View Full Version : Need gun related projects for my CNC router
As some of you know, my business purchased a very cool CNC router two years ago. It's been an absolute workhorse and has changed the way we do business. (we actually make a profit on some of our jobs now)
It's fun to use, especially on non work related projects. I build loudspeakers as a hobby, but my house is now overflowing with cool speaker stuff and I have not the slightest use for more.
I've been trying to think of shooting related applications for it, but am not coming up with any great ideas. It's cuts wood or plastic, and has a 4' X 8' work table. I've thought of loading blocks and rifle racks, but that's about all I can think of. In a perfect world I'd like to come up with an idea for something I could sell cheap that would provide a little source of "fun" money.
If you have a bright idea, lay it on me. I'm open to partnering up with someone as well.
Here's a vid of it running.
PEoIKtA8zlA&feature=g-crec-u
How about something simple to start, like rail covers out of scrap pieces left over from bigger jobs? You could also try to make your own new version of two piece hand guards, grips, fore grips, etc.
Magazine couplers and base plates too.
.40isthenew.45
10-25-2012, 12:40
Really cool toy!
Just a couple of ideas off the top of my head from easy to more complex:
grip panels for 1911's
receiver / magwell blocks for working on ARs
custom ar handguards
rifle stocks either hardwood or laminate
If you decide to do any of the above,I would like:
a large palm swell right hand set of target grips to put on my 22/45
a set of the blocks for the AR
and a lightweight competition style stock for my 10/22
[Beer]
RCCrawler
10-25-2012, 12:47
I've been looking at picking up a cnc router for a while now.
First job right here: build a ton of BAD LEVERS!
SouthPaw
10-25-2012, 12:56
AR handguards would be cool. Can make them any length, custom, etc.
To be clear, it's won't cut metal. No aluminum, no steel. Plastic and wood, yes.
I like the action block idea.
Tim, is it 3 axis? What software do you run it with?
dwalker460
10-25-2012, 13:49
In wood/plastic/foam-
custom and semi custom inserts for gun cases
sculpted hard side carry cases, custom and semi custom fit to various guns
upper and lower blocks for AR15/1911/possibly others
I have some other ideas but these are something I can see as a staple sort of thing.
I have some ideas that I need to get into CAD and play with. The problem is the material. They would need to be made out of lexan or polymer, but I will have to engineer it a little better to verify strength. Does that machine have 3 axis tracking?
The other thing that I am thinking about but have yet to design would be a fold up shooting bench out of wood. Nothing too fancy, but the trick would be a three leg system so that it is stable on all terrain that you can level after you set it up. I get so sick of fighting around with my folding table and then it starts wobbling again after I start shooting. I have seen the RCBS ones, and while okay, they do not have the room needed to put my shooting log and any substantial amount of ammo on them.
I think of crap all the time. I just need to start putting pencil to paper and figuring out some more fine tuned designs.
It is a 3 axis machine. Z doesn't get used for much more than drilling with our normal product, but it's fully 3 axis capable. We've screwed around with complex 3d shapes in the past. It's fun.
dwalker460 and danimal, those are exactly the kinds of ideas I was hoping for. I love the custom gun case with inserts idea. A bench is also interesting.
I cut myself a Vtac wall for practice, that was a pretty good project. Not much call for them, though.
I cut ABS for some cheekpiece risers a while back. Heated them and bent them up. They turned out pretty nice. Kydex or other polycarbonate types should not pose a problem. I'd try holsters, but don't want to fool with the thermoforming.
Tim, I have a few ideas, and potentially a way to sell some things you come up with.
www.CarbonArms.com (http://www.CarbonArms.com)
Send me a PM and I will get you some details on one project we have had on the back burner for over a year now.
how about Armorers blocks for pistols, with holes for knocking the pins out and stuff like that.
upper block is what i vote for
Won't be much demand, but I could use an upper receiver block for holding my AR-10 upper in a vise.
two shoes
10-25-2012, 15:17
Won't be much demand, but I could use an upper receiver block for holding my AR-10 upper in a vise.
+1 LR308 and AR15!
jreifsch80
10-25-2012, 15:18
how about polymer 80% lowers ;)
BushMasterBoy
10-25-2012, 16:03
Nothing like having a naked lady in your hand!
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/797/s35001964dc.jpg
wctriumph
10-25-2012, 16:25
Gun cleaning boxes to hold one's cleaning supplies and that you can take to the range that will double as a bench rest?
Or holders for Dillon tool heads? Multiple tool heads?
1911 grips
custom rail covers
tool head holders is a good one
side saddle plates for various shotguns
flashlight holders barrel clamp things
you could actually build lowers
butt plates
glock backer plates
+2 glock extensions
cheek pieces
scope caps
hand guards
holders for stuff inside magpul grips
flashlight bodies buy switches and bulbs
i'd like to do my own line of fire pistons if you're interested but that's more of a lathe/screw machine process?
gnihcraes
10-25-2012, 20:04
Rifle gun cases out of similar materials you already use for cabinets. Even the cut pieces and DIY assembly. Custom foam inserts for same.
Loading blocks, display blocks for reloads.
Canuckistani
10-25-2012, 20:38
Foam would be difficult without a vacuum hold down, I think.
What are your material holding capabilities? I think grips would definitely be a cool project.
We've got a 50" x 100" CNC router table with a 12" z at work, but it's tough to get time on it for 'pet' projects.
Foam would be difficult without a vacuum hold down, I think.
What are your material holding capabilities? I think grips would definitely be a cool project.
We've got a 50" x 100" CNC router table with a 12" z at work, but it's tough to get time on it for 'pet' projects.
We use a 15hp vacuum pump. Works great on larger parts, not so well on little stuff.
Work up a muffler for that thing, it is super loud. :p
Canuckistani
10-25-2012, 22:00
We use a 15hp vacuum pump. Works great on larger parts, not so well on little stuff.
You know you can pull vacuum through MDF, right? We use a perishable sheet of MDF on top of our vacuum plate - holds smallerish parts alright, but yeah, tiny stuff not so much. We'll throw some plastic over the open parts of the MDF when trying to hold smaller parts to direct more vacuum to the area needed. Painting the edges of the MDF helps too.
EDIT: n/m - I see you're running the same setup after looking closer at your video.
Great-Kazoo
10-25-2012, 22:23
Rifle gun cases out of similar materials you already use for cabinets. Even the cut pieces and DIY assembly. Custom foam inserts for same.
Loading blocks, display blocks for reloads.
TIM K'S IKEA style Gun Cases, I like, I like.
Hide-a-gun cabinets
Counter tops
Computer case shaped like anything you want.
Uberjager
10-26-2012, 17:32
Pistol grips out of exotic woods would be nice. Hell, you might be able to machine ivory...
Stocks for Garands and M1 Carbines, made from high-grade exotic walnut blanks? Pretty pricey venture though, you'd have to perfect it with cheap wood first. Garands with stocks made from Bastogne Walnut are gorgeous.
Uberjager
10-26-2012, 17:44
Stocks for Garands and M1 Carbines, made from high-grade exotic walnut blanks? Pretty pricey venture though, you'd have to perfect it with cheap wood first. Garands with stocks made from Bastogne Walnut are gorgeous.
I'm sure there's tricks that would let you do it with requiring too much perfection.
Fried Chicken Blowout
10-27-2012, 11:17
Off the top of my head...
#1 - A reloading tray that is made of Delrin or other stiff material that will cover up the holes made by an older reloading press between the press and the bench top.
This would include a molded in bucket of sorts on the left to serve as a bullet holder and maybe a set of holes for a case holder on the right. If I have any issues with primed cases as I'm moving along I pull them out and place them on the right and go back to them later. I'm sure you could think if other items you could cut into the tray to make it more useful.
#2 - Bench blocks for specific handguns. Molded to accept a specific handgun with holds that line up with the pins that need to be driven out for take down. Maybe some holes in the side for horizontal storage of the punches that are required for that gun. Supply the bench block with the punches so it's like a disassembly kit. The M&P is what I have in mind right now.
#3 - Along the same line as #2 - Pistol storage trays, designed for specific model pistols. They would be stackable with interlocking studs and holes in them so you drop the pistol into the tray and then place another tray on top with another pistol in it and so on. So you can stack a bunch of pistols up in the corner of your safe without them being loose or talking up a bunch of shelf space.
#4 - A vice block for the M&P 5" Pro slides. There has to be a better way to secure an M&P 5" slide in a vice for changing out the front sight. The MGW Sight Tool does not work for the front sight of the 5" slide guns so you have to jimmy rig padded vice jaws to hold the slide while you beat the shit out of it to get the factory front sight out. Having jaws that fit the contour of the slide (9mm and 40 slides have different contours) would be nice for this and for extract changes.
Can't think of anything else right now.
how about Armorers blocks for pistols, with holes for knocking the pins out and stuff like that.
^ Great idea.
Speaking of speakers, how about replacement frames and even the foam for old JBL (or other) speakers - L100, 4310, etc. ? The proper foam cores and paint are the tough parts to secure, but external (wood) and internal (mdf) frames would be easy. The internal frames are just covered with cloth. They sell like hotcakes on e-bay.
Troublco
10-27-2012, 21:08
The folding shooting bench was first thing that came to my mind, but I also like the idea of the gunsmith bench blocks.
Great ideas, all. I've cherry picked a few for immediate investigation, and a few are now on my longer term list of things to fool with.
Holger Danske
11-01-2012, 21:03
This site has some cool cnc stuff. http://www.cncguns.com/projects.html
jhood001
11-01-2012, 21:08
???
http://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/880x660/primary/711/711912.jpg
.40isthenew.45
01-28-2013, 16:21
Back from the dead but .....
My brain just had a power surge. How about a reloading bench top designed to clamp into a folding bench like a workmate. You just make the top that can set on top and clamp/bolt to the existing surface and allow the press to be mounted. Maybe include a small shelf at the back and potential cutouts to hold bins of some type for bullets/cases.
Okay so maybe it wasn't a brain surge and I saw it elsewhere but there could be a market for these...
http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu146/Jimmy4949/th_100_0376_A.jpg http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu146/Jimmy4949/th_100_0360_A.jpg
I use a Lee turret press and have about 14 or so of those round turrets with dies mounted in them. I'd LOVE to have a nice wooden rack to store all those in. Should be an easy project for your CNC, just round holes in pine boards but the holes need to be the right size, the turrets don't have much of a lip.
Bisley Grip frame for Ruger Superblackhawks
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