BW Custom Trilogy

[superman]

I took a chance on a beat up trilogy body a little over a year ago on ebay. Paid $33.56 for it shipped to my door.
Outside of the body was sanded raw, with a very weak attempt at polishing it. I didn't really have any thing specific in mind other than using it as a test bed for mill work.
Well i finally got around cutting on the body some the last couple of months.

Posted 6/1 that the body had been minied, ram mount removed, feedneck modded and the sight rail rounded. I really had bigger plans and didn't think it would happen as quickly as it did.
Pics below show how rough the body actually was.




Anyway i found some time to machine a body fixture. Which didn't turn out fantastic, but well enough to get this sucker cut and looking significantly better. There is still some clean up and refining that needs to be done, but it is a night and day difference from the $30 body that landed on my porch a year ago.

I ended up having a 0.020" blem in the feedneck due to cutting the first op touching off the feedneck bore instead of the vise. I need to update the cad model, but overall super happy with how it turned out. More stuff to come in the future for sure, but for now enjoy the pics.

[Psycho91]

Nice

[Grendel]

Awesome, looks good to me glad to see you and Edward are making progress on this!

[ChuckLove]

Awesome work Jake!

[MrBarraclough]

Did this start out as a Trilogy SF body? Is that hole on the right side of the breech for eyes?

[superman]

No it started as a sport. I drilled and tapped the hole for a 2nd detent because i could.

[William the Third]

"Because I could" is my favorite reason for doing anything.

[MrBarraclough]

Wow, that really highlights how much you milled down the body then.

[latches109]

next stop windows!

[superman]

next stop windows!

I was waiting on the tool to come in. We shall see what this weekend has in store.


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[minimag03]

How do you feel about pocketed window milling like the Orracle? I don't think anyone else has integrated this into their patterns. It's got potential for certain patterns/styles and could help sent your offerings apart.

[minimag03]

Nice! The body oddly reminds me of a Merlin roundbody, with the ledge that extends from the rounded bottom tube to meet the frame.

Hot take: realize you're probably doing this more for experience and fun rather than product/service development, but round bodies are overdone and boring. This is especially evident on an 11/16 where the milling cannot contour to the valve chambers (like ID's WGP FLE or OG Twister minus the twist) They'll always sell well but I hope to see some truly original patterns from you once you hit your stride 🤙

[Magmoormaster]

That is super coo!! I look forward to seeing it with windows. I'm also impressed with how much weight you took off, but at the same time I'm curious how much a front block and banjo would add back on.

[superman]

That is super coo!! I look forward to seeing it with windows. I'm also impressed with how much weight you took off, but at the same time I'm curious how much a front block and banjo would add back on.

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[superman]

@MrBarraclough This may show it a bit better at least for the area behind the feedneck.

[MrBarraclough]

Daaaaaamn. That's an awful lot of meat off the body. Daring to dream big here.

[superman]

Well boys here is #2
This one is a bit beefier at the bottom so it lines up with more frame options.

Still working on getting the tool paths nailed down, but getting there quickly. I set one setting to avoid the feedneck, which then resulted in the tiny 0.005" lip on the front and back of the body.
I need to cut the undercut a bit closer, left a little extra to make sure i wasn't going to get to close. Then i need to tap the 2nd detent hole. It is already drilled and bored. Finally need to remove all the rest of the paint crap on and in the body.

A couple of semi before pics at the bottom. Entire body was covered in spray paint, primer and clear coat.

[Magmoormaster]

Man, you're making me feel things.....

I always wanted to mill down a trilogy like this, but keep the sight rail and the front end.

[Psycho91]

I'm with you on the front end but I think cocker bodies look better without a sight rail, unless it's and old right feed

[Frmrspec]

Looking good! If you can, threadmill the detent. It will take ever so slightly longer but produce a better result that you can “tune” to fit

[superman]

Looking good! If you can, threadmill the detent. It will take ever so slightly longer but produce a better result that you can “tune” to fit

Already in the works. The banjo was threadmilled. I just have to confirm I can do it with the same threadmill. Pretty sure I can.

Edit: I actually think i have to get a different threadmill as the one i have for the banjo threads is larger than the hole detent minor diameter.