Not being critical, but I was thinking the rounded end of the ball peen hammer would work better to start rounding the rivet head. I looked it up and that is indeed what it is for. Love the videos!
Word of advice when doing your through rivets and forming the tail, try and avoid hitting the center and try and form a dome shape with no flat to the face. The more you form a flat face the thinner the edges will get, may make a pretty rivet but it will form a dome shell because the rivet wont swell properly leading to a weak rivet job
Have you ever tried the Toth long rivet tool in a hydraulic press? Seems like it might be a little easier than cranking the two bolts, if the tool can handle it.
Use wrenches. The tool is not needed itself. The hammer normally is used to rivet. If the tool is useful it needs to be used correctly. You tighten the top two then the center and adjust. You need to keep it in sequence. It is suppose to bring it down slowly. The gun will make less power than building with a hammer. Hold the hammer at end of handle not in middle or at top. It will not build it correctly
Hey man my receiver didn’t come with holes and I’m drilling the holes by measurement. I have a drill press with a laser and a drill press vise so I can drill the holes accurately. How do yo know where to install the center support rivet? Also, Is it mandatory?
@@VEightMerc124 Damn near. The engineers at Century are the main reason their rifles suck. Poor machine setup, outdated machines that need special rigging to work. It's a 'whatever gets the job done' attitude. Like I said, the rifles I build in my basement are of higher build quality.
Is there any reason you couldn't install the center support *after* installing the fire control group? I'm building an 80%, and don't want to spend a fortune on riveting jigs for just the single rifle. I know a guy who will do the rivets for me, but for legal reasons he won't touch the gun until after I put in rails, and FCG. If I could do the FCG first, and just have him rivet the center support I'd save myself $125 that I don't need to spend on that riveting tool. Thanks alot for the informative videos, I've got them all saved.
when you say install fcg..are you saying the trigger and hammer or just the holes? If you want him to do the riveting then weld the rail and drill all the holes. the center support slides in after the rail anyway. trigger guard is difficult to rivet if rail is installed, but thats the smiths problem.
+VEight Merc (V8 Merc) I meant trigger hammer and selector, but I decided to just sack up and get the tools myself. That said, what do you suggest I do before welding in the rails? I imagine its nice to have a little more room in there to work with. Thanks for the reply!
Trigger guard. Its hard to slide in the squashing plate between the rails. Then weld and procees with vid order. I forget if its already in order like that. Rear trunnion last as you can set how snug you want the dustcover to fit. Some of the prebents are a hair long, not much but noticeable. I think i left the length and set the rear trunnion a hair deeper and didnt grind it flush...the stock snugged up right to it and had an excellent fit.
In this series i didnt focus on a paper weight receiver completion but rather starting with a 100% receiver. For your info, i used a 1/4in drill rod to space from the top rail and i drilled 3/16 holes and plug welded the rails in with a mig. Very easy and solid. Cleans up well with little trace of weld and none to little warpage if done right.
If you place a penny on either side of the center support rivet, it will hold the receiver level while you form the head.
perfect! ill try that on the next one soon
This whole series is awesome.
Great video and presentation. One question, where can I find one of those fully semi-automatic hammers!?
Harbor freight
Not being critical, but I was thinking the rounded end of the ball peen hammer would work better to start rounding the rivet head. I looked it up and that is indeed what it is for.
Love the videos!
Ball peen hammer? Haha i think thats its name!
Word of advice when doing your through rivets and forming the tail, try and avoid hitting the center and try and form a dome shape with no flat to the face. The more you form a flat face the thinner the edges will get, may make a pretty rivet but it will form a dome shell because the rivet wont swell properly leading to a weak rivet job
Have you ever tried the Toth long rivet tool in a hydraulic press? Seems like it might be a little easier than cranking the two bolts, if the tool can handle it.
Use wrenches. The tool is not needed itself. The hammer normally is used to rivet. If the tool is useful it needs to be used correctly. You tighten the top two then the center and adjust. You need to keep it in sequence. It is suppose to bring it down slowly. The gun will make less power than building with a hammer. Hold the hammer at end of handle not in middle or at top. It will not build it correctly
What if you are doing a weld kit? Can you weld a center support in?
Thanks, my long rivet tool didn't come with instructions, I wasn't sure what the U shaped piece was for....I guess it's for spacing
Hey man my receiver didn’t come with holes and I’m drilling the holes by measurement.
I have a drill press with a laser and a drill press vise so I can drill the holes accurately.
How do yo know where to install the center support rivet? Also, Is it mandatory?
Never mind I’m just gonna buy a Childers Guide to drill the FCG holes and center support. It’s only $15
Underground Arms yes thats what I did. You need the guide. And the center support is necessary.
I love how everybody say the tools are 'homemade' when they are bought from Toth or AK Builder.
You could prably make crude ripoffs. Lol
@@VEightMerc124
I work for Century Arms. That's what we do everyday. I build better aks in my basement.
@@ageckomiller haha, so you use home made tools?
@@VEightMerc124
Damn near. The engineers at Century are the main reason their rifles suck. Poor machine setup, outdated machines that need special rigging to work. It's a 'whatever gets the job done' attitude.
Like I said, the rifles I build in my basement are of higher build quality.
Actually, Century's build quality would probably go up if they bought some of these tools. Lol.
Is there any reason you couldn't install the center support *after* installing the fire control group?
I'm building an 80%, and don't want to spend a fortune on riveting jigs for just the single rifle. I know a guy who will do the rivets for me, but for legal reasons he won't touch the gun until after I put in rails, and FCG.
If I could do the FCG first, and just have him rivet the center support I'd save myself $125 that I don't need to spend on that riveting tool.
Thanks alot for the informative videos, I've got them all saved.
when you say install fcg..are you saying the trigger and hammer or just the holes? If you want him to do the riveting then weld the rail and drill all the holes. the center support slides in after the rail anyway. trigger guard is difficult to rivet if rail is installed, but thats the smiths problem.
+VEight Merc (V8 Merc) I meant trigger hammer and selector, but I decided to just sack up and get the tools myself.
That said, what do you suggest I do before welding in the rails? I imagine its nice to have a little more room in there to work with.
Thanks for the reply!
Trigger guard. Its hard to slide in the squashing plate between the rails. Then weld and procees with vid order. I forget if its already in order like that. Rear trunnion last as you can set how snug you want the dustcover to fit. Some of the prebents are a hair long, not much but noticeable. I think i left the length and set the rear trunnion a hair deeper and didnt grind it flush...the stock snugged up right to it and had an excellent fit.
Oh and you cant stop at one....we've done like 4 and i got a few more in the pipe line. Some really custom "one off" "neva bin done befo" ones too.
+VEight Merc (V8 Merc) Yea the building cost is all up front with the tooling, so its in my interest to do more than one.Thanks a lot!
0:57 Yipes! Coulda lost part of your finger if those closed!
Where do you show rail install? Thanks
In this series i didnt focus on a paper weight receiver completion but rather starting with a 100% receiver. For your info, i used a 1/4in drill rod to space from the top rail and i drilled 3/16 holes and plug welded the rails in with a mig. Very easy and solid. Cleans up well with little trace of weld and none to little warpage if done right.
Use a harbor freight spot wleder and a 3/8 drill but to measure the space between the top rail and the bottom rail
The best prices on AK-47 parts by a LONG SHOT are from a company on Gun Broker called spectresupply2.