Will We Someday Make M1 And M14 Parts This Way?

[ROCK]

They are using this machine to make parts for old cars. I wonder if it will be useful duplicating hard to get M1 and M14 parts someday.

Video:

http://widgets.nbc.com/o/47f1317f105.../ba4377d3bfd6c

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[U.S.G.I.]

That is just a duplicator. It's making a copy of a part out of polycarbonate(thermoplastic). You will still need a machinist to grind, mill, or broach the part you are trying to duplicate out of steel. All the parts on a garand can be duplicated now if you can afford to pay a machinist (toolmaker) to do the work for you. Now one last thing it isn't original and the part should be marked that way. Which opens another can of worms.

Semper Fi...

[Jughead]

Regardless, it is still amazing technology.

[JimL]

I believe a system call "MIM" (if I recall correctly) casting has been used to make firearms parts.

The Kimber 1911 I own has these type of parts in it. The quality of the parts are equal or better than milled. This technology could be used with the copies to produce M1 parts.

JimL

[Brett]

That is awesome!

[Bill Hollinger]

That is truly awesome! Someone should have squared Jay away before he went on camera though. His gig line is way off

[Jughead]

Jay doesn't impress me as a "gig line" kind of guy.

[musketjon]

If you had his bank account you wouldn't give a hairy rat's a** about your gig line either.

[Mark in Rochester]

Some day when costs come down and the part supply is gone - we will be able to do it - equipment is cost prohibitive but it is possible today.

More info below on rapid metal prototyping

Metal Prototype, Metal Prototypes, Metal Rapid Prototyping - ProtoCAM

[M2HMGHB]

Actually they do that to get a positive copy of the part so that they can scan it into a CNC mill. It's mainly done for broken parts, you can get a copy of them then use it to program the CNC mill to do whatever.