[FAST & EASY] How to Cut a 1911 Frame for a Beavertail with the Krebs Fixture

The Krebs 1911 Beavertail Fixture is now manufactured and sold by EGW Inc. and allows you to easily machine 1911 frames for .250", .245" and .220" true radius beavertails. This jig will not work for Wilson or compound radius beavertails.

Video Contents

00:00 - Intro
00:30 - Initial Setup of Fixture in the Mill
01:27 - Inserting the Frame Into the Fixture
02:40 - Setting the Frame Tension
03:46 - Cutting the Tangs
05:27 - Removing the Frame from the Fixture
06:46 - Cutting a Second Frame

This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to cut your 1911 frame for a beavertail. Simply setup the fixture in your mill, insert your frame and machine the tangs off.

The fixture can be found here:

https://egwguns.com/krebs-beavertail-fixture

Step by Step Guide:
1. Make sure your vise jaws are clean and insert the Krebs beavertail fixture into the vise jaws of the mill. Make sure the fixture is level.
2. Move the table so your 3/8” endmill inserts freely into the slotted hole in the top of the fixture.
3. Adjust your Z so the bottom of the endmill touches the bottom of the fixture.
4. Move your Z up so the cutter clears the fixture while milling and adjust the stop.
5. Insert the aluminum spacer into the 1911 frame to keep the tangs from compressing when tightening the tension screw.
6. Add a drop of oil on the outside of the frame tangs and the pivot hole to keep the frame from galling when clamped.
7. Insert the frame into the fixture with the dust cover facing left. The frame pivots on the thumb safety hole.
8. Tighten the clamp screw until you feel a slight drag on the frame when rotating.
9. Insert the pivot pin into the clamp screw.
10. Rotate the frame so it touches the angled cutout in the fixture. This is the starting position of the frame.
11. Place the .510” Diameter Disc on the pivot pin. This allows you to set a stop point on your X axis.
12. Move your X so the endmill touches the edge of the Diameter Disc, this is now your X(0).
13. Zero the X on your DRO.
14. Move the table back so the cutter is at the right side of the slot cutout in the fixture and allow the endmill to return to it’s upright position.
15. Remove the .510 Disc.
16. The cutter should still be positioned at the right side of the slot, you can now bring the cutter down in Z axis.
17. Cinch the quill to secure the cutter at depth.
18. Turn the mill on to 500 RPM.
19. Move the X axis toward the X(0) that was set earlier. We recommend a stepover of .010”.
20. With the cutter in place and the mill on, you can rotate the frame clockwise to start removing material.
21. Make sure to return the frame to the start position before taking another pass.
22. Keep making passes until you return to the preset X(0).
23. Your frame is now cut and can be removed from the fixture.
24. If you are cutting more frames, repeat steps 5-10 then 16-22.
25. If you are not cutting more frames, turn the mill off, release the quill and remove the fixture from the vise.