Bending jig

[SCGrotz]

I'm on a hell of a small budget, and im looking at my options in terms of bending a receiver flat...

I dont have a hydraulic press.
I cant afford a hydraulic press
I'm NOT gonna drop $220 for 2 nested rectangles.

that having been said, I have some 1/4" plate steel and a welding torch.

I was thinking I could use 4 huge bolts, through the inner bar, to screw down onto a base plate, replacing the need for a press, at about $4, and use some home made pins to put in the bar through the centering holes

so what I need to know what are the measurements of you guy's bending jigs?

specifically the inner diameter of the u shaped piece, and the outer diameter of the inner bar.



also, I'm open to any home made jigs you guys have made? bottom line is $220 for a jig is ridiculous.

[okie shooter]

How many aks are your going to bend flats for, as the decision to even build a bending jig would depend on that one too. If you are going to build just one or two aks, why not buy the receivers?

[SSwee]

How do you plan to do your rivets?
Cheap presses can be had for $65 to $100.
As, Okie asked, how many do you plan to do?
I had to weigh out what was best for me when I started and for now am still using 100% receivers. I put my money into a good rivet setter and headspace gages.
SS

[SCGrotz]

I'm honestly building one for the sake of saying that I BUILT IT.

I actually answered my own question =D

im going to go with this guy's jig... http://www.newsbleed.com/grasshoppers_jig.html

just priced it out and between what I have already and a short trip to lowes, I think I can make it for about $20.

any way you look at it that saves me money =P a transfer fee alone here is like $30 a tapco flat is only about $15, and I'm getting their US made trigger, and muzle brake anyway.

rivets.... I havent tackled this completely yet. it seems like there are a ton of methods, one of which involves heavily modified bolt cutters for the front trunion.

looks like plate steel is going to be my friend on this project....lol