My mini-mill built Colt 1911 .45 clones

[JBV]

I split the slide model.. And i think it would be very simple to build without undercuts and weld together (~0.15" thick material) I removed the hole in the breechblock for later drilling... There should be plenty of room for alignment pins!

[WhiteTiger]

The aluminum frames really aren't much of a problem if you use some common sense. The big problem area is the recoil spring guide seat just ahead of the feed ramp. Simply using one of the elastomer or nylon buffer pads between the recoil spring guide and the frame will almost totally eliminate frame cracking.

Just between you and me and the doorpost, almost all cracked frames I've seen have been accompanied by noticeably beat out locking lugs on the slide and barrel, which means the guys have been trying to run "magnumised" handloads through the things.

I do recall seeing a couple of the early Colt alloy frames though that seemed to have just plain let go on their own under normal use.

Y'know, the frame could also be split into a fore and aft configuration, parted right down the mag well. that would simplify a whole lot of the machining and the left side top rail could be joined by a beefed up and screw mounted p-tube, with a similar tie plate on the right side. A well designed magwell could be machined as an integral part of the front section and an extra long mainspring housing pin used to tie the bottom ends together.

EDIT> I'd be real leery of the lengthways split on the slide. Any way you go about it you are going to force heat treatment of the assembly after welding, since you'd have to have penetration weld right through the lugs and would end up with hard spots not to mention making yourself recut the lugs after weld/HT. If you don't have through weld at the lugs, you can count on the slide letting go at that point, as the load bearing section would be drastically reduced and the load split to the two sides, leading to "pull apart" even if the lugs are dead nuts square to the bore.


Tiger

[dumpster]

I made nylon buffers before I ever shot it for that exact reason, the less shock on the frame the better. I think splitting the slide could end up being more work than building it complete in one piece, there would still be undercuts, the FP lock slots would have to be undercut from the rear, the barrel locking lugs would still need to be undercut to remove any radii left if ballnosed from the inside, and the barrel bushing lock would need to be cleaned out also. Making it in 2 pieces sure would make it easier to clear out the barrel clearance though.

[posix]

hmm...ok I have re-modelled the frame now and having had to do all the (under)cuts and sweeps and things I fail to see how they can spit out millions of these things and then sell them for what? $50 or so apiece? and this is just the frame! gh!

of course casting would work but the tolerances wouldn't be there.

[dumpster]

Posix, how did you re-model it? And where can I buy the frames for $50 each? 80% steel cast frames run right at $200, double that for machined aluminum.

Anyway, here are some more goodies if anybody wants them. I'll attach models of a barrel bushing wrench and a recoil buffer. I made the wrench from aluminum so as not to scratch the gun, and the buffers out of nylon.

[JFettig]

Posix, sorry buddy, but its illegal for you to sell those frames



Jon

[posix]

dumpster: well, you know, re-model. ok maybe not $50 each, I was talking out of my arse. $200 is more like it.
jf: I wasn't thinking of selling anything. but out of curiosity, why not? to do with serial numbers and things or something else?

[JFettig]

that and dealing with the atf You need some class 2 or title 2 licenence or something like that to manufacture and sell guns I believe.


Jon

[bill south]

Hey Guys;
In my humble (most humble) experience, the reason I try to stay away from aluminum frames is the wear on the slide rails. After several hundred IPSC rounds, they tend to wear out pretty quick. Once the rails wear, the accuracy goes all to hell in a handbasket. At least, for compitetion use. However, my dream carry is a aluminum commander frame with a skelitonized (spelling, sorry) officers slide (steel) with a fluted bull barrel!!! Maybe in 40 S&W or 45 ACP.
Should be easy to work with as materials go, but as all have pointed out, the right tools are a must. And since we can't sell completed frames due to Fed Regs with an open invitation to club FED, well, the tooling will be expensive with little hope of recouping any of the funds!!!! But then again, you can sell an 80% complete frame w/o any problem!!! And what blows me away, they are selling everyday for more $$$ than a completed frame sells for!!! Go figure!!!!
Dumptster, great thread!!!!
billyjack

[bill south]

Dumpster!
Sorry to keep going back to the router thing, but I need a good engraver and your engraving looks fantastic. Did you build it or is it store bought. If you built it, where did you get the plans? Ball screws??? All metal gantry??? Sorry for so many quesitons!
OOPS, one more! What kind of cutters are your using in the high speed spindle???
Thanks in advance.
billyjack

[rcazwillis]

. A stepper motor with a small chuck.

Where do you get that small chuck? I think that is a great idea for beginners learning to use the A axis.

[dumpster]

Hi billyjack,
I designed and built the router myself, its gone through 3 major upgrades over about 4 years. I use 1/2-10, 5 start ACME screws with my dumpsterCNC anti-backlash leadnuts, 270 oz-in motors and a xylotex controller. The base is steel and the framework is aluminum. The dust cover is 1/2" mdf. The first router had a cutting area of 12" x 8" and was made completely of particle board and had a rapid speed of a mind blowing 9 ipm. Through the upgrades, its now 19" x 26" cutting area and can rapid at over 400 ipm, although I have it backed off to 150 ipm, plenty fast for a machine that size. I use carbide, single flute, 60 degree engraving bits for engraving the slides.

I don't know if you're wanting to build or buy, but check out the closed loop servo driven routers at IMService, the cutting area is 12" x 12" x 4", and it sounds like that would be ideal for what you need and for a good price... plus he uses my 1/2-10 anti-backlash leadnuts in them.

Tim