# Made my first part for a customer!



## 65arboc (Jul 23, 2014)

Co worker has a Ruger SR 22 P that wouldn't cycle consistently. He thought it might be the Plastic pin inside the follower spring was hanging up so I made a new one out of aluminium. It was a easy 20 minute job on my MicroMark and a good learning project for duplicating the part. He's going to try it out tonight and let me know if it solved the problem.

Jim in Pa


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## drs23 (Jul 23, 2014)

Cool. If it works for him and solves this ongoing issue he's been having *WORD WILL GET OUT!

*You could end up being a busy, busy guy.


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## zmotorsports (Jul 23, 2014)

Awesome.  That is how it all starts.

I started out by just working on my own race car and motorcycles.  Then one by one fellow racers and friends of fellow racers started asking me to do odds and ends for them.  Now I have been in business for 17 years as a side/part-time business trying to go full-time and get out of the corporate world.

Let us know how it turns out.

Mike.


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## Whyemier (Jul 23, 2014)

Made two similar pins for a friends 40 & 9mm. A nice project to start on and satisfying when he told me "They never  worked better!"


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## 65arboc (Jul 24, 2014)

He said it worked like a charm.)


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## zmotorsports (Jul 24, 2014)

Awesome!!!  Job well done and a happy customer.

Mike.


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## NEL957 (Jul 25, 2014)

The only problem with aluminum is the spring going back and forth might start to guald. Stainless would be an excellent metal for that. 

Congratulation and hope your business continues to grow. 

Nelson Collar


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## High-Side (Jul 26, 2014)

Stainless, or have the aluminum hard-coat anodized.



NEL957 said:


> The only problem with aluminum is the spring going back and forth might start to guald. Stainless would be an excellent metal for that.
> 
> Congratulation and hope your business continues to grow.
> 
> Nelson Collar


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## dan12 (Jul 26, 2014)

NEL957 said:


> The only problem with aluminum is the spring going back and forth might start to guald. Stainless would be an excellent metal for that.
> 
> Congratulation and hope your business continues to grow.
> 
> Nelson Collar





High-Side said:


> Stainless, or have the aluminum hard-coat anodized.



SS ftw)


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## High-Side (Jul 26, 2014)

As I mentioned, SS would probably perform fine as a spring guide, but some folks may have a hard time working with stainless due to lack of machine rigidity(read MicroMark Lathe), proper tooling for SS, and  it's tendencies to work-harden, etc.
I make a lot of parts from 304ss for a large dairy, and have a bit of experience with it.
The tooling industry I'm in here in the Detroit area uses hard anodizing (with Teflon over it, but cost is higher) for aluminum moving parts because it's not that expensive, and makes a nice hard-wearing surface(over 65 Rockwell) that's better suited his particular application.
This is by no means meant as a negative towards OP's machinery, skills, , etc.

Nice looking parts, Jim


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## NEL957 (Jul 27, 2014)

My suggestion of SS was because I tend to like it, but I have a larger lathe and have not experienced tool hardening. 
I in no way was downing this quality of machining. On the other hand is they start to have wear problems, just make a new one. Job security!
I hope you expertise grow into something to make you real happy. 
If you enjoy what you do for a living, you will never work a day in your life.
Nelson Collar


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## 65arboc (Jul 28, 2014)

NEL957 said:


> My suggestion of SS was because I tend to like it, but I have a larger lathe and have not experienced tool hardening.
> I in no way was downing this quality of machining. On the other hand is they start to have wear problems, just make a new one. Job security!
> I hope you expertise grow into something to make you real happy.
> If you enjoy what you do for a living, you will never work a day in your life.
> Nelson Collar


Nelson,

You nailed it, Just make another. I do have a SB 9" that I restored that I'm sure would do SS just fine. The fact is the customer brought me a piece of aluminum rod and said can you make this out of this? That's why I used aluminum to start with. Thanks to all for the praise and comments. I only hope I can do as well on my next project, milling out a head gasket from soft aluminum for a 2cyl antique out board motor. Again my first milling job for a customer. This will have to be all manual control as I don't have CNC on my mill:bitingnails:. Oh well aluminum is cheap and I need the practice. It should be fun. If it ends up to be work I'll just set it aside for another day. I have a rotary table coming so that should make it easier. I will get some pics for you guys when I get started.

Have a great day!

Jim in Pa


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## ray hampton (Jul 28, 2014)

buying a pistol for self-defense with this plastic part should call for a replacement part


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