DNP

Ok, I will be the first to call myself a dumbarse.....and you all have permission as well, just know we have already established this! :-[ <thumbsup> Soooo, a while back I was preparing to put together one of my two KD lowers. I had my set screws and tap from previous attacks on lowers. Only a couple times, but this wasn't going to be a first attempt. Now for a side note **I make zero claim to be mechanically competent. It's sad, but my skills aren't what they should be. Back to the lower. I drill the rear take down hole out with the recommended bit for the tap I had. I won't be giving those numbers because this was probably a year ago and I don't remember them. I start to tap the hole. Slow and steady, take her in a little and back her out. Oil? Naw...didn't need it the last few times...why use it now?? I get about halfway in and she binds on the way out....SNAP!! Insert a good handful of words we can no longer say on the forum right....here. At this point there was still a small piece sticking out. "Sweet...where are my pliers?" I grab onto the nub and give her a little twist...SNAP!! This happens a couple times until there is no more to grab onto. "Well that sucks...where's my drill?" Now...not being the most mechanical, I am also not the most well equipped for projects like these. I clamp the lower to a table (due to lack of a vise) and grab the hand drill.... Shhhhhh. Can you hear all the hands that just slapped foreheads? As most of you have already guessed...that was a terrible idea. We will skim over that one and just say it didn't help. At all. In fact, now we are just making it worse. At this point, in went back on a shelf for a few months until I decided I really needed to take care of it. I took it up to my dad's where we have a few more tools available and this time tried my luck in the drill press(with oil this time too). No luck. Those taps are friggin hard! Though extremely brittle...which gave me another idea....lock it in the vise and beat it with a punch. Nope. Nothing moved, broke. On to what I thought was my last tool to attack this thing with. "Bring me the dremel!" Tried digging at it with a few tips...still no go. Put the cutting wheel on and just gave in to the fact that I was going to have to do some damage to make this work. I cut a slot in the tap along with a slot into the lower receiver itself. It'll get covered and it will be OK I tell myself. Now that I have a nice slot I destroy a screwdriver to make a perfect fit. Don't worry...I destroyed a crappy screwdriver....and that was a mistake. The tip broke off that little bastard right away. So then I destroyed a good one..... ::) Annnd....SNAP!! There goes the tap....again....along with another string of non 308AR approved words. I kept my cool though. I managed to override the beast on my shoulder who thought I should chuck that hunk of metal across the shop. After all...it was my dumb fault I was in this mess, not the Aluminum. Which brings us to now. With the start of these couple of builds...it was time to fix this. I resorted to the internet. I hate Google...she can find anything and with the first search of "how to remove broken tap from aluminum"....she had a million answers. Apparently model engine builders get this a lot. Chemistry is your friend. The answer is an old household product that was used in everything from pickling to athlete's foot treatment. ALUM. Aluminum Potassium Sulfate. Boil water, add crystals until she wont take no more, back it off to just below boiling...they say 200degrees, insert part....wait. The Alum acid will attack ferrous metals and rapidly oxidize them while leaving the non-ferrous metal alone. It basically rusts away right before your eyes. Length of time will vary depending on the size of the tap you need to "erase". I was a little concerned about the anodizing....and pretty sure it was going to be destroyed. At the 15 minute mark...my concerns were confirmed. Damn, guess I'm gonna have to Cerakote this one. Shucks >:D So, took it out every 15 minutes to check. It was looking pretty good at 45 and was GONE at one hour. Looks like I crossed up a little as I was backing out and that's what seized it...well that, and the lack of OIL...please...use OIL if you are gonna tap your lower. Save the hassle and embarrassment. The only reason I am sharing this is to hopefully save one of you the trouble someday...and I don't really care if I get laughed at. I screw up a lot...I can admit it. :banana: So here she is...ugly, but sans-broken tap <thumbsup>

There is no perfect answer...or there would only be one option out there. It sounds like you have a lot of what you want worked out. I know people like used stuff, but with the rest of your posts I get the feeling you are after a rather "nice" build. That being said...I wouldn't gamble on a barrel from an unknown person. If you found one used from someone you knew or could trust...sure, but why not buy a new barrel you can count on being new and not abused. You seem to like high end stuff...so it ain't gonna be cheap. I might be wrong, but you can use either barrel extension with the MaTEN right? It uses the DPMS/SR25 mags and I believe it will work with either system no? I've read the battle of who has the better bolt Armalite or "the other" and it seems to go round and round with strong opinions from each side. Don't think you can go wrong with either. Again...if one of them was perfect....there wouldn't be the other.

Of course this would go up after I order a stock for my rifle, lol...but I'm still somewhat interested. Thinking about it for sure.

Excellent decision.

This is from Berger...something to play with. http://www.bergerbullets.com/litz/TwistRuleAlt.php

Speaking of kids...would you like to adopt a son, daughter in law and a grandson? I'd love to be in line to inherit your safe.

I don't get it...the exif data says those pictures were taken yesterday??? Ok, I didn't really check...but I might.

This year is a good year...though you might have to set aside a little money. $2k would probably cover it. All you gotta do is show up. We will take care of food, make sure you have a ride, and figure out where you can sleep. You bring a little spare cash for beer runs.

http://dsgarms.com/ProductInfo/LM308B220S.aspx Everything you are dying for...in stock. Go get her.

Yeah...I'm anti the upgrade robbery fee everyone wants to attach now. "We do good business...but for $40 more, we'll do it right"<------pisses me off.

Damn.....so you saw right through that one eh? Congratulations on the new purchase. You don't have to lie though...we all know you already took her home.

Yeah, but think of all the parts you're gonna buy with the heating/cooling savings you're gonna have! And a side note from my above post. UPS can lick my sack. They make it a real pain in the ass when the seller wants a signature. I get to drive 30miles to pick up the package that came the other day. And I have one more on Monday that will arrive for the first time and have to get held as well.

$5 says he's a lurker here. He knows what you've got your eye on.... ...as far as the optic....what's the worst that could happen if you buy it? You decide you aren't fond of it and you sell it on here(at a greatly reduced cost since we will all know that it must not be "all that" if you are parting with it). It's a win win. You get to to find out if its really for you, and someone here gets a great deal if it gets voted off the squared island.

CTR and ergo grip showed up today. omega rail, ssa-e and MOE rifle stock along with who knows what else I ordered came but left with ups due to lack of a signature. My 1000ml beaker and some aluminum potassium sulfate came today(this will be explained in a new thread shortly...got something I have to try). 14.5" Barrel assembly and a bunch of other goodies from bcm are still traveling the land. Oh, also had some spare CRKT knife parts show up today. A while back I got on their website to look up warranty info and you can order replacement small parts for free. They sent two new clips and screws for a couple of my older knives. That was a nice surprise.

Yeah...hard hats have their place. This stupid "all the time and everywhere" poop is killing me. We wear them on sites where I am in the middle of open land (native...not even being graded)...just because some douche decided we will all be safer with a giant heat magnifier strapped to your noggin. Even when there is no risk of anything falling...out of the clear blue sky. Make sure you stay cool and watch for heat illness...right, but keep that bakeware on your head.

Someday when my collection gets up there with Tom and R^2 I will have one of those. I keep wanting to send my MOE hand guards, a MIAD grip and my CTR in to get dipped in a nice burl wood to match the dash of my GMC. Haven't pulled the trigger on that thought yet, but I think that would be a fun one. Never seen it before.

I didn't give you much info about fixing the post. If you hit the edit button, you should be able to go in and just delete the line that has the duplicate photo in it.

I didn't see the notice for the house warming party. When were we supposed to get there?

<--------- Staying quite.

Just delete it? Edit to add... Sorry, forgot to say sweet rifle! That's a nice one for the toy box.

Damn you. I keep looking at that FDE VLTOR...I want one...

That's hot, but I can't have a 12.5" barrel. We are gonna look about like this. Just a little shorter on the barrel

I'm in trouble next month...my wife is gonna drop when the bills roll in. Just ordered Seekins trigger guards for all three lowers....and I'm anxiously awaiting ground shipments from about 4 different stores. Mags showed up today. First time I had ever seen the ups description "item left at ups facility...delivery rescheduled". Someone forgot a box...though, mags aren't much good without somewhere to put em.

Damn it...I might have decided to have my dad run the DD Omega rail instead of the CASV due to availability. If he doesn't like it I will steal it from him later. I also decided to pick up the SSA-E as an early birthday present to him. Got a MOE rifle stock on the way for mine. A load of bullet buttons and some knick knacks on the way too.

You're welcome. I think?