Must Have End Mills and Tooling for 1911/2011?

[Michael303]

I'm about to buy some endmills for a machine shop class that I'm taking in a few weeks followed by a race gun building class later this summer.  Right now I've just got 1/8" to 1/2" square end mills in 1/16" increments in my cart.  Are there any other must-have or nice-to-have end mills or other tooling that I should pick up while I'm at it?

 

Any feedback is appreciated.

[MikeBurgess]

really depends on what your planning to do with your builds and what other tooling you already have and the machinery you will be working with. Are you setting up a mill from scratch or will you be using class provided equipment and just need to provide cutters? do you need measuring tools or are they supplied? 

 

Cutters

 

EGW sells a .365 end mill for making Clark Para frame cuts if your starting with a un cut frame

 

caliber specific chamber reamers, 1911 barrels are short chambered and will require finish reaming 

 

I have been making my own compensators and for that I like to use a ball end mill so the bottom corners are round, Been using a 1/4" but I could see wanting a 5/16 or 3/8 also 1/2" ball end mill is nice for making the guide rod plug clearance on the bottom of compensators on a mid length setup 

 

dovetail cutters for sights and slide rackers, buy the ones you need for the sights or rackers you plan to use. 

 

I have been using a 3/4" carbide chamfer mill for doing tri tops so I can make all the slide cuts in one set up the Yavapi jig is another solution and gives some different options as well.

 

appropriate drills and reamers for any barrel holes you plan to make (reaming leaves very little burr to worry about) 

 

A barrel lug file is super handy for many jobs beyond fitting barrel lugs and is my go to. 

 

 

Measuring tools 

 

0-1 Micrometer

 

0-6 caliper

 

.0005 or .0001 Dial test indicator for getting parts set up in the mill 

 

Rail micrometer  (also sold as a can seam micrometer) (there are other options you can fab up yourself) 

 

Gage Blocks super handy for measuring frame and slide rails

 

Gage pins super handy for checking barrel feet and hole sizes 

 

Feeler gages or shim stock

 

 

 

thats what pops to the top of my head.  yes you can do it with a 6" dial indicator and a file 

Building your own guns is cool and fun but unfortunately not cheep 

[Nolan]

The gun building class should give you a list of tools you will need to bring.  If they provide all the tools, see if they will provide you with a complete list BEFORE the class so you can play with them in your machine shop class.  The more familiar you are with the tools, the more time you will have in the class to pay attention to the details rather than spending all your time trying to learn the tools.

 

Nolan

[38super]

Keyway cutter for frame / slide rails

[38super]

Reamers for hammer and sear pins

[Lastcat]

9 hours ago, Michael303 said:

I'm about to buy some endmills for a machine shop class that I'm taking in a few weeks followed by a race gun building class later this summer.  Right now I've just got 1/8" to 1/2" square end mills in 1/16" increments in my cart.  Are there any other must-have or nice-to-have end mills or other tooling that I should pick up while I'm at it?

 

Any feedback is appreciated.

 

Having a 16 year background in CNC/Manual Machining, I would wait until your class starts. Once your schooling has finished and you finally decide what you would build, get the tools needed. You might save yourself some $$$ by not buying tools you really don't need. Buy the tools your really need. 

Edited May 28, 2021 by Lastcat

[Michael303]

18 hours ago, MikeBurgess said:

really depends on what your planning to do with your builds and what other tooling you already have and the machinery you will be working with. Are you setting up a mill from scratch or will you be using class provided equipment and just need to provide cutters? do you need measuring tools or are they supplied? 

 

Cutters

 

EGW sells a .365 end mill for making Clark Para frame cuts if your starting with a un cut frame

 

caliber specific chamber reamers, 1911 barrels are short chambered and will require finish reaming 

 

I have been making my own compensators and for that I like to use a ball end mill so the bottom corners are round, Been using a 1/4" but I could see wanting a 5/16 or 3/8 also 1/2" ball end mill is nice for making the guide rod plug clearance on the bottom of compensators on a mid length setup 

 

dovetail cutters for sights and slide rackers, buy the ones you need for the sights or rackers you plan to use. 

 

I have been using a 3/4" carbide chamfer mill for doing tri tops so I can make all the slide cuts in one set up the Yavapi jig is another solution and gives some different options as well.

 

appropriate drills and reamers for any barrel holes you plan to make (reaming leaves very little burr to worry about) 

 

A barrel lug file is super handy for many jobs beyond fitting barrel lugs and is my go to. 

 

 

Measuring tools 

 

0-1 Micrometer

 

0-6 caliper

 

.0005 or .0001 Dial test indicator for getting parts set up in the mill 

 

Rail micrometer  (also sold as a can seam micrometer) (there are other options you can fab up yourself) 

 

Gage Blocks super handy for measuring frame and slide rails

 

Gage pins super handy for checking barrel feet and hole sizes 

 

Feeler gages or shim stock

 

 

 

thats what pops to the top of my head.  yes you can do it with a 6" dial indicator and a file 

Building your own guns is cool and fun but unfortunately not cheep 

Thank you for all the tips.  I've acquired about half of the stuff you've mentioned.  The reamers and chamfer cutters will probably be next.  The gage blocks and pins sound handy too.

 

16 hours ago, Nolan said:

The gun building class should give you a list of tools you will need to bring.  If they provide all the tools, see if they will provide you with a complete list BEFORE the class so you can play with them in your machine shop class.  The more familiar you are with the tools, the more time you will have in the class to pay attention to the details rather than spending all your time trying to learn the tools.

 

Nolan

Thanks for the feedback.  Most of the tooling is provided in the shop but I have a message out to the instructor to get some further suggestions.

 

14 hours ago, 38super said:

Keyway cutter for frame / slide rails

 

Reamers for hammer and sear pins

Thanks, I'll take a look at these.

 

10 hours ago, Lastcat said:

 

Having a 16 year background in CNC/Manual Machining, I would wait until your class starts. Once your schooling has finished and you finally decide what you would build, get the tools needed. You might save yourself some $$$ by not buying tools you really don't need. Buy the tools your really need. 

That makes sense.  I have my share of tools that sounded like good ideas but I've never used.

[Bwenning]

As relatively cheap as carbide tools have become, I wouldn't waste your money on HSS cutters, also some of the no name bargain stuff is junk. Check out places like MSC rather than gun specific websites, they will generally be much cheaper and of higher quality.

[38super]

Research your area for a mom n pop tool grinding company, can't beat personal service.