NEW, Cheapest "jig" for 80% lowers

[landon410]

http://www.eparmory.com/Vinyl-Decal-AR15-Sticker-Jig-p/stickerjig.htm

vinyl sticker to help guide you, interesting, but don't put it on off angled

[OnTheFly]

Speaking from absolutely NO experience at all with 80% lowers, I would think the stickers would be a really bad idea.

Fly

[landon410]

I just did my first 80%, but it was one of those jigless polymer ones that this same company makes. That was pretty easy, and fun.

but with an aluminum one.... I don't know, it would be fun to try, but not if you really had any money on the line.
If I didn't offer to sell my aluminum 80% I might give this a try. Being in the shop with a friend making a gun? Thats a good evening.

[tstuart34]

I have a lot of knowledge of machining but a limited amount of experience (engineer ). These templates would be pretty pointless after about 45 seconds of cutting. They would likely tare and fray to the point not being able to work properly. At that point you need to know how to use the machine to get the work done. I would possibly use these as a visual aid when making your first cuts but you could do some layout work and get the same results. I would not use them to layout out fire control holes when they time comes it would be to easy like you said to set them at the wrong angle and then have a nice paper weight for your desk.

Congrats on your 80% project nothing like making your own stuff! I really wish I could get some 80% billets and a mill and make myself a set of lowers. I have a guy I work with that has a small repair shop I keep kicking around the idea of hitting him up to see if he would host a build party for the guys at work. But I haven't haven't done it yet. I also want to use his lathe to make a Form1 suppressor... Just need to get ask him... and pay my TAX.

Have you ever watched a video on how to finish a lower on a drill press and dremel? 

[landon410]

thats how we did it, with a drill press and dremel.
used the dremel to take that top part off, than put it in the drill press with an xy axis vise.

took time and drilled small holes in middle, than bigger and bigger, than went a little deeper and deeper.

with these same tools if I did another one I'm confident I could get it done pretty quickly.


now the question is, do I dare go with a 7/62x39 upper? its $00.20 a round cheaper.....
or the 223 and have a million options for types of ammo

[metaldoc]

The vinyl stickers will work.  On the gun building forums, guys have been finishing lowers successfully for years using templates printed on regular paper from .pdf files.   They aren't a guide for drilling, they are for laying out the holes before drilling and with care, will work for that.   Not as foolproof as drilling jigs, but a whole lot cheaper, and lowers have been turned into paperweights when jigs weren't carefully used.