Aluminium AR20 stock and a carbon fibre bit

[wyn]

Here are a couple of pics of some bits i made for my AR20
An aluminium stock with adjustable butt pad and cheek rest (?).
I also made an aluminium hamster which i'm not too sure about yet.
A larger side wheel and bottoming top turret for the scope.
After seeing some of jon harris' sand blasted parts i thought i'd do the same with all the aluminium bits.
I then made a carbon fibre cheek rest.

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Putting the layers of carbon into the mold
I used two outer layers of carbon/blue polyester with another layer of carbon around a 3mm foam core.
i made up a stainless threaded bracket which was put in next to the foam core.

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Vaccuum infusion to draw the resin through the carbon.

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Just out of the mold and needed to be trimmed to size

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[wyn]

A couple more pics.

The fixing of the cheek piece was a bit of a bodge and looks a bit rough...i should have molded the post straight into the carbon.

The cutouts in the side of the stock didn't quite go to plan they were supposed to match the front shroud cutouts...

[Jon]

Decent job there Wyn but must say best thing i ever did was junk the aluminium stocks. The limitiations they impose on the hold all the same across the makes.

Cant quite see but more interested in your robust mill and Colchester/Harrison Show me yours and i'll show you mine

Got a roll of decent CF sheet some where destined for patching RAF wings etc and twill knocking around, doubt i will ever use it.

[wyn]

Thanks Jon...i'm more interested in carbon fibre now than chewing chunks off aluminium.

The mill is an Edgwick universal mill ....horizontal and vertical with a swiveling table . Mechanical power feed to x and y. It's knocking on a bit and has a flat belt drive. I think it's a copy or was made for Alfred Herbert. It only gets up to around 900rpm with the vertical head and around 300rpm for horizontal. I got it for the scrap price which was about £150 at the time.

The lathe is a "Gate sturditurn"...a copy of something or rebranded. It's about 3' between centres and an 8" chuck. I only have it running off a 2hp single phase motor...originally it was 5 hp.
It's a bit worn but it was the right price of £0 off a mate.

[Jon]

Mates are always best.

Bet that gets cold in there.
On the tailstock end may well have 600 Group sticker, certainly the bed, carriage and tailstock exactly same as mine an M300.
Dont care for the spindle start on current prefer me ole worn out scrapped 140 with a clutch. Head casting and gearbox different to mine, more like Colchester. Had 4 lathes up to a few months ago, now only two with lack of space.
Herbert Universal no? rings a bell its quite deep, my old partner had one rarely used. As you say the spindle speed is a let down, just takes a lot longer do do stuff. Cant grumble for nowt.

How about altering the cocking layout, one thing i hate about the AR20.
Any zero shift with that front extrusion held by one screw.
Them rifles were made to butcher, get on with it and keep up the good work.

[wyn]

How about altering the cocking layout, one thing i hate about the AR20.
Any zero shift with that front extrusion held by one screw.
Them rifles were made to butcher, get on with it and keep up the good work.

I have got another AR20 which i have maybe butchered a bit too far to save not too sure yet.
As you say i am in the process of trying to change the cocking mechanism to a side lever.
I have machined some bits off and welded some bits on to the action casing but it's been on the back burner for a while ....when i get time i'll carry on with it.