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[COBrien]

Howdy folks! My name is Chase, and I'm delving into the world of 80% receivers with a bit of goading by my father in law.

I've built a couple of small frame ARs from 4473'ed lowers, and my FIL started asking me about 80s. So I decided he and I will build a rifle for him this year for Christmas. From an 80% lower (which he will do all machining work on).

I've ordered up an Easy Jig G2 and the necessary tools, and just pulled the trigger on a raw 80% Cerro lower and raw Cerro upper from RTB. I'm planning on having both the 80% and the upper anodized at the same time by a local anodizing shop (trying to ensure a good color match, and I ordered deep safety engraving).

My first question: Are raw receivers ready to be anodized as-received? Or is there some fine finishing that needs to be done beforehand?

I look forward to learning a lot about 80%s and the process. Maybe even contribute a bit once I learn some stuff.

[Jefe]

Howdy folks! My name is Chase, and I'm delving into the world of 80% receivers with a bit of goading by my father in law.

I've built a couple of small frame ARs from 4473'ed lowers, and my FIL started asking me about 80s. So I decided he and I will build a rifle for him this year for Christmas. From an 80% lower (which he will do all machining work on).

I've ordered up an Easy Jig G2 and the necessary tools, and just pulled the trigger on a raw 80% Cerro lower and raw Cerro upper from RTB. I'm planning on having both the 80% and the upper anodized at the same time by a local anodizing shop (trying to ensure a good color match, and I ordered deep safety engraving).

My first question: Are raw receivers ready to be anodized as-received? Or is there some fine finishing that needs to be done beforehand?

I look forward to learning a lot about 80%s and the process. Maybe even contribute a bit once I learn some stuff.

Welcome, Chase! The anodizing shop should do any surface prep work but some raw receivers need more work than others. For example, I used a Nodak Spud receiver and it needed to have some casting flashing sanded off. If you're going to have the receivers engraved you might want to do that before they are machined into "firearms" so any engraving shop can do the work and not just a shop with a license to do so. The same goes for the anodizing. If it is machined into a lower receiver the shop will need a license to work on firearms. Cause government.

[COBrien]

Welcome, Chase! The anodizing shop should do any surface prep work but some raw receivers need more work than others. For example, I used a Nodak Spud receiver and it needed to have some casting flashing sanded off. If you're going to have the receivers engraved you might want to do that before they are machined into "firearms" so any engraving shop can do the work and not just a shop with a license to do so. The same goes for the anodizing. If it is machined into a lower receiver the shop will need a license to work on firearms. Cause government.

Thanks for the warm welcome, Jefe!

As far as the FFL restrictions, I've already considered that. Fortunately, both my local jeweler/engraver/gun pusher and the local anodizing shop are FFLs. Having said that, though, I think I'll go ahead and have any engraving and anodizing done before any work is completed on the lower.

[Jefe]

Welcome, Chase! The anodizing shop should do any surface prep work but some raw receivers need more work than others. For example, I used a Nodak Spud receiver and it needed to have some casting flashing sanded off. If you're going to have the receivers engraved you might want to do that before they are machined into "firearms" so any engraving shop can do the work and not just a shop with a license to do so. The same goes for the anodizing. If it is machined into a lower receiver the shop will need a license to work on firearms. Cause government.

Thanks for the warm welcome, Jefe!

As far as the FFL restrictions, I've already considered that. Fortunately, both my local jeweler/engraver/gun pusher and the local anodizing shop are FFLs. Having said that, though, I think I'll go ahead and have any engraving and anodizing done before any work is completed on the lower.

If your guys can do the work after machining then definitely do that. You don't want to put money into engraving and then have the possibility of screwing up the lower, especially on your first one(s). And ideally anodizing should be done after machining so the parts you drill/mill will be anodized and dyed too.