trooper96[501st] Posted July 19, 2015 Report Posted July 19, 2015 So, I got a brown box Friday with goodies inside! 1 Quote
Darth Hammer Posted July 19, 2015 Report Posted July 19, 2015 Great looking stuff. Do they purposely hack the parts up so it can't be turned back into working firearm? Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Posted July 19, 2015 Yeah, I think so. Shame, though... Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted July 20, 2015 Author Report Posted July 20, 2015 OK, first things first... these parts are filthy! Definitely coated with a dirty greasy film and what looks like paint or some coating in places. For those who have already been down this path, what did you use to clean, strip and prep the parts? 1 Quote
Spike1007 Posted July 21, 2015 Report Posted July 21, 2015 Ist a pity ist hacked up so bad. I am sure it will still make a great E11 with some work. 1 Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted July 21, 2015 Author Report Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) I have been thinking about eventually using these parts to make a legit all metal blaster. That would be so cool! My plan for the immediate future is to mold and cast the parts for a pipe build. Interestingly, I trial fitted the bolt with a 1-1/4" PVC pipe (1.36" [34,5mm] I.D.). It's very snug, but it does fit. The O.D. is a little big at 1.66" [42,2mm], but it's cheap, readily available and easy to work with. A more accurate choice would be 1-1/4" EMT conduit 1.51" [38,4mm] O.D./1.38" [35,1mm] I.D., also fairly cheap and readily available, but metal. Not so easy to work with. Anyway, it may be a while before I'm at that point. First, I have a few questions: 1. What is the best way to clean and prep the parts? 2. Is it necessary to separate all the parts from the barrel casing and body? a. Is it just a matter of desoldering? How do I do that? b. How is the muzzle removed from the barrel casing? 3. For filling and mold making, what clays are sulfur-free? 4. I don't have a fancy scale or de-gassing vat. Is OOMOO a good choice for molding silicone? 5. I see most people use urethane plastic resin to cast parts. Would there be a down side to using semi-rigid resin like Smooth-Cast 65D/66D? Thanks in advance for your valuable input! Edited July 21, 2015 by trooper96 Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted July 23, 2015 Author Report Posted July 23, 2015 Just playing around with the parts and assembled as many as I could. Here's some of the fine details I hope to capture when I make the molds. Quote
jkno Posted July 24, 2015 Report Posted July 24, 2015 It always saddens me seeing a Sterling chopped off like this. But I'm sure with some work this will be great! 1 Quote
charlesnarles Posted July 25, 2015 Report Posted July 25, 2015 (edited) It always saddens me seeing a Sterling chopped off like this. But I'm sure with some work this will be great! lol yeah but it takes it one more step from legitimate killing machine towards inspirer of children's happiness 😅 I love guns from an engineering standpoint, don't get me wrong. But each deac served its time in reality and deserves nothing less than to be reborn into a "killer" prop 😎👠Just sayin.Can't wait to see more! I've been wondering just how far each piece can be disassembled so I'm appreciative of your initiative, 96 Edited July 25, 2015 by charlesnarles 1 Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted July 28, 2015 Author Report Posted July 28, 2015 Tonight, I disassembled the stock arms from the pivot. It took about 10 minutes, a little penetrating solvent, and a some mechanical persuasion. Quote
Thrawn's guard Posted July 30, 2015 Report Posted July 30, 2015 Hey Bryan you have posted some great reference pictures here of a real Sterling. What I particularily like is the fact that you have taken everything apart and provided photos of all the smaller less commonly photographed details. I can't wait to see what you do with these parts 1 Quote
gazmosis[501st] Posted July 31, 2015 Report Posted July 31, 2015 If you are going to try to attach the usable parts to separate pipe, it will be necessary to remove them from the old receiver tube. I am doing a similar project now but plan on joining the plasma cut parts like the front muzzle and rear sections to a new steel receiver tube. Anyway, separating the usable parts from the old receiver is your first challenge. Find someone with an oxy-acetylene torch. This will generate the heat you will need to melt the braising that is used to connect the parts to the receiver. Propane or map gas will just not generate enough effective heat. Do not do this over carpeting or anything can can't get damaged. When your part reaches the correct temp, it will just fall off. There are three sections you WILL have trouble with. First is separating the folding stock hinge point. You would think this would be easy but think again. you cannot grab the sides at the hinge points and pull. It WILL bend and distort in the center because of how thin it is. When you heat any of these parts, the braising will become visible as it melts. It looks gold. For the hinge point, Have a set of pliers on the old receiver tube and when it gets hot enough, bend that in half without touching the hinge point. The sides will come off easily, its the little positioning nub that you will have a problem with. Once bent in half, you will need to keep heat on the assembly while twisting the nub loose from the receiver tube. Yes, you will need to grab onto the hinge point eventually, just don't bent it ata ll. Why this is so difficult I don't know. Everyone I spoke to about this went through the same thing. The two parts you will have trouble with are the front muzzle and the rear cap locking ring. Keeping the heat even and hot enough to keep the braising liquefied is the issue here. This really is a two man job. When the parts come off, don't rush to dip them in water. Let them cool on their own. YOu don't want to warp them. Media blasting is the best way to get them clean. but a good wire wheel treatment and still brake cleaner will work as well. Since you are not re-welding any if the parts, it's not imperative to remove all the braising which you will see on the parts as a gold plating. You should grind it down if it is very bumpy 1 Quote
gazmosis[501st] Posted July 31, 2015 Report Posted July 31, 2015 http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/yellow-plastalina-modeling-clay-553388/As for a slicone safe clay, you can get that through smooth on if you are ordering your molding and casting materials. IF you want to buy some in advance, hobby lobby offers Plastalina. the link is at the beginning. For silicones, oomoo or mold max types are both good with no need to vacuum degas them 1 Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted July 31, 2015 Author Report Posted July 31, 2015 Thanks for the information! I don't know if I will have access to an oxy-acetylene torch. I may know someone who has one. If not, will a propane torch get hot enough? Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted August 1, 2015 Author Report Posted August 1, 2015 Hey, look what came in the mail today! I got this for $17.99 plus $5.00 shipping and got it in two days from Oregon to South Carolina! http://www.44mag.com/product/sterling-smg-magazines/sterling_smg Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted August 2, 2015 Author Report Posted August 2, 2015 OK, on the de-brazing... I talked with a welder friend of mine this morning and he said a propane torch MAY be enough for silver solder if it's a good one. He said to try that, and if it didn't work, he would take his oxy-acetylene torch to it. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted August 3, 2015 Author Report Posted August 3, 2015 I am having a very difficult time removing the front sight block from the dovetail. It doesn't seem to want to move at all. Any ideas? Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted August 3, 2015 Author Report Posted August 3, 2015 Just picked up 4.5 lbs of sulfur-free goodness! Cross one more item off my to do list... Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Quote
fokker210[TK] Posted August 4, 2015 Report Posted August 4, 2015 (edited) I remember when you could get saw cut de-mils.....now sloppy blow torch work is the norm. Eager to see this project completed ! Hard to beat the real thing ! Edited August 4, 2015 by fokker210 1 Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted August 4, 2015 Author Report Posted August 4, 2015 I remember when you could get saw cut de-mils.....now sloppy blow torch work is the norm. Eager to see this project completed ! Hard to beat the real thing ! Yeah, they torched off one of the corners of my ejection port guard. The rest looks salvageable. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Quote
Artshot Posted August 5, 2015 Report Posted August 5, 2015 Hey Bryan I had to soak the front sight in WD40 overnight, then had to tap it out with a piece of cloth padding and wooden dowel against it, I did not want to mark it as I removed it, it took a lot of persuasion but I figured it had been in there a very long time. Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted August 5, 2015 Author Report Posted August 5, 2015 Hey Bryan I had to soak the front sight in WD40 overnight, then had to tap it out with a piece of cloth padding and wooden dowel against it, I did not want to mark it as I removed it, it took a lot of persuasion but I figured it had been in there a very long time. Thanks, I'll try that. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted August 6, 2015 Author Report Posted August 6, 2015 (edited) And so it begins... I had Alumilite silicone (Hobby Lobby) on hand so I went ahead and made a couple of one-piece molds. The tall one is the charging handle. The other is the three socket head bolts.Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Edited August 7, 2015 by trooper96 Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Posted August 7, 2015 Thanks, Art! Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 1 Quote
trooper96[501st] Posted August 8, 2015 Author Report Posted August 8, 2015 (edited) Test parts demoulded. Look, even the knurling on the bolt heads came through... Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Edited August 8, 2015 by trooper96 1 Quote
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