Finished 5.56 can

[Rich93ds]

I got my form one back and I am planning a simple six inch can for .223 with mostly off the shelf parts and a little machining done locally. For parts I have all SDTA parts - Muzzle Brake, Ti End Cap, Ti 5.6 Tube, Ti Spacer Pipe, Stainless Freeze Plugs (x15), Challenge Coin, Ti Front Cap. I know they are not the best parts but this is my first one and I needed somewhere to start. Don't judge me.

The host rifle will be a Sig 516 with the parts in my signature.



Here is the pile of parts I'm starting with.



I will be using a automotive tubing flair tool and a press to form the freeze plugs to as steep of a cone as I can get.


A
Here is the scale drawing I made initially when I was planning to use dome shaped baffles like the some of the surefire suppressor use. But now that I found a easy way to form cones I'm trying them first. I have enough freeze plugs to try two different designs. I will still be using 7 freeze plugs and the coin as a blast baffle.



lastly I will be taking the parts to a local machine shop after I form the freeze plugs to finish cut all of the bore holes, turn the end caps so they are more rounded on all the edges, and round the bore hole on the end of the suppressor, sandblast everything, and engrave the tube.


Now the questions- what is the consensus on vent holes in the baffles? Only the first few or what? And if I put two clips on every baffle or just a few will it be more quiet and not affect accuracy? And is there any benefit to use a really round baffle vs a 60° cone?

Thanks
Richard

[Rich93ds]

Well I made a quick attempt at forming a freeze plug. I drilled it with a centering tool and a new 1/8th in drill bit on my drill press. Then I tried using just the flair tool and it bottomed out after barely denting it. So I got a brass spacer and tried again That gave me a shallow cone. Then I arbitrarily stepped it up drywall nozzles. I think I was moving a little too fast because the hole is just a little bit off-center and reads at .214 I'm thinking because I'm going to final drill them mounted on a lathe at the Machine shop. So if it is a little bit off-center I think that will straighten it out if we drill it slow. So if it is a little bit off-center I think that will straighten it out if we drill it slow. I know the witness Mark from it being punched his way off-center but on the meter it is not that far.

Any input?

[Rich93ds]

[sickasssig]

Looking good take your time and be meticulous you don't want to have baffle strikes and may I suggest going with valve spring retainers as baffle there already center drilled and come in different alloys and no need for forming just my 2 cents happy shooting

[Rich93ds]

Looking good take your time and be meticulous you don't want to have baffle strikes and may I suggest going with valve spring retainers as baffle there already center drilled and come in different alloys and no need for forming just my 2 cents happy shooting

I thought about it and that was plan A. But most need turned down, Which would not be a real big deal But they are a little out of my budget at this moment. And I'm not going to weld the tube so I can try them down the road if I am not happy with how it performs.

[Enfield577]

If the holes are off centre the chances are that using a drill in the lathe would just ben a follow the hole, you would be best to use a milling cutter in the tail stock this would be more ridged and centre the holes

Good luck

[gunny50]

If the holes are off centre the chances are that using a drill in the lathe would just ben a follow the hole, you would be best to use a milling cutter in the tail stock this would be more ridged and centre the holes

Good luck

Enfield,
You are right, in the tailstock, but one can also use it as a boring bar in the tool holder.
That or using a mini boring bar.

Gunny

[Capt. Link.]

Looking good take your time and be meticulous you don't want to have baffle strikes and may I suggest going with valve spring retainers as baffle there already center drilled and come in different alloys and no need for forming just my 2 cents happy shooting

I thought about it and that was plan A. But most need turned down, Which would not be a real big deal But they are a little out of my budget at this moment. And I'm not going to weld the tube so I can try them down the road if I am not happy with how it performs.

You got to love the guy who states online he will commit a federal crime.........Derr

[mr fixit]

You got to love the guy who states online he will commit a federal crime.........Derr

Not a smart thing to do of course but he only has 6 post, he likely doesn't know. Most don't.

Rich, you get one shot at making a can. Once you have built it, you can't trade out parts to try to attempt to improve performance.

[Rich93ds]

I was under the impression that as long as you destroy the current ones before you make new ones you are good? Either way I'm still trying to figure out what will work best.

Here is attempt two (on the left), I tried to use a (crappy) ball peen hammer and my vise. Any constructive thoughts?

[mr fixit]

I was under the impression that as long as you destroy the current ones before you make new ones you are good?

NO.

Other than a manufacturing defect you can not replace parts. A man. defect,such as forming a freeze plug and it is off center, can be corrected by destroying the defectively made part and making a new one correctly. Once you have made useable parts, and have a finished assembly, you are done. You have no further legal ability to "re-make" parts.

[Capt. Link.]

Have you ever read the rules about making and owning a form 1 weapon.
It's time you do before your mailing address is sing sing.
-CL

[Rich93ds]

I was under the impression that as long as you destroy the current ones before you make new ones you are good?

NO.

Other than a manufacturing defect you can not replace parts. A man. defect,such as forming a freeze plug and it is off center, can be corrected by destroying the defectively made part and making a new one correctly. Once you have made useable parts, and have a finished assembly, you are done. You have no further legal ability to "re-make" parts.

I appreciate the information. Any input on my questions from the end of the first post or in the more recent ones? Now that I see that I only have one shot at getting this right, I want to make sure it comes out as good as possible.

[mr fixit]

I was under the impression that as long as you destroy the current ones before you make new ones you are good?

NO.

Other than a manufacturing defect you can not replace parts. A man. defect,such as forming a freeze plug and it is off center, can be corrected by destroying the defectively made part and making a new one correctly. Once you have made useable parts, and have a finished assembly, you are done. You have no further legal ability to "re-make" parts.

I appreciate the information. Any input on my questions from the end of the first post or in the more recent ones? Now that I see that I only have one shot at getting this right, I want to make sure it comes out as good as possible.

Let me dig out some pics on my computer. I'll show and tell how I do my freeze plugs. I press mine with a 20 ton press, although even a small 6 ton will work. Might take me a couple days to write it up though.

[Rich93ds]

I appreciate it. But you don't need to do all that if you don't want to. I only had a few questions. I plan on having all the freeze plugs formed by Monday so I can get it to the machine shop.

[mr fixit]

OK, the short version of what I do;

mark the center of the FP very carefully, center punch it, drill a 1/16 hole in center, then put the plug on a socket that just fits, take a 45* center from a gear puller and press fully.

seems to be more consistent than using a torx bit or ball bearing.

[Rich93ds]

OK, the short version of what I do;

mark the center of the FP very carefully, center punch it, drill a 1/16 hole in center, then put the plug on a socket that just fits, take a 45* center from a gear puller and press fully.

seems to be more consistent than using a torx bit or ball bearing.

Thanks. Did you clip any baffles or port any?

[Capt. Link.]

We just want you to understand the limitations of the form 1 process for your well being.

If you are going to a machine shop you should have each baffle bored like Gunny said.This is standard machine shop practice for a concentric hole.I would not make the passage very tight unless you have a near zero runout.A bent baffle or a hole in the side of the can is not a manufacturing defect and requires either another stamp or repair.I personally would not port a hemi shaped baffle.
-CL

[Bendersquint]

Other than a manufacturing defect you can not replace parts. A man. defect,such as forming a freeze plug and it is off center, can be corrected by destroying the defectively made part and making a new one correctly.

Can you cite this? As far as I have ever scene there is no discussion about manufacturing defects or the like for Form1 cans, SOT's have that ability but not Form1 individuals.

Once you have made useable parts, and have a finished assembly, you are done. You have no further legal ability to "re-make" parts.

Once a part is made thats it.....a Form1 holder has no legal ability to "remake" parts. That would be classified as a replacement part, and you know thats a no-no.

[mr fixit]

Other than a manufacturing defect you can not replace parts. A man. defect,such as forming a freeze plug and it is off center, can be corrected by destroying the defectively made part and making a new one correctly.

Can you cite this? As far as I have ever scene there is no discussion about manufacturing defects or the like for Form1 cans, SOT's have that ability but not Form1 individuals.

Once you have made useable parts, and have a finished assembly, you are done. You have no further legal ability to "re-make" parts.

Once a part is made thats it.....a Form1 holder has no legal ability to "remake" parts. That would be classified as a replacement part, and you know thats a no-no.

Bender, I agree with you on every point. I honestly believe we are saying the same thing, I think you have misunderstood what I said about a manufacturer defect.

What I meant is this, let's say I'm new to machining and start to build a K baffle on the lathe, if I make a mistake and cut into the bore at the transition from the skirt to the funnel leaving me with not a k baffle but rather a cone and a skirt, that is not a useable baffle and I can start again on that part.

If using freeze plugs, when I press and start to form a cone, I press .125" off center causing the cone to be incorrect and unusable, that is a defect in that the correct part I was attempting to make was never made.

I have no cite, I'm only using common sense, which I know is dangerous.

[mr fixit]

Other than a manufacturing defect you can not replace parts. A man. defect,such as forming a freeze plug and it is off center, can be corrected by destroying the defectively made part and making a new one correctly.

Can you cite this? As far as I have ever scene there is no discussion about manufacturing defects or the like for Form1 cans, SOT's have that ability but not Form1 individuals.

Once you have made useable parts, and have a finished assembly, you are done. You have no further legal ability to "re-make" parts.

Once a part is made thats it.....a Form1 holder has no legal ability to "remake" parts. That would be classified as a replacement part, and you know thats a no-no.

Bender, I agree with you on every point. I honestly believe we are saying the same thing, I think you have misunderstood what I said about a manufacturer defect.

What I meant is this, let's say I'm new to machining and start to build a K baffle on the lathe, if I make a mistake and cut into the bore at the transition from the skirt to the funnel leaving me with not a k baffle but rather a cone and a skirt, that is not a useable baffle and I can start again on that part.

If using freeze plugs, when I press and start to form a cone, I press .125" off center causing the cone to be incorrect and unusable, that is a defect in that the correct part I was attempting to make was never made.

I have no cite, I'm only using common sense, which I know is dangerous.

[Bendersquint]

Other than a manufacturing defect you can not replace parts. A man. defect,such as forming a freeze plug and it is off center, can be corrected by destroying the defectively made part and making a new one correctly.

Can you cite this? As far as I have ever scene there is no discussion about manufacturing defects or the like for Form1 cans, SOT's have that ability but not Form1 individuals.

Once you have made useable parts, and have a finished assembly, you are done. You have no further legal ability to "re-make" parts.

Once a part is made thats it.....a Form1 holder has no legal ability to "remake" parts. That would be classified as a replacement part, and you know thats a no-no.

Bender, I agree with you on every point. I honestly believe we are saying the same thing, I think you have misunderstood what I said about a manufacturer defect.

What I meant is this, let's say I'm new to machining and start to build a K baffle on the lathe, if I make a mistake and cut into the bore at the transition from the skirt to the funnel leaving me with not a k baffle but rather a cone and a skirt, that is not a useable baffle and I can start again on that part.

If using freeze plugs, when I press and start to form a cone, I press .125" off center causing the cone to be incorrect and unusable, that is a defect in that the correct part I was attempting to make was never made.

I have no cite, I'm only using common sense, which I know is dangerous.

When you start making the part it is a silencer part by definition.....when it is destroyed/damaged/manufacture defect what happens when you start again? Are you not REPLACING the baffle? If you say no you need to read the regs and the FAQ's, its laid out pretty clearly.

[mr fixit]

So when i chuck a bar of aluminum in a lathe, and my first operation is to turn the outside diameter to 1.495" to slide into my 1.5 ID tube, but i make a mistake and turn it to 1.395, that bar is a silencer part and i am stuck with it?

[Enfield577]

Deleted......figured it was not really my place to comment on US Law

Cheers

[c5_nc]

Your going to have mistakes on the freeze plugs if going that route unless you are using a jig or purchasing the freeze plugs that are already formed. Fixing a hole that is already off centered is not an easy task. The people making freeze plug cans are generally doing so under the assumption they can destroy the materials during the making process before the suppressor is complete. Definitely can't replace the parts out of the completed can later, I took the OP's comment as he may apply for another tax stamp and build a different VR can at some point in the future. Getting back to his build, he cuts some spacers and forms 10 freeze plugs for it. Turns out his can will only fit 7 plugs with the spacers he made. He destroys the 3 extras so as not have to have extra parts, and assembles/makes his completed suppressor. Of the ones he destroys he would likely pick the off centered ones.