FM 1 Vault rifle

[Steve001627]

Well I have finally got my reciever for my rifle to start looking like a reciever. I have decided to build the rifle in 308 caliber. After tons of coolant and new carbide endmills, I can see this project coming together,although it is not one I would recommend a person to start, without reading the booklet paragraph by paragraph and studying each print. Pictures will follow as soon as I get batteries for camera, ( hopefully tonight ).........Steve.

[Steve001627]

After machining the first base for the finger lever, Dimensions from drawing are wrong even after useing calipers to get dimensions. Then back to machining second Base. to which is wrong due to the fact that booklet says put base into reciever, and mark and center punch. the hole to be drilled into base ( WRONG !!!!!!). Well in the morning I will start third base, and hope for the best. I just can,t figure out why so many dimensions were left out of drawing. Allot of the dimensions they say you can get from the drawing is not advisable. whe you use calibers such as I .a little black line on a drawing can be 0.0255 wide, so there goes your part, espectially if its a hole for a pin, or sear part. My advise , is to check and recheck the drawing. and have plenty of metal to remachine parts from....

[JCHannum]

Don't worry about taking exact dimensions from the drawings, they are meant as a guide only, if something looks like 1/4" make it around 1/4", record or mark down dimensions as you go and make the parts to fit each other. The gross, important dimensions which have an impact on function or safety are printed in the books, the rest can be altered to suit.

You can also make your own sketches of individual parts as you go and dimension them.

[38_Cal]

It's not as if you're mass producing them, and need parts interchangeability!

David
Montezuma, IA

[Steve001627]

Have you made any of the rifles , in the book, if so how many parts did you dimension from the book, that actually fit or came even close to the part shown according to the dimension taken....

[JCHannum]

While I have not made any of the deHaas rifles, I have made many other items from plans such as these, photographs of finished projects or something I dreamed up my self and simply sketched out. The concept in all of these cases is the same, each finished project is unique, and the individual parts only need to fit each other.

If working off plans, I will often take them to the copy shop and make a couple of copies. These can be used as shop drawings, and dimensions and notes written on them as you go. In some cases, the photocopy of the part can be cut out with scissors and glued to a piece of material and used as a guide for layout purposes. Almost all of the other dimensions can be taken with a steel rule, the nearest 1/32" is probably more than accurate enough. Just pick a number and use it, use the same dimension when making mating parts, file to fit.

[Bob Ford]

Steve
You have the slot milled and the hole drilled in the receiver. Make the part to fit the slot. Then use blue of felt tip pen on part. Slide part in receive and using a needle or similar tool mark the part were the pin will go. Remove part and drill. You will then need to put the two together and figure were to file so the lever will swing. These designs are for a individual to make and no two will have parts that match. If you want parts that fit any rifle that you make. Design jigs and fixtures so all parts are the same, but in doing so you will ruin the uniqueness of the rifles. These are custom made by each individual as you can see from my pictures mine does not look like the ones in the book.

Bob

[Steve001627]

Hey Bob, thanks for the reply. Now that I have the ball stem and finger lever base made , its all coming together. I guess I shouldn,t be so picky, but im that way at when i machine at work.I want this rifle to be unique also, but also a show piece in my eyes ,because it reflecks my work and my ability. I appreciate your thoughts and help. Every part I finish brings me one step closer to the engraveing I will be haveing done on it...Thanks again Bob...Steve

[Rusty Marlin]

This post is worthless without pictures! ..... Seriously, where's the pics friend?