital caliper for measuring things.

 

[scubadvr]

For a good trigger guard job I strongly recommend Max's tool. I really makes an awkward job easy. Jack

 

[Kevin_M4]

Here's what I used:
Drill Press
Quality Drill Bits
Digital caliper
12 ton press
Plinker's Jig
home made barrel jig
Dremel w/ misc attachments
Misc hand tools, hammer, screw drivers etc.
Punches
Folding card table for work bench

Phosphate:
Phosphoric acid
manganese dioxide
H2O
Turkey Frier (burner)
Stainless pot
Thermometer


Epoxy paint,


Trigger jig to come, used a punch and hammer prior (ok, but not as tight as I'd wished)


I'm sure I'm forgeting something.....?
and of course a Digital Camera to post pictures of your creation!

 

[mike26038]

xebec is starting new run

Email him at xebec at eudoramail.com

He is the sole reason I ever went to the other place...

Plinker762 as well

 

[scubadvr]

This last fall I purchased a drill doctor. It has made my work easier because I always have sharp drill bits. Jack

 

[deatheyes]

Don't forget the cold packs and maybe a little J. D. :cheers:

 

[Toten Kopf]

The Drill Doctor and the J.D. (Wahooooooo) are already on hand. Xebec and plinker have contacted me so I hope things are well on there way. I've been looking at the 20 ton press from Harbor Freight but I don't know where I'll put it if I do buy it.

Damn, I can't wait to move....this is killing me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[scubadvr]

The Drill Doctor and the J.D. (Wahooooooo) are already on hand. Xebec and plinker have contacted me so I hope things are well on there way. I've been looking at the 20 ton press from Harbor Freight but I don't know where I'll put it if I do buy it.

Damn, I can't wait to move....this is killing me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Im glad you are considering the 20 ton model. The 12 ton is good, but I think the bigger the better. I wish I had purchased a 20 instead of a 12. Jack

 

[yosuthnmasa]

The Drill Doctor and the J.D. (Wahooooooo) are already on hand. Xebec and plinker have contacted me so I hope things are well on there way. I've been looking at the 20 ton press from Harbor Freight but I don't know where I'll put it if I do buy it.

Damn, I can't wait to move....this is killing me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've about given up on the idea of getting a commercial hand riveter in lieu of all the various jigs, bars, and press that I'll need to smash rivets. Last, I think I'm going to try hcpookie's bolt cutter method, and if I can't make that work I'm going to sell one or two of my rifles and buy all of this stuff your investing in now. My question is how much are you going to end up spending on the various jigs for the barrel and rivets?

 

[Toten Kopf]

Okay, I broke down and bought the 20 ton press and have already used it with Xebec's barrel tool to remove a barrel stub(for practice) and AMD-63 barrel. It can't get any easier to remove/install a barrel. Costs.... so far for tooling:

20 Ton Press.......................$200.00 (which will be used for more than BIY)
Spot Welder........................$150.00 (which will be used for more than BIY)
Trigger Guard Rivet Jig............$50.00
Dimple Tool...........................$20.00
Trunion Rivet Jig...................$135.00
Barrel Remove/Install Tool......$125.00
------------------------------------
TOTAL $680.00

Yes, a total of $680.00 has been spent so far but I can't say that the 2 most expensive items (20 ton press, spot welder) are for AK builds only. I have used the press to replace quill bearings in my drill press, remove step pulleys and various other projects (I'm overhauling my drill press for the AK build). The spot welder while not as universal as the press has been used to weld brackets and non-removable spacers for other projects.
After my move to Wyoming, the buying spree will really start with a 14"x30" lathe and a large knee mill (both with DRO), bead blasting cabinet and air compressor. After all, I've waited 35 years to have some "METAL" fun.

 

[erikk]

Only other thing I can think of is a 5mm & a 7MM drill bitts Saves screwing around with the trigger & hammer pin holes.
Wyoming.....prairie dogs galore & great fly fishing. If it didn't snow I would be there in a second!!! :chinese:

 

[sniper69]

maybe I read over it, but has anyone mentioned head space gauges? For me it seems to be an important part of the tools needed for a build.