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home made ak furniture, need help!
2/22/2012 12:15:36 AM
howdy, im new to the site and was wondering if anybody has made their own furniture for stamped ak's from scratch? im making my own lower handguard with the romanian style paratrooper grip out of birch plywood for a college class and could really use some pointers, especially on drilling out the cleaning rod hole straight, ive had to start over once already because drilling a hole that long and with such a small diameter has been a real pain to get straight. like i said if anybody has done this and is willing to tell about their process it would be a great help!
2/22/2012 12:09:48 PM
All I can say is yes I have, but to answer your question without a moderator giving me any trouble you'll have to go to WeaponsGuild. 
2/22/2012 1:09:38 PM
ah sorry didnt realize that was against the rules, my bad im new to forums
2/22/2012 1:57:14 PM
Drill the holes first and then make the grip/handguard around them. Keep your speed somewhat high.
2/22/2012 3:10:55 PM
Originally Posted By radkoch:
Drill the holes first and then make the grip/handguard around them. Keep your speed somewhat high.
Drill the holes first and then make the grip/handguard around them. Keep your speed somewhat high.
on this second one thats what i plan to do is drill holes and cut around, one question though by speed do you mean i keep the rpm's of the drill high or move fastly through the wood?
2/22/2012 5:34:56 PM
The higher the RPM of the drill the straighter the drill will stay.
Feed it slow, just let the drill cut it's way through, don't push it.
But if you go too high RPM you will be burning not drilling.
Good Luck
Feed it slow, just let the drill cut it's way through, don't push it.
But if you go too high RPM you will be burning not drilling.
Good Luck
2/22/2012 8:03:01 PM
I made a lower handguard for an RPK out of Mahogany. I used a table saw and a bench-mounted router to with appropriate router bits to shape the internal recesses in the handguard.
To drill the cleaning rod hole, I routed a deeper slot in the inner bottom of the LHG starting and stopping about 1/2" from each end. I then drilled the CR hole from both the front and the rear. Eyeballed alignment in the drill press and drilled. After fitting the handaurd to the rifle, I then adjusted holes slightly (OD/slant) to bring them into proper alignment. None of these "mods" are visible when the handgaurd is installed.
Had absolutely no problem. Worked like a charm first time.
Sorry, no pics, but hope you get the idea.
To drill the cleaning rod hole, I routed a deeper slot in the inner bottom of the LHG starting and stopping about 1/2" from each end. I then drilled the CR hole from both the front and the rear. Eyeballed alignment in the drill press and drilled. After fitting the handaurd to the rifle, I then adjusted holes slightly (OD/slant) to bring them into proper alignment. None of these "mods" are visible when the handgaurd is installed.
Had absolutely no problem. Worked like a charm first time.
Sorry, no pics, but hope you get the idea.
2/23/2012 12:04:00 AM
I'll contribute a pic to this thread.
2/23/2012 1:19:32 AM
Originally Posted By Paintballer:
The higher the RPM of the drill the straighter the drill will stay.
Feed it slow, just let the drill cut it's way through, don't push it.
But if you go too high RPM you will be burning not drilling.
Good Luck
The higher the RPM of the drill the straighter the drill will stay.
Feed it slow, just let the drill cut it's way through, don't push it.
But if you go too high RPM you will be burning not drilling.
Good Luck
ok thanks for the input, the first time i tried i drilled the holes with a lathe and had a hard time pushing the wood in slow enough im thinkin by what you said so i guess doing it on a drill press will help out as well
2/23/2012 1:21:35 AM
Originally Posted By boostedAK:
I made a lower handguard for an RPK out of Mahogany. I used a table saw and a bench-mounted router to with appropriate router bits to shape the internal recesses in the handguard.
To drill the cleaning rod hole, I routed a deeper slot in the inner bottom of the LHG starting and stopping about 1/2" from each end. I then drilled the CR hole from both the front and the rear. Eyeballed alignment in the drill press and drilled. After fitting the handaurd to the rifle, I then adjusted holes slightly (OD/slant) to bring them into proper alignment. None of these "mods" are visible when the handgaurd is installed.
Had absolutely no problem. Worked like a charm first time.
Sorry, no pics, but hope you get the idea.
I made a lower handguard for an RPK out of Mahogany. I used a table saw and a bench-mounted router to with appropriate router bits to shape the internal recesses in the handguard.
To drill the cleaning rod hole, I routed a deeper slot in the inner bottom of the LHG starting and stopping about 1/2" from each end. I then drilled the CR hole from both the front and the rear. Eyeballed alignment in the drill press and drilled. After fitting the handaurd to the rifle, I then adjusted holes slightly (OD/slant) to bring them into proper alignment. None of these "mods" are visible when the handgaurd is installed.
Had absolutely no problem. Worked like a charm first time.
Sorry, no pics, but hope you get the idea.
that actually sounds like it might be easier thanks for the info!
2/28/2012 8:26:34 AM
i am doing mine now out of 80+ year old cherry i wax given with tung finish over it. all thats left is lower handgaurd. Im using hand planes, scrollsaw, miter saw and palm orbital to cut and shape.
2/28/2012 6:42:51 PM
Originally Posted By arheart:
Im using hand planes, scrollsaw, miter saw and palm orbital to cut and shape.
Im using hand planes, scrollsaw, miter saw and palm orbital to cut and shape.
that how i did the buttstock and lower hand guard, mostly hand planes and a small part was done with a router
2/28/2012 7:27:32 PM
that looks good mellis let me go take a picture
2/28/2012 7:39:27 PM
still gotta do my lower
2/28/2012 7:48:43 PM
arheart, that is some beautiful grain in that cherry. very nice
2/28/2012 7:54:16 PM
yeah the top hand gaurd doesnt have enough dark but ill offset it with darker lower. guy i work with cut a tree down and im getting more, soon as i started cutting it i got excited. very nice stuff
2/28/2012 9:08:29 PM
Originally Posted By mellisallen:
that how i did the buttstock and lower hand guard, mostly hand planes and a small part was done with a router
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akhandguard20.jpg
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akbuttstockimfinallyhappy.jpg
Originally Posted By arheart:
Im using hand planes, scrollsaw, miter saw and palm orbital to cut and shape.
Im using hand planes, scrollsaw, miter saw and palm orbital to cut and shape.
that how i did the buttstock and lower hand guard, mostly hand planes and a small part was done with a router
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akhandguard20.jpg
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akbuttstockimfinallyhappy.jpg
good work
im guessing you used a router on the lighting cut in the stock?2/29/2012 4:28:33 PM
Originally Posted By Seven_Six_Two:
good work im guessing you used a router on the lighting cut in the stock?
Originally Posted By mellisallen:
that how i did the buttstock and lower hand guard, mostly hand planes and a small part was done with a router
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akhandguard20.jpg
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akbuttstockimfinallyhappy.jpg
Originally Posted By arheart:
Im using hand planes, scrollsaw, miter saw and palm orbital to cut and shape.
Im using hand planes, scrollsaw, miter saw and palm orbital to cut and shape.
that how i did the buttstock and lower hand guard, mostly hand planes and a small part was done with a router
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akhandguard20.jpg
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akbuttstockimfinallyhappy.jpg
good work
im guessing you used a router on the lighting cut in the stock?yah thats that and the finger grip part of the lower handguard. i really didnt want to use my wood carving tools as i wasnt 100% i could get it as perfect as the router. the whole projest started as an "im too broke to buy and american made buttstock for 922 bull&*^%", then i thought well im a woodwork by trade so what the hell ill make one. i decided i wanted a palmswell-esque hand guard and again was to broke to buy one. so i made one
2/29/2012 11:44:23 PM
Originally Posted By mellisallen:
yah thats that and the finger grip part of the lower handguard. i really didnt want to use my wood carving tools as i wasnt 100% i could get it as perfect as the router. the whole projest started as an "im too broke to buy and american made buttstock for 922 bull&*^%", then i thought well im a woodwork by trade so what the hell ill make one. i decided i wanted a palmswell-esque hand guard and again was to broke to buy one. so i made one
Originally Posted By Seven_Six_Two:
good work im guessing you used a router on the lighting cut in the stock?
Originally Posted By mellisallen:
that how i did the buttstock and lower hand guard, mostly hand planes and a small part was done with a router
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akhandguard20.jpg
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akbuttstockimfinallyhappy.jpg
Originally Posted By arheart:
Im using hand planes, scrollsaw, miter saw and palm orbital to cut and shape.
Im using hand planes, scrollsaw, miter saw and palm orbital to cut and shape.
that how i did the buttstock and lower hand guard, mostly hand planes and a small part was done with a router
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akhandguard20.jpg
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb458/mellisallen/akbuttstockimfinallyhappy.jpg
good work
im guessing you used a router on the lighting cut in the stock?yah thats that and the finger grip part of the lower handguard. i really didnt want to use my wood carving tools as i wasnt 100% i could get it as perfect as the router. the whole projest started as an "im too broke to buy and american made buttstock for 922 bull&*^%", then i thought well im a woodwork by trade so what the hell ill make one. i decided i wanted a palmswell-esque hand guard and again was to broke to buy one. so i made one
right on man im in the same boat, dont want to shell out the money for a new handguard, old one is wearing out, so i thought id kill two birds with one stone and make my own while giving me a project for class, plus i dont know of anybody that makes those paratrooper handguards with the foregrip
3/1/2012 11:20:53 AM
yeah i love CTD but i wasnt paying $170+ for us made when i am US made and free wood.
