Thanks for the post. I find this very interesting since I have not been around the manufacturing process before.
Sbardella Arms in progress shop photos...
All the cool pistol smiths/custom shops on here seem to have their own picture threads. I enjoy following these and seeing all the great work and talent displayed from other smiths. I'm starting this thread to show some of the work we do here at Sbardella Arms.
This week we are machining frames. Notice how this forging has been blanchard ground on the sides, which is the first step in the machining process:
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After several operations, the blank now has the front radius cuts, checkering, and mag well machined:
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Clamped in fixture for next machining operation:
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I paused the machine here to show the big saw that cuts the slot in the back of the frame for the ignition components:
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Here the part is in another machine, getting a bunch of detailed work done in a 4th axis rotary:
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This week we are machining frames. Notice how this forging has been blanchard ground on the sides, which is the first step in the machining process:
After several operations, the blank now has the front radius cuts, checkering, and mag well machined:
Clamped in fixture for next machining operation:
I paused the machine here to show the big saw that cuts the slot in the back of the frame for the ignition components:
Here the part is in another machine, getting a bunch of detailed work done in a 4th axis rotary:
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I was surprised as well about the early checkering, but did not want to reveal the totality of my ignorance
This is the way that works best for our process, but not necessarily the best for every company. We are producing these in very low quantities (practically one at a time) so I can take care not to damage the checkering on a different machine last. If you were setting up a production process to machine frames in high quantity it would probably be more efficient to crank out the raw frames on a horizontal machining center and do the checkering last in another machine. It really depends on your available equipment and the quantity you are producing.I was surprised as well about the early checkering, but did not want to reveal the totality of my ignorance
Here I am dressing the wheel on the surface grinder, preparing to finish grind the sides. For those "in the know", yes that is a radius dressing attachment. I am not dressing a radius, just dusting off the wheel for a flat grind.
Grinding the part:
Attachments
I am CNC broaching (or more accurately, "shaper cutting") the mag well and trigger track. Here is the big ol' shaper cutter for the mag well:
And here is the "fish tail" shaper cutter for the trigger track. It's a custom tool made to my specifications:
@pistolwretch I enjoy following your build thread, you do amazing work!
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