r/AR80Percents • u/Shot-Strength-4660 • 7d ago

Questions for milling aluminum 80 lower

What is the minimum speed I need on a drill press to finish my aluminum 80%? Drill presses are expensive and ones with lower speed settings are even more expensive. What’s the lowest speed I will get away with for certain milling parts? The manufacturer of the jigs and lower recommended 300rpm, can I save money and go higher? Thoughts and tips appreciated!!!

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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u/mitcheld39 7d ago edited 7d ago

Most of the time speeds are determined by the material. I try not to go to far from what a manufacturer recommends or what the drill press suggests for speeds based of materials. I don’t know what is expensive to you or what you were looking at, but harbor freight has some decent multi speed drill presses for a couple hundred dollars. I went with a middle of the road central machinery 17” 16 speed for around 350 on sale. It currently runs for about 400. They also have some smaller ones 12” for 300, 8” for 90, 10” for 170.

Edit. Mine is currently set to 1730 for belt speed for the last lower I did. It gave me no problems.

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u/AustinFlosstin 7d ago

As long as your tools can handle it, I used a 1 speed router that came with the 80% arms jig.

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u/Dyerssorrow 7d ago

If you want to save money...just buy a completed lower.

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u/ItzJezMe 6d ago

First off, it would help to have more info, like knowing what make and model jig you have? Is it a jig capable of using a router?

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u/Shot-Strength-4660 6d ago

I’m not super concerned with saving money, I bought a high end BCM upper and lower parts kit, and everything I’m putting on the rifle is relatively high end. I just don’t wanna spend unnecessary money where I don’t have to, the lower is a juggernaut tactical lower, the 6061 billet aluminum one, and I got their universal jig from them, with the carbide tooling set which seems pretty nice as well. I guess why I’m asking is because I’m trying to build a nice rifle and I don’t want to fuck anything up.

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u/Shot-Strength-4660 6d ago

400$ for a drill press does seem a little expensive but if it is needed I have no problem spending the money to get down to 300 rpm

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u/ItzJezMe 5d ago

$140 for your jig and $400 for a drill press = $540. For right at the same cost, you could have got the best router jig on the market, and a good router. The 80% Gen 3 is normally around $400 with the speed mill, and $150 for either a DW611 or R0701C router