Tri-Top

[tomjerry1]

I want to Tri-Top tm slide, but how do I fixture it and get the compensator at the same time? I have a slide fixture that I have used in the past, but it's not machined for the barrel, any help will be appreciated.

[mach1soldier]

I use an angle vice personally. Mount barrel Into slide and use barrel fitting jig to keep aligned. Basically

its a rod with a screw that tightens onto barrel.

[donnyglock]

I machined the slide fixture to accept the barrel being in there. 

[tomjerry1]

Thank you both, first time doing a comp, I figured that a barrel fitting jig will work, but may make a slide fixture for this purpose.

[zzt]

Personally, I would not use the Brownell's type barrel holder (rod and screw) for this purpose.  I'd use something like the Nowlin barrel feet alignment tool.  https://www.nowlinarms.com/product/barrel-feet-alignment-tool/  much more secure.  Modifying the slide fixture would be an even safer bet.

[Cam73]

Few months late here, but included are some pictures of the fixtures I've been messing around with to do the same thing. Both are made with material I had laying around or ordered on ebay for under $30. 

 

I originally purchased the AWT 1911 slide fixture and realized there was not enough material there to modify to my liking. So I made one (first project on the mill) to be used with the AWT base while flat toping. There is some good adjustment there for indicating the top of the slide using the 2 oversized holes and center pivot. As for the sides of tri-top, I didn't nod the mill (due to the tooling used to create a certain look) and placed the fixture in V-blocks. It was very slow going and highlighted some areas to improve, so along came V2 of the fixture. 

 

Both fixtures uses 1/4-20 cap screws and delrin blocks to secure the slide/barrel. There is also adequate room in there to for the nowlin barrel tool. V2 accepts the the spring guide tunnel into the main block and has a set screw to push on it as well. Haven't drilled it for use with the AWT base yet. Sky is the limit really, I'm sure a seasoned machinist would go about it differently and have a solution with less set-ups. Haven't used V2 yet (can't afford to build another open gun anytime soon  ) but there is a tri-top project coming up soon.

 

 

[tomjerry1]

Very nice, solid, hopefully have my mill up and running soon, a good break-in project.

[SufferInSilence]

What mill are you using? 

[tomjerry1]

I have an old ycm-30, on the blink right now, so when I get the chance, I use the Bridgeport at work.