what cnc mill do i need to make 1911 pistols

1911 A-ane Frame

Afterward working on the rifles, I thought it was time to try a pistol.  After looking over the Roderus forum, I saw a agglomeration of guys doing custom work on the 1911 pistol.  I wanted to exercise some of the same custom work one twenty-four hour period, but I first needed to brand a frame.  After doing some searching, I plant the 1911 solid model (the CAD file).  Later on finding this model, I had a big first stride out of the manner.  I bought a Wilson Combat 1911 frame to use as a reference while I done the machining.  This way I could look at the physical frame and get a better idea of how I needed to auto each feature.  After I had my game program together, I started making the program to brand the frame (the CAM part).  Of form I was going to be starting from a cake of material (barracks), so I knew there would exist a lot of machining required.  Come to discover out, this project became more complicated that what I had expected.  Merely I stuck with it, and was able to end the 1911 frame.

On the 1st operation I took a moving picture to show what the block of aluminum looked like that I started with and the Wilson Gainsay frame...

There was a lot of cloth to exist removed to get the basic shape of the frame.  Here is what the frame looked like later on it was roughed out...

This is a moving picture after the 1st operation was finished.  It actually looks kinda similar a pistol frame after this operation...

In lodge to hold the frame for the 2nd functioning, I had to make a special set of jaws for the vice so I could clamp onto as much of the frame as possible.  Here is what the jaws looked like...

Here is what the frame looked similar clamped into the jaws I made...

I cutting off the backlog material around the frame...

And here is what the frame looked similar after the 2d performance was finished...

I had to make a special fixture and then I could hold the frame for the 3rd functioning.  This is what it looked like...

Here is what the frame looked similar when information technology and the fixture was clamped into the vice...

And here'south the frame after the 3rd operation...

The 4th operation I finished milling down within the dust comprehend.  It's hard to see the machining I done on this performance, merely you tin get an idea of how long of an endmill I had to utilize...

For the 5th performance I washed the bottom half of the magazine (mag) well.  I machined the magazine well in two steps, kinda similar I did the AR-15 mag well.  I outset washed the bottom half, and then machined the meridian half.  This worked out a lot easier than trying to machine the whole mag well out at one time.  This is what the setup looked like...

And here'south the frame later on the 5th operation was finished...

On the 6th functioning I finished cutting the magazine well from the top.  You can see some other ready of special fixtures I had to brand in order to concur the frame at the right angle...

Here is what the frame looked like after the 6th operation was finished...

For the seventh operation I cutting the back side of the frame where the main spring housing fits.  Hither'southward the setup...

It's hard to tell from this moving-picture show what machining was done, only maybe yous tin can get an idea...

This operation I had to make some special undercut tools to machine underneath where the hammer fits.  Hither you can encounter the special tools I had to grind...

On the 8th operation I machined the undercut slot where the chief leap housing slides into the frame.  Here is what it looked like...

The 9th operation I machined the undercut for the magazine catch lock that keeps the magazine release in place.  This is a really bad pic, merely maybe you can see the undercut I made...

On this operation I likewise machined out the large slot through the magazine well...

Hither'southward a motion-picture show of the undercut tool I made for the magazine catch lock...

Here is a good motion picture of what the frame looked like after this operation...

For the 10th operation, I was going to brand a saw cut and an undercut.  The saw cut volition exist for the within of the frame where the clearance is needed for the hammer.  And the undercut is for underneath the thumb prophylactic.  Hither are the tools I used...

Here'south a expert pic of what the frame looked similar after this operation...

The 11th operation I machined "every bit much as possible" of the trigger bow that'south downward inside the magazine well.  You tin can't tell what was machined on this operation from this motion-picture show, but yous can see how I set it up...

And here yous can see another special undercut tool I had to make to machine this section of the trigger bow...

For the 12th operation, I set the frame upwards then I could machine (from the dorsum side) down inside the frame to stop cutting as much as I could of the trigger bow.  Here'due south a movie of the setup...

Later this functioning I took some pictures to show just what I had washed.  In that location is no way to completely car all of the trigger bow, so I'll have to exercise some filing to remove the actress cloth.  I think most companies utilize a broach to finish removing this material, but since I didn't access a broach, I finished it the ol' way way, with a hand file.  I will allow these pictures speak for themselves...

For the 13th operation, I machined the chamfer around the bottom of the mag well...

Finally the last operation!  The 14th operation.  In this operation I drilled the pigsty on meridian of the frame that is at a 6 degree bending.  This hole is for the disconnector.  This hole has an undercut, so I in one case again had to make an undercut tool to plunge inside the hole to brand the cutting.  I've never done anything where information technology had to have then many undercut tools.  Here's a pic of the setup...

And here'southward a flick of the undercut tool...

Hither are a few pics of what my final frame looked similar compared to the Wilson Gainsay frame that I bought...

Can yous tell which frame is which?

Since this was my first 1911 build I didn't want to use expensive parts since I knew I would probably brand a mistake putting everything together (after all I'm non a gunsmith).  And so I bought a cheap parts kit from Sarco.  Come up to find out the quality of parts from Sarco wasn't all the swell, and so I washed a lot of learning about how everything fit together, and how to custom fit the parts.  Luckily I didn't have to chip any of the parts.  I put a new end on all the parts and hard anodized the frame.  I still need to install a rear sight on the slide, but I can do that at a later time.  Hither are some final pics of my 1911 project...

Here are a few of illustrations of how the 1911 functions...

The link below is also a really cool interactive demonstration of how the 1911 pistol works.  This is a link from the www.m1911.org website.  Yous tin click on the boxes on the left and it will plow on and off the different parts of the pistol.  Check it out.

I promise y'all have enjoyed this project.  It was a whole lot of piece of work, merely I call up it was well worth it.  I promise all my future projects are easier than what this i was.  I call up other projects could only be down hill from having washed this project.

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Source: https://www.cncguns.com/projects/1911a1frame.html