Barrett M82A1 raw body parts

[Pendra]

Someone told me that I should sell the raw parts I make for my Barrett M82A1. Unwelded, unpainted, lacking every and all machining, other than laser cutting and machine folding. You would basically get a lower and upper hex part with the correct cuts, a folded magwell, a folded gearbox covering plate (the part behind the magwell), folded magazine parts, bipod parts, back plate, muzzle break parts and some other minor metal bits.

That pack would cost $500 + shipping. You would need to be a very good welder with a high quality welding machine to assemble (glue DOES NOT work). Also other machining skills and tools are required to drill, thread, cut things so it won't fall apart if you sneeze on it.

I personally think that this raw parts kit is a stupid idea, but who knows, I have been wrong before...

I'd like to know what do YOU think?

[DesertFoxRomel]

IMHO, I think if you weld it, then sell it, then you will make alot more money. Most of us are not lucky enough to have a $200+ TIG welder, nor the skills to operate one.

[Meathead316]

$500 for some bent metal O_o u wud be best off selling it as a complete kit as the last guy just said, most people dont have the tools or skill required to do it, and if they did they would probably just make one from scratch and save $500!

[alexallan]

I'd pay an extra $200 just to have it all welded to be honest.

 

I'd be happy to Assemble and paint myself though.

[TDS]

For that cost you could have DCwaterjet do it, and still have money left over for your own break to bend it yourself

 

http://www.dcwaterjet.com/

[Pendra]

Bend it yourself? We are talking about bending 1m of 2mm thich steel plates 4 times for the lower and 4 times for the upper with perfectly parallel lines and mm precision otherwise the body won't fit together. None of these folds are 90 degree. Then bend the the halves of the mag 5 times (x2) again with great precision. Then fold the magwell 6 times add a round fold for the gearbox cover and you are almost done.

I highly doubt you could do it well with a simple calmp and a hammer. You need to throw in heavy bending machinery to do it right.

[counterassasin]

But would this still be a complete kit, i.e. everything I would need to make an M82A1? ( Besides the gearbox, inner barrel, hop-up etc )

[TDS]

Bend it yourself? We are talking about bending 1m of 2mm thich steel plates 4 times for the lower and 4 times for the upper with perfectly parallel lines and mm precision otherwise the body won't fit together.

I highly doubt you could do it well with a simple calmp and a hammer. You need to throw in heavy bending machinery to do it right.

 

with some practice you can do it with some heavy duty hinges and a hammer, it all depends on the skill of the user.

 

"heavy bending machinery" is called a break, its not a whole lot more than a heavy duty hinge, a handle, and a heavy base, you can get old ones for ~200 if you keep your eyes open for one.

 

And you'll have some scrap when you cut the peices, just make some "XYZ" cnc cut from the waterjet with the sprue and you are good to go accuracy wise.

[DesertFoxRomel]

For that cost you could have DCwaterjet do it, and still have money left over for your own break to bend it yourself

 

http://www.dcwaterjet.com/

whoa! I don't see a price there, how much ?

[TDS]

whoa! I don't see a price there, how much ?

 

They are just a small scale manufacturer, you would need to CAD out the design, figure out what material you wanted, and mail them for a quote.

 

If they have the same rates as in my battlebot days, prices are extremely reasonable, I would be shocked if it was more than a hundred or so to cut the materials (that you would have to provide) especially since there are no very complicated parts.

 

A more expensive but more through option that would be team whyachi http://www.teamwhyachi.com/botshop.htm who would do the folding and such for you. They have made some really cool and complicated things in their day.

 

Its more work and time on your part, but I think most of you don't make so much that a few hundred bucks isnt worth a few hours of your time

 

Again these are actual machine shops that only really deal with people who know what they want, "advice" or design costs hundreds of dollars an hour, you send them a CAD with all information including materials, they send you a quote, thats it, there is not much customer support, again, machine shop, not store. Many machine shops (especially whyachi) pay their employees well, upwards of 40-60$ an hour, expect to pay for their time, modifying your design for easy of manufacture is highly recommended.

[Pendra]

Material, I can help there.

- The main body is 2mm thick. This stands for the magwell and the gearbox cover piece. Those have to be bended and welded. Make sure you use professional welding because the mag part is rather thin and the heat from the welding may bend it.

- The mag is from 1mm material.

- The front hexa piece (that covers the front side) is 5mm.

- The buttplate "coffin" is 5mm.

- The back hexa piece that secures the outer barrel is 15mm.

- The muzzle break is from 3mm material.

- The outer barrel is 28mm (I use 30 to fit the VSR)

 

Also some minor parts like the trigger guard, the mag catch (now that is a tricky bit), mag holding pieces for the body and the mag, 660mm rail, sling holes, dust cover, cocking handle, bipod securing bits, bipod leg holding thing, bipod legs, the bottom of the gearbox cover.

I have about 30 DXFs for the laser cutted pieces and some more for the parts made on lathe.

Make sure they each fit together at the first try. Either by pro CAD knowledge or by trial and error. The first needs more training the last needs more money.

 

After that you have a body. All you need to figure out how to make it shoot (well).

 

[silent_soul]

in my opinion there is money to be made here.

 

i think if you could (as im not sure on material and labor cost you would charge) if you sold a complete unpainted and unassembled but welded kit with a list of screws need and sizes and sold that for 500 you would have some serious interest(like me) i have the skills to weld this no problem just dont have the equipment(yet) however like i said im not sure on material cost but ive seen a couple people charge 1000 to custom make you a barret with internals and some with no internals, but for 1000 your just shy of a ptw and well thats gonna give people second thoughts.

 

but in my opinion if you could sell complete unpainted kits for 500 with list of screws needed youd be pretty well off, and you could charge shipping too.

 

another thing if you made a muzzel break and body but no barrel you could save money as after market fluted barrels are available, ive been thinking of making a mk96 into a m82a1 but i dont have alot of building time on my hands unfortunately.