donmarkey Posted May 27, 2007 Report Share Posted May 27, 2007 Now that Meier work levers aren't readily available, I decided to refine my the process of making them. It's still time comsuming, but I'm cutting down on the hand work and making them easier to fit to the floorplate, and they don't require making a bushing like the meier kit, so once iit is made it can be fit by hand. Hopefully I can offer these for sale soon at a reasonable price, pending a machine shop quote. Doing them on a manual machine like I'm doing would be pricey. Anyway here it is so far. Rough cutting the stock Setting up to cut the pivot Pivot cut While it was in the lathe I drilled the latch mount hole, now to cut the flats for the latch Cut On the floorplate Cutting the top Marked for the general shape Rough shaped Anyone with any ideas to simplify the process, please pass them along -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donmarkey Posted May 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2007 Next I rough shaped the latch Here it is on the plate after a little time at the belt sander -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtyjim Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 the only thing i can think of that might speed it up is using a tonge & groove joint to attatch the latch to the lever pivot instead of cutting four flats on the pivot you would only have to cut 2 flats then cut a slot down the middle of the latch for it to mate into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milsurpcollector Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 No advice, but that is some nice work Don. Did you make that fixture to bolt to the faceplate on the lathe? How do you get it dialed in so the floorplate release is centered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donmarkey Posted May 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 No advice, but that is some nice work Don. Did you make that fixture to bolt to the faceplate on the lathe? How do you get it dialed in so the floorplate release is centered? Look at the second pic, it's a 3/8" groove on the plate that holds the lever. I just put a 3/8" piece of rod in the tailstock and line it up until the jig is centered and then put in the lever and line up by eye. The rod even holds the lever while you tighten things up. -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donmarkey Posted May 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 the only thing i can think of that might speed it up is using a tonge & groove joint to attatch the latch to the lever pivot instead of cutting four flats on the pivot you would only have to cut 2 flats then cut a slot down the middle of the latch for it to mate into. Something to think about. -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobVZ Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 donmarkey, As I was admiring your fine milling skills a thought occurred to me about another option for a lever. I pulled out my Mauser parts box and grabbed a floor plate and a safety lever. Sure enough, the shank of the safety is a perfect fit for the release button hole in the floor plate. By removing enough of the safety finger tab to make the lever lie flat against the floor plate and then shortening the shank/milling the flats you could have a release lever. Would it work? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donmarkey Posted May 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 donmarkey, As I was admiring your fine milling skills a thought occurred to me about another option for a lever. I pulled out my Mauser parts box and grabbed a floor plate and a safety lever. Sure enough, the shank of the safety is a perfect fit for the release button hole in the floor plate. By removing enough of the safety finger tab to make the lever lie flat against the floor plate and then shortening the shank/milling the flats you could have a release lever. Would it work? Bob I'm going it have to look into that, as you can probably see from the pics I like longer levers compared to those found on herter's and such. But that might make a functional, and nice looking lever. I like playing around with this stuff, which is probably why most my rifles are in pieces. -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
911rat Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 As always Don, outstanding work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clemson Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 Way to go, Don! I may have to try that myself. It also reminds me that I don't have a faceplate for my lathe I guess I'll have to watch evilbay. Clemson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 I have to admit to feeling like a mental midget seeing the skills in this group. Good job Don!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clemson Posted May 29, 2007 Report Share Posted May 29, 2007 Don: Are you starting with keystock for that lever? Do you know what the steel is? Thanks, Clemson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donmarkey Posted May 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2007 Don: Are you starting with keystock for that lever? Do you know what the steel is? Thanks, Clemson Hot rolled bar stock, just what I had laying around. -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donmarkey Posted May 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2007 I dicided to go back to the original design Meier used. If you fit the lever to the floorplate at the time of making it doesn't matter. But this design is better for a universal fit. The only thing I di differently was build the bushing into the lever, making it a mauser lever where you open the hole up with a 5/16 drill, to eliminate the taper of the hole. Other than that the lever fits the same as the meier brand and the latch is easier to make by machine and less hand fitting. -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest meangene Posted May 30, 2007 Report Share Posted May 30, 2007 Don I have indirect access to a CNC mill, (brother works at NASA as a machinist) perhaps he could give you a quote if your intrested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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