![]() Then not having a press, I tried to use my boat on a trailer by lowering the axle (use car jack to raise it up) of the trailer down on the bolt tool (carefully positioned) (with a back plate to protect the rivet heads). I ended up making a rivet tool out of a 3/4 inch bolt, and ground and filed it to shape. Yes- I used "MacGyver" type ideas, but in the end I have the rivets done (well- almost). But my impatience got the better of me and I took matters into my own hands. When using a vice for any other general work though, always be careful to check where things are touching, as a vise can very quickly fuck up even a fully hardened receiver if you clamp in unsupported locations. The trunnion will prevent the receiver from being crushed. Once you get it into a general shape where it can fit into whatever device you have fashioned to form the rivet head into a dome, put it in the vise and crank away. However it's a good idea to first mushroom the shop end of the rivet with a hammer, as the vise will tend to make the long exposed tail try to fold over rather than begin to mushroom. Again I use the small bolt heads that a friend of mine made, it makes it easy to get good shaped rivets in the vise. I have done the long rear trunnion rivets with a bench vise but it takes a couple tries to get right. If you stake the screw thread shanks inside the plate there is no way that they are ever coming out without serious work. The trigger guard rivets can be done with the pictured tools, using a hammer and punch, or you can commit the unspeakable act of using the AK Builder trigger guard screw plate. Don't worry about overcrushing them as it's nearly physically impossible with the bolt cutter tool, unless you are a giant beast of a man. However when this happens you can also whack the rivet using a punch to reseat the factory head against the receiver, then crush it a tiny bit more. It really helps to have an assistant help press down on the factory head to keep it seated. The #1 thing that occurs in my experience with the bolt cutter jaws, is that the factory head does not stay seated properly and you may end up with a gap between the head and the receiver. This allows you to work the rivet jaws at weird angles without ending up with strangely dished rivet heads.īe warned though, you will probably screw up a few rivets on your first try, so buy two complete rivet sets. The rivet jaws are then used to crush one side with the bolt head, and the jaws crush the other end inside the receiver to a flat pancake shape. A friend of mine made a set that I have used, where instead of drilling the rivet head shape into the jaws, he took several grade 8 bolt heads, cut off the bolt shank, and then drilled the rivet head shapes into the bolt head. Once again, I am in Grapevine TX, perhaps you are one!? I figured I had to post here and give it a try- you never know- a neighbor close but may have built an AK and now has tools laying around and would rent or loan it out! Worse case- I use a gunsmith I know just to press in the rivets (for a fee of course but probably under the price of buying tools), but it's my build and I rather do it all myself) (And I would rent the tool if someone is willing- so there will be a cost- but I assume LESS than buying them) I know I will run into someone in person "at some point" that has the tools or find a build party. NoDAK receiver, Chinese carrier/bolt and top cover, Polish Underfolder, Bulgarian sight block, Romanian Barrel- you get it- A pure mutt! The gun has become a "quest" if that makes any sense. The only part I'm having trouble with is smashing the damn rivet shanks. I was throwing together extra parts and did not want to put much money into it. It's not that I'm cheap (well- in this case maybe I am). Your absolutely correct, AK Builder tools are great for us home builders who are going to assemble a few kits here and there.I have seen just the bolt cutter "Jaws" for sale before, and I know that is an option. Yeah - the rivets cost more on a per gun basis than the riveting tool. While $700-$800 might seem like a lot for a tool, after 700 builds that's only a dollar a gun. There is a huge difference between what is functional for a hobbyist and what is critical for production work. Professionally? It takes me about 90 seconds to do the 6 front rivets and another 30 seconds for the scope rail. If you're building a couple AKs in your garage, his tools are fine. Your Harbor Freight drill press is not a Bridgeport Mill and wishing it so doesn't make it so.Ĭurtis makes good stuff and I uses a lot of his products (with some modifications). You guys did read the OP right? He wants a PROFESSIONAL tool, not a home-hobbyist tool.
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