This is just for the hobbyist who likes making things even if they only cost $20 bucks or so.
It is a rainy day here in Nova Scotia and a few days back I purchased my first SKS (1953 Tula). I want to take it to the range within the next week and sight this bad boy in. After some research I discovered a tool was produced to change the elevation and windage. I could just use needle nose pliers and a brass drift, but being a tool guy I quickly went to eBay and the internet and saw them for $15.00 to $20 plus shipping. That could take a few weeks from the US, so i decided that maybe I could fabricate one .
I am by no means a machinist, but I do have most of the toys and some left over steel stock lying around and a lazy Sunday morning to kill. Any constructive criticism and machining tips would be appreciated.
Here's finished product:
For the home shop machinist or tinkerer here’s the step by step directions:
Materials: 3/8" x 4" UNF grade 5 bolt with 1" of thread. 1 piece of 2" x 3/4" round steel stock and one 7/32" x 1 3/4" split pin. Note that other materials and sizes can be used. This is just what I had in the garage.
ELEVATION TOOL PORTION
Mount bolt in lathe and part off the hex 1/2" below head.
Face the end of bolt and then turn the first 1" down to a diameter of 0.330" (This gives 0.020" clearance in top of sight hole). Surface file or emery cloth smooth.
Center drill and then drill a 1/8" OD x 3/4" deep hole in end of bolt.
Flip bolt around in chuck and turn down threads to 0.275" diameter for roughly 1/8" along its length.
Mount bolt in milling machine and cut a 1/8" slot 0.150" deep in the non threaded end. I used a woodruff key cutter.
Optional; mill two 1/2" x 0.075" deep flats, 180 degrees apart, just up from the end of the reduced diameter.
Drill a #2 hole through the center of the flat.
Wire wheel the part to remove any burrs and then pound in the split pin. The tool to adjust elevation is now complete.
WINDAGE PORTION
Cut a piece of 2" round stock 3/4" long (will allow for facing).
Mount in lathe and face both sides and reduce thickness to 5/8"
Center drill and then drill a 3/4" hole through center of stock
Mount (narrow dimension up) in milling vise and face off two flats 180 degrees apart and 0.200" in depth.
Center drill and then drill a letter Q hole down through the center of the upper flat face and then completely through the lower portion and out the bottom. Leave piece in vise and switch to a 25/64" drill and drill only through the top half.
Flip piece over and tap the letter Q hole with a 3/8" UNF tap.
Mount 2" stock (flats against vise jaws) in vise and using the 3/4" hole as the extremes of the cut; mill the round hole square. I used a 1/2" diameter end mill to rough out the hole and then finished off the non threaded end with a 1/8" end mill. The smaller radius makes the bearing side flatter and more square.
Mount a 1/2" round nose end mill and relieve the non threaded end to account for the round sight housing. Infringe approximately 1/8" down into the 25/64" hole.
Aggressively wire wheel the part to deburr and then install the elevation adjuster. The tool is complete and works like a charm on my sights.
One thing I would do differently (and may yet) is to use something longer with more leverage for the handle.
Good luck with the project, it should take a few hours to do with the directions. You do not require all these machine tool, but it helps.
It is a rainy day here in Nova Scotia and a few days back I purchased my first SKS (1953 Tula). I want to take it to the range within the next week and sight this bad boy in. After some research I discovered a tool was produced to change the elevation and windage. I could just use needle nose pliers and a brass drift, but being a tool guy I quickly went to eBay and the internet and saw them for $15.00 to $20 plus shipping. That could take a few weeks from the US, so i decided that maybe I could fabricate one .
I am by no means a machinist, but I do have most of the toys and some left over steel stock lying around and a lazy Sunday morning to kill. Any constructive criticism and machining tips would be appreciated.
Here's finished product:
For the home shop machinist or tinkerer here’s the step by step directions:
Materials: 3/8" x 4" UNF grade 5 bolt with 1" of thread. 1 piece of 2" x 3/4" round steel stock and one 7/32" x 1 3/4" split pin. Note that other materials and sizes can be used. This is just what I had in the garage.
ELEVATION TOOL PORTION
Mount bolt in lathe and part off the hex 1/2" below head.
Face the end of bolt and then turn the first 1" down to a diameter of 0.330" (This gives 0.020" clearance in top of sight hole). Surface file or emery cloth smooth.
Center drill and then drill a 1/8" OD x 3/4" deep hole in end of bolt.
Flip bolt around in chuck and turn down threads to 0.275" diameter for roughly 1/8" along its length.
Mount bolt in milling machine and cut a 1/8" slot 0.150" deep in the non threaded end. I used a woodruff key cutter.
Optional; mill two 1/2" x 0.075" deep flats, 180 degrees apart, just up from the end of the reduced diameter.
Drill a #2 hole through the center of the flat.
Wire wheel the part to remove any burrs and then pound in the split pin. The tool to adjust elevation is now complete.
WINDAGE PORTION
Cut a piece of 2" round stock 3/4" long (will allow for facing).
Mount in lathe and face both sides and reduce thickness to 5/8"
Center drill and then drill a 3/4" hole through center of stock
Mount (narrow dimension up) in milling vise and face off two flats 180 degrees apart and 0.200" in depth.
Center drill and then drill a letter Q hole down through the center of the upper flat face and then completely through the lower portion and out the bottom. Leave piece in vise and switch to a 25/64" drill and drill only through the top half.
Flip piece over and tap the letter Q hole with a 3/8" UNF tap.
Mount 2" stock (flats against vise jaws) in vise and using the 3/4" hole as the extremes of the cut; mill the round hole square. I used a 1/2" diameter end mill to rough out the hole and then finished off the non threaded end with a 1/8" end mill. The smaller radius makes the bearing side flatter and more square.
Mount a 1/2" round nose end mill and relieve the non threaded end to account for the round sight housing. Infringe approximately 1/8" down into the 25/64" hole.
Aggressively wire wheel the part to deburr and then install the elevation adjuster. The tool is complete and works like a charm on my sights.
One thing I would do differently (and may yet) is to use something longer with more leverage for the handle.
Good luck with the project, it should take a few hours to do with the directions. You do not require all these machine tool, but it helps.
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