Has anyone ever taken a regular jaw traps & milled out an offset? I’m thinking that a router fitted w/ a good bit made for steel or a bur could be used. If I centered a bit or bur down the middle of the closed jaws, that would create a any size offset desired followed by grinding & jaw laminations. I have 200+ #3 dbl’s with closed jaws I’ve picked up at a very fair price & plan to add PIT pans, lams, good chain w/ swivels for use on the coyote / cat line. I know I have the option of welding lugs or a bead to offset but would really like to hear from anyone who has actually milled out an offset.

Milling is not done with a router!Milling steel is done at very low speed,compared to the very high speed of a router that is designed for wood.Using the router would be very unsafe and the speed would almost instantly burn up a good bit.

I am not a fan of lugging because it keeps the spring eyes from coming up for a full lockup,defeating the advantage of the offset.However,if you lug the jaws and then grind or file some metal from the jaws so the spring can come all the way up,that would work.Wolfdog51 has done this and has excellent pictures or maybe a video of this process.If he doesn't see this,you might contact him.He knows how to do it correctly.

Almost all my traps are offset but honestly,if I had all those traps and didn't legally have to,I would run them as is.

Another option is to replace the jaws with new offsets.They aren't too expensive and sometimes you can sell the takeoff jaws to allay the cost.

I believe you can get a milling head to use In a drill press. You would probably have to drill a hole to get started then mill out the space. I believe It's do able.

But If your state doesn't require offsets I would go with what you have.

There are some Utube flicks that show this method. Just do a goggle search.

It is easier to use an angle grinder to take the metal off the jaws.You should never use a drill press to mill.It isn't designed for that or recommended by manufacturers because the tapered spindle of the chuck,under such vibration can cause the chuck to fall out,while the bit is working.This can be dangerous.When I was young and dumb,I tried it.A drill press is not a milling machine and should not be used as one,especially to mill steel.Be smart and safe!

Angle grinder, drill press milling head It's all a huge waste of time and your going to end up with nothing to show for It but a bunch of junk.

Can't argue that.

Use an abraisive saw to slot it out.

^^WHAT HE SAID!!...As a machinist with 30+ yrs experience you'll be playing with fire.

Use a grinder of ANY type you are proficient with.

Tell you what,,,,,, Why not just order a few OS jaws to fit and see if you like them first. If you do, you can then order some lam kits and have that done and sell the closed jaws. Otherwise the above info is good advice..... the mike

He has 200+ traps I rest my case. LOL

Here's something you might want to try. Do you have a welder. Weld a bead on the jaws to form an offset. You can do this with the jaws removed. Then with the jaws removed weld a large washer over the upper spring eye. Then with cobra bit ream out the old spring eye material. Now you have a larger spring eye that will ride up on the jaws and give you a positive lock up. By doing this you don't have to grind down the jaw faces which will compromise there strength.

If I wanted to do one or two, the grinder method would get me by. But 200 sets of jaws, not no but **** NO! The only way I would tackle that would be clamped in a vise on a milling machine. And even before I did that, I would carefully consider the cost of replacements already like I wanted them versus the cost to rework them and then laminate them. You apparently do not have the equipment to do the job accurately and efficiently and machine shop rates are not cheap.

Done it not worth the time and issues. cheaper by far to get new traps try this out on some traps the jaws can be reversed to create and offset. I think this was done intentionally so they did not have to make two types of jaws. the other issue with milling you are going to have a sharp edge that also has to be rounded. Tricking out traps is not worth the time and materials in most cases but I guess it depends on how you value your time.

I appreciate everyone’s comments on the question I posted earlier. They confirm what my gut told me.

Well,you may just have saved yourself a ton of time that can be used,having fun.

I agree. It’d be nice if someone made nice wide-faced replacement jaws to retrofit older traps with. I remember ordering coyote cuff jaws back in the 90’s but know you must but the entire trap.

Not milling but here's a how to of how i do it. You can honestly skip the lam fill and just add the bubbles and remove some jaw material off the back side

Not milling but here's a how to of how i do it. You can honestly skip the lam fill and just add the bubbles and remove some jaw material off the back side.

On a side note dies anyone know if mb650 jaws will fit ?

Fit what,Wolfdog?

Agree 110%