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As I work up toward the goal of completely assembling an AR from individual components and blanks, I find myself short on a few things and need some advice.
First, what I have:
--Wheeler 156559 Ultra AR Armorer's Toolkit - no screwdrivers, no Allen wrenches, no staking tools, but other than that had everything I needed to build a lower, and other than a bench-mount vise could hsndle knocking an upper together too.
--Allied 66527 Ratcheting Driver Set - couldn't get the hex-bits to engage with my grip-screw, ended up using a Torx, which seemed to work very well.
--EP Armory Jig and Bit Set - bought these for technology familiarization--the 5D jig is on my To Buy list, but I wanted something cheap and expendable to find out if I'm up to the job first. Figured if I could find one to take a 1/2" bit, since I'm big on portable "workshop in a bag" toolkits so I can work on builds while on the road, this thing and a cheap cordless drill would be ideal for an "agile polymer-blank toolkit."
Tools with specific intent to acquire, waiting on budget:
--Spare Allen-wrench set.
--Needlenose pliers.
--M-Guns MOACKS gas-carrier-key staking tool
--EZ Accuracy gas-block dimple tool
--5D Tactical jig - looks heavy and less "mobile," but intended as an "eat any lower I care to feed it while home" tool and not for much mobility.
--Porter-Cable PCE6435 or DeWalt DWP611 router - for 5D jig.
--Some kind of small shop-vac.
--Upper-receiver flat polisher.
Where I'm completely clueless:
--Some kind of tool, whether hand drill, drill plus guide, or mini drill-press, that can handle EP's 7/16" end-mill. Needs to knock down to fit into a sweater box at most, preferably not much more than a shoebox, and I don't want to pay more than $75, preferably no more than $50, since this is meant as a "find out if I'm really game for this BEFORE I buy the expensive stuff" tool.
--Some kind of small vise, heavy and deep enough to grab the EP jig sideplates but still "travel friendly."
--Any other tools I need to add to this list, and suggestions to fill them? Bear in mind, as I said I'd like to keep things small, compact and mobile so that if my mother gets called into Seattle for a weekend of overtime and insists on dragging me with her, since I apparently have to do all her thinking and memory in addition to my own , then I can grab the toolbag and the parts-bag and get back to work as soon as the Evil Old Crab is settled into the hotel room.
First, what I have:
--Wheeler 156559 Ultra AR Armorer's Toolkit - no screwdrivers, no Allen wrenches, no staking tools, but other than that had everything I needed to build a lower, and other than a bench-mount vise could hsndle knocking an upper together too.
--Allied 66527 Ratcheting Driver Set - couldn't get the hex-bits to engage with my grip-screw, ended up using a Torx, which seemed to work very well.
--EP Armory Jig and Bit Set - bought these for technology familiarization--the 5D jig is on my To Buy list, but I wanted something cheap and expendable to find out if I'm up to the job first. Figured if I could find one to take a 1/2" bit, since I'm big on portable "workshop in a bag" toolkits so I can work on builds while on the road, this thing and a cheap cordless drill would be ideal for an "agile polymer-blank toolkit."
Tools with specific intent to acquire, waiting on budget:
--Spare Allen-wrench set.
--Needlenose pliers.
--M-Guns MOACKS gas-carrier-key staking tool
--EZ Accuracy gas-block dimple tool
--5D Tactical jig - looks heavy and less "mobile," but intended as an "eat any lower I care to feed it while home" tool and not for much mobility.
--Porter-Cable PCE6435 or DeWalt DWP611 router - for 5D jig.
--Some kind of small shop-vac.
--Upper-receiver flat polisher.
Where I'm completely clueless:
--Some kind of tool, whether hand drill, drill plus guide, or mini drill-press, that can handle EP's 7/16" end-mill. Needs to knock down to fit into a sweater box at most, preferably not much more than a shoebox, and I don't want to pay more than $75, preferably no more than $50, since this is meant as a "find out if I'm really game for this BEFORE I buy the expensive stuff" tool.
--Some kind of small vise, heavy and deep enough to grab the EP jig sideplates but still "travel friendly."
--Any other tools I need to add to this list, and suggestions to fill them? Bear in mind, as I said I'd like to keep things small, compact and mobile so that if my mother gets called into Seattle for a weekend of overtime and insists on dragging me with her, since I apparently have to do all her thinking and memory in addition to my own , then I can grab the toolbag and the parts-bag and get back to work as soon as the Evil Old Crab is settled into the hotel room.
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