Monkey metal and pot metal?
 

I've heard the term "monkey metal" and "pot metal" being used more than once, and I was wondering "what the hell is that. Monkey metal? that's ridiculous". So can anyone shed some light on this? thanks.

Cast zinc alloy.

Aw, for FUCK SAKES. thanks guys. That saved me a bit of money...

This has to do with airsoft how?

Metal bodies for AEG's, metal GBB's, mechboxes, outerbarrels, etc. There are some steel parts out there, but for cast parts they're usually a zinc-based alloy. Easy to injection mould and easy to finish.

....and considerably easier to break.

Yep, you can snap a "metal" slide with your bare hands without a lot of force.
I hate this.

Commonly referred to as "white metal" as well.

Always trying to bring down the white man eh stalker!! :razz:



Anyways I wish they didn't use this crap. I'd happly pay more for better metel parts. This is the reason I'm sketchy on doing maintance on my M24 cause I don't want the threads to strip.

just be careful not to over tighten/cross thread the screws and you should be ok

http://www.ascarmoury.com/advanced_s...keywords=steel

mmmm steel...... agagag......

HoJo, find me a steel M24 reciever and I'll be your best friend. Hell, I might even put on that french maid outfit you like so much.

Ok this joke needs to be killed right now before it gets out of hand.

I think it already has!

Ghillie, just remember that Heli-Coils are your best friend!

Shooter's Design claims to make their USP Tactical slide out of steel. Does anyone know if there's any truth behind this? I REALLY don't wanna dish out $250 on a Slide that someone could break with their bare hands.

Yeah. I'd definately dish out $700+ for an fmu that is made from TOP quality materials. I'm really tired of this mediocre "not much better than abs slide, but costs $200 more" bull shit.

Most metal slides (from what it appears to me, my G19 slide an example) is made out out of aluminim. Am sure some might be pot metal, but I doubt it due to the nature of the GBB, fair amount of stress placed on the slide during normal useage. Shooters Design, no idea, but steel is heavier and will cycle slower (if at all, case in point duster might not cycle a heavy steel slide).

Quiet cracker.

Jk, I'm white too. :(

You have them in you m24 right? How much do they cost to have them installed?

You just buy a Heli Coil kit and insert them yourself.

Most companies (including Shooters Design) make there metal slides out of milled solid piece 7075 Aluminum. As I understand it, it is a very high quality and light aluminum alloy. Common uses seem to be golf clubs, airplane parts, and well pretty much any thing that needs to be strong and light. Plenty strong enough for a GBB and light enough to cycle properly.

Definitely not "pot metal" though I am sure some companies may, and probably do use much cheaper metals, so buyers should do there research I guess.

I believe KJW is a big user of pot metal in their GBBs. The only steel slide I can think of off the top of my head is Guarder's G26 steel slide and barrel... it's tiny, but it weighs a freakin' ton.

Well yeah, most GBB that come full metal use pot metal, which is why I avoid KJW. Most after market parts are good though. On a side note I have never seen any after market parts that are steel before, I bet the weight on guarders G26 slide you mentioned is awesome. Although I am surprised it can cycle it okay, I'm pretty sure that is why aluminum is used instead of steal.

Also, what brand of GBB is the Guarder slide for? I am interested in seeing it. May have to get one if it looks nice. :)

Shooters Design slides are made from CNC milled Aluminum. Thats why they are $250 to $350 usually, as opposed to the cheap $100 ones. Totally worth the money however.

Prime slides are also CNCed Aluminum and I got mine for about $120. The difference I believe is that Shooter's Design slides are better designed, requiring much less modification to fit on the gun.

Another reason I personally avoid TM at all costs is a piece of steel has probably never gone through their factory. Hell, with their logic, the building is probably plastic.

I know CA may not use top not shit but I took an MP5 metal body and tried pretty damn hard to break it with my hands and on a table and it's pretty solid.

Prime slides are also CNCed Aluminum and I got mine for about $120. The difference I believe is that Shooter's Design slides are better designed, requiring much less modification to fit on the gun.

The Guarder steel slide and barrel are for the TM G26. Check it: http://www.intrudershop.com/show_pro...p?idproduct=55

I borrow the tools and heli-coils form work and install them myself. Yes, am spoiled. LIke I tell people, I've gone through all the mistakes and fixes with the CA M24 so I can pass the GOOD info on to guys like you to save you the hassle.

Is it hard to do? I was never very good in the metal shop in high school. What's the chances of me fucking it up and destroying my receiver? Also does it matter if the original threads are striped or not when you do it. If not, I'll just wait until my threads strip, then give this a try.

With all this talk of helicoils, I thought I'd do some searching. A nice writeup: http://www.roadstarmagazine.com/modu...rticle&sid=233

I'm contemplating a tools section for the ASCArmoury.

Section containing hex key sets, hammer punches (so much better than belting a hex key with a mag), and specialized pliers I've found particularly useful in airsoft repair. I'm also collecting various fasteners and orings. I could even carry a few helicoil sets. Unfortunately they're not cheap. Inserts cost a buck or two each and the tap usually runs around $15 from tool suppliers.

One thing I really want to do is get some custom punches made. I'm thinking of steel punches with nylon tips so you have a punch stiff enough to bash out most pins with a soft tip which doesn't scratch off the blueing on your black pins.

that would be swell Carl, i'm sure you would have alot of people lining up to grab those items.

Thanks for the link, I may have to get a G26 now. Very nice :-D

I do believe CNC Milled just means its milled from a solid piece of metal instead of an injection mold and doesn't have to do with the metal type, but hey I have been wrong before.

One way to optimize CNC manufacturing is to cast a metal part then finish mill it. The casting creates a blank which takes care of most of the metal removal that a CNC job from billet stock would (time really = money in CNC). The CNC passes are mostly finish passes to mill out accurate features with the desired surface quality.

Some metal slides are CNC'd from cast blanks. While the critical features are accurate (rail grooves etc) their material will not be as strong as age hardened 6xxx or 7xxx aluminum billet stock. Still, I've never seen a broken CNC'd slide yet.

Thanks for the clarification on exactly what CNC Milled means.

doesn't CNC stand for "Computer Numeric Control" ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cnc :|

yeah, i kinda thought it meant a computer controlled milling device...

Yep, CNC stands for Computer Numeric Control. It's a generic term most often applied to automated machining. Before CNC there was NC which stood for Numeric Control. Machine operators punched in coordinate commands to feed machines operations one step at a time. Then they hooked up tape feed machines which read off steps in sequence (I think still called NC). Then they got rid of the tape readers and moved to computer instruction feed (CNC).

Funny thing is that modern CNC still has vestiges of the tape reel language called GCode which is still in use. GCode is a modal language which means if I instruct:

G01 X2 Y6 Z5 (go to coords 2,6,5)
X4 Y4 (now go to coords 4,4,5)

the linear move to position 1 (instructed by G01) is followed by a linear move to 4,4,5 without restating the G01 instruction or even the "Z" coordinate (which hasn't changed).

The ultimate in spaghetti code goodness as many modern programming languages do not assume implied commands as GCode does. The reason GCode allows implied commands and positions is that it required less manual keying in NC systems and less hole punching in the old tape and reel setups which ran a physical tape with holes in it! Funny bit of codecrap to carry over into the computerized machining era.

Now much of the GCode sent to CNC machines is generated by CAD extensions which crank out GCode based on solid or 2d model. Still many of the modal features persist.

Damn, that's really complex. I'm assuming it's a very costly process too.

not really, if i recall correctly. the machine itself is costly, and perhaps getting someone to design your piece, but after that... you put in the correct size metal, and the computer handles the rest as many times as you'd like.