I've been woodworking for over 30 years and I've used routers and jigs throughout my woodworking. Agreed with the rotation of the bits. They can get out of hand if you don't know which direction to move the router! I'm attempting my first 80% and I'm very confident about how it will turn out. Great video! Thanks.
I have feeling that in a not so distant future, the 80% lowers, and jigs will be illegal. Get them now while you can, regardless of the state you live in (when there’s a will there’s a way in case you live in a tyrannical state). Keep the completed lowers and jig. Once banned, those jigs will be worth gold. Good job milling all 3 lowers! I have easy jig gen 3 and it makes completing an 80 % lower stupid easy.
I'm just starting my first time and I find your video helpful. It backs up the instructions in my 80% Jig instructions. Question: I drilled my pilot hole last night (Tactical Machining 80% anodized) - it took me forever ( hour!) using WD and or Tap Magic and a bit supplied by 80& Arms. I switched to a split point bit brand new too which was a little better. I used a cordless and ran it at pretty slow speed. How fast do you run your drill? Was being too timid? I want to do a couple more lowers.
@@Daninbristolbay honestly that is the big flaw of the jigs. The large holes do take forever to drill out, not an hour but quite a bit of time. They should provide a bushing of some sort so that you can drill a pilot hole. Cordless does take longer than corded drill. I've experimented with different bits, high price bits do cut down time a little but not enough really to justify price. I have used wd40 and machining oil. Both work about the same. I usually run at mid high speed and back out and reapply fluid often. If you go with a polymer lower, don't use fluid and it drills out really fast.
@@NUCLEARFRED1 thank you - just about to head out and try the milling part - thinking about trying Kroil or Deep creep as fluid. I think the stuff I was using for the 21/64 hole might have been a bit too heavy. Yeah I was wishing for 1/8 or 5/32 center hole to help get the 21/64. I think I was too timid and may use my corded drill where I can set the speed better. Thanks again.
Modulus arms. Not sure what cost is currently. You can go to their website to figure it out. If you don't have a router, that is where the cost varies quite a bit. I went with the Makita. Refurbished was way cheaper than the DeWalt and I didn't care for set up in DeWalt. You should also get some spare milling bits and/or speed mill depending on how many you plan on doing. Good quality drill drill bits are a must also. That cost will vary on your preference also. Although it doesn't catch everything, hooking a vacuum to it does help a lot. Only other things you would need is a vice, earplugs and a can of WD-40. I would say if you only needed jig and speed mill cost would be under $400 or so. If you needed everything and got spares $800. I'm sure you are like most people and have some of the stuff so you would probably land in about $500-550.
Yeah shavings will get everywhere even with a vacuum on it. Polymer shavings are lighter so vacuum picks it up better. Sounds like you are planning on doing a few. I would definitely get a spare speed mill. That way if bit breaks you can get back to milling faster. Takes a little while to change bits out of mill otherwise. You can usually tell when one is going to break based on the sound.
I have milled more since. These were first ones. There is adjustment on guide plate. Plate wasn't perfectly centered. Does not affect function and fit if lower though.
Unless you are talking about how 308 has thicker wall than 556. That is due to brand and no 308 is milspec. All 308 manufactures use thier own dimensions.
Can i use an easy jig made for ar15 to somehow mill out the 308 lower. I am really trying not to buy the jig for the ar10 i think there is a way to get it to work if you could fill me in or let me know.
Modulus jig has a forward block that can be used for 15,10 & 9. It comes with that. 5d has about the same thing or you can buy a separate piece to do all of them. honestly the best way to go is the Modulus that way you don't have to buy conversion parts. Either one is backordered and has been for a while. Do you already have a jig? If not see my comparison video and it will go into this stuff. Also just an FYI there is currently a bill in the house that would make you an instant felon if you owned one of these.
@@NUCLEARFRED1 Yes i have a jig, Its the easy jig for ar15 i have made 2 lowers the first one i made works but it wasnt perfect, the second was a billet lower modulus with the charlie horse in the magwell. Yes i just wanted to know if i can take my easy jig and fit an ar10 lower in it somehow i think the takedown holes will line up i thought you might know. I do not want to buy another jig i wont do it.
@@Brett.1984 If you have the gen 1 easy jig you might be out of luck. The pin holes are the same across 9, 10 & 15 platforms however the distance from the mag well to those pins is different. I suppose you could rig something, however I imagine that you would spend more time and effort into getting something rigged together than it would be worth. I'm not super familiar with the 80% arms easy jig, but it seemed more expensive and harder to go across platforms. Depending on if you have gen 2 there may be an adapter you could get. I would contact whomever you bought your jig from.
@@NUCLEARFRED1 Thanks for the help, I might just get the polymer lower, i really want a .30 caliber in the ar platform, I guess i could by a lower parts kit and put a 300blackout on top of it, that way i would be in the ar10 ballpark. By the way thankyou for taking your time to help me on this.
The jig does mill the right left side 1/32" more than the right side. It looks like a lot more in the video due to the angle and zoom it was shot at. That variance could also be due to the forged lower that I used but more than likely it is by design from Modulus Arms for strength. Measurements taken off an Anderson lower puts the left side at 1/32" thicker and the right at 1/16" thicker on the 80% milled lowers. With uppers placed on them they line up perfectly so I would assume it is the latter.
@@skoolynugenator1802 it does recommend small clockwise circles, however I thought I would try it different ways to see how well it cuts in the interest of trying to cover questions that others might have. When cutting clockwise, it does cut much better than counter and has a far less of a tendency to jump.
@@skoolynugenator1802 I wondered about that, especially routing the sides. Logic tells me one straight continuous cut would result in a clean cut on the side walls instead of small circular cuts? Maybe cut the sides in a continuous sweep then come back and cut the middle section in small clockwise circles taking your time of course, I was thought to let the tool do the work and not force the cutting.
I've been woodworking for over 30 years and I've used routers and jigs throughout my woodworking. Agreed with the rotation of the bits. They can get out of hand if you don't know which direction to move the router! I'm attempting my first 80% and I'm very confident about how it will turn out. Great video! Thanks.
I have feeling that in a not so distant future, the 80% lowers, and jigs will be illegal. Get them now while you can, regardless of the state you live in (when there’s a will there’s a way in case you live in a tyrannical state). Keep the completed lowers and jig. Once banned, those jigs will be worth gold. Good job milling all 3 lowers! I have easy jig gen 3 and it makes completing an 80 % lower stupid easy.
I'm just starting my first time and I find your video helpful. It backs up the instructions in my 80% Jig instructions. Question: I drilled my pilot hole last night (Tactical Machining 80% anodized) - it took me forever ( hour!) using WD and or Tap Magic and a bit supplied by 80& Arms. I switched to a split point bit brand new too which was a little better. I used a cordless and ran it at pretty slow speed. How fast do you run your drill? Was being too timid? I want to do a couple more lowers.
@@Daninbristolbay honestly that is the big flaw of the jigs. The large holes do take forever to drill out, not an hour but quite a bit of time. They should provide a bushing of some sort so that you can drill a pilot hole. Cordless does take longer than corded drill. I've experimented with different bits, high price bits do cut down time a little but not enough really to justify price. I have used wd40 and machining oil. Both work about the same. I usually run at mid high speed and back out and reapply fluid often. If you go with a polymer lower, don't use fluid and it drills out really fast.
@@NUCLEARFRED1 thank you - just about to head out and try the milling part - thinking about trying Kroil or Deep creep as fluid. I think the stuff I was using for the 21/64 hole might have been a bit too heavy. Yeah I was wishing for 1/8 or 5/32 center hole to help get the 21/64. I think I was too timid and may use my corded drill where I can set the speed better. Thanks again.
I might of missed the answer to my question what brand jig and what was the cost. Please and thanks
Modulus arms. Not sure what cost is currently. You can go to their website to figure it out. If you don't have a router, that is where the cost varies quite a bit. I went with the Makita. Refurbished was way cheaper than the DeWalt and I didn't care for set up in DeWalt. You should also get some spare milling bits and/or speed mill depending on how many you plan on doing. Good quality drill drill bits are a must also. That cost will vary on your preference also. Although it doesn't catch everything, hooking a vacuum to it does help a lot. Only other things you would need is a vice, earplugs and a can of WD-40. I would say if you only needed jig and speed mill cost would be under $400 or so. If you needed everything and got spares $800. I'm sure you are like most people and have some of the stuff so you would probably land in about $500-550.
Yeah all I need is the jig I have everything else. I'm going to build a small shed just for this
Yeah shavings will get everywhere even with a vacuum on it. Polymer shavings are lighter so vacuum picks it up better. Sounds like you are planning on doing a few. I would definitely get a spare speed mill. That way if bit breaks you can get back to milling faster. Takes a little while to change bits out of mill otherwise. You can usually tell when one is going to break based on the sound.
I figured with the way the atf is overstepping it's power I should probably grab a few or 10 and get the milled so they will be grandfatherd In lol
Why do the blackouts have diff thicknesses on the side were the 5.56 are even in thickness
I have milled more since. These were first ones. There is adjustment on guide plate. Plate wasn't perfectly centered. Does not affect function and fit if lower though.
Unless you are talking about how 308 has thicker wall than 556. That is due to brand and no 308 is milspec. All 308 manufactures use thier own dimensions.
Can i use an easy jig made for ar15 to somehow mill out the 308 lower. I am really trying not to buy the jig for the ar10 i think there is a way to get it to work if you could fill me in or let me know.
Modulus jig has a forward block that can be used for 15,10 & 9. It comes with that. 5d has about the same thing or you can buy a separate piece to do all of them. honestly the best way to go is the Modulus that way you don't have to buy conversion parts. Either one is backordered and has been for a while. Do you already have a jig? If not see my comparison video and it will go into this stuff. Also just an FYI there is currently a bill in the house that would make you an instant felon if you owned one of these.
@@NUCLEARFRED1 Yes i have a jig, Its the easy jig for ar15 i have made 2 lowers the first one i made works but it wasnt perfect, the second was a billet lower modulus with the charlie horse in the magwell. Yes i just wanted to know if i can take my easy jig and fit an ar10 lower in it somehow i think the takedown holes will line up i thought you might know. I do not want to buy another jig i wont do it.
@@Brett.1984 If you have the gen 1 easy jig you might be out of luck. The pin holes are the same across 9, 10 & 15 platforms however the distance from the mag well to those pins is different. I suppose you could rig something, however I imagine that you would spend more time and effort into getting something rigged together than it would be worth. I'm not super familiar with the 80% arms easy jig, but it seemed more expensive and harder to go across platforms. Depending on if you have gen 2 there may be an adapter you could get. I would contact whomever you bought your jig from.
@@NUCLEARFRED1 Thanks for the help, I might just get the polymer lower, i really want a .30 caliber in the ar platform, I guess i could by a lower parts kit and put a 300blackout on top of it, that way i would be in the ar10 ballpark. By the way thankyou for taking your time to help me on this.
Is this the latest Modulus Router Jig Extreme? I'm guessing no.
Yes this is the latest version.
Is the right side supposed to be thicker than the left?
The jig does mill the right left side 1/32" more than the right side. It looks like a lot more in the video due to the angle and zoom it was shot at. That variance could also be due to the forged lower that I used but more than likely it is by design from Modulus Arms for strength. Measurements taken off an Anderson lower puts the left side at 1/32" thicker and the right at 1/16" thicker on the 80% milled lowers. With uppers placed on them they line up perfectly so I would assume it is the latter.
Aren’t you supposed to mill in small clockwise circles?
@@skoolynugenator1802 it does recommend small clockwise circles, however I thought I would try it different ways to see how well it cuts in the interest of trying to cover questions that others might have. When cutting clockwise, it does cut much better than counter and has a far less of a tendency to jump.
@@NUCLEARFRED1 I think the router bit is designed to cut clockwise like most.
@@skoolynugenator1802 I wondered about that, especially routing the sides. Logic tells me one straight continuous cut would result in a clean cut on the side walls instead of small circular cuts? Maybe cut the sides in a continuous sweep then come back and cut the middle section in small clockwise circles taking your time of course, I was thought to let the tool do the work and not force the cutting.
Wow, use cutting fluid and work CW. How genius to recommend what’s in the instruction manual! lol 🤣