handbuilt stock?

[dewalt18]

Maybe a stupid question, but has anybody on here here attempted, or heard of anybody attempting a one off handbuilt stock?

[dewalt18]

And if you're wondering, my reason for asking is I'm quite interested in the idea of a lefty thumbhole stock on a right handed bolt action.... Not sure why, just seems to feel right to me shooting a RH bolt from the left....

[wwbirds]

But why would you want to buy thousands of dollars of wood working equipment as well as the blank of wood for the stock to only make one. Would be much easier to order a custom stock out of US, apparently if it is "unfinshed" you might get it across the border as "unfinished wood".

Wood blank in hardwood or laminated $2-600. band saw with 14 inch deck and riser $900. Variety or rotary rasps and finishing equipment $500.
Belt sanders $400. misc. parts and shop supplies $100.
You would have to do hundreds of them in left hand with jigs to get your money back or you would own a one of a kind $2500. custom stock.

[dewalt18]

Suppose a person already had all that equipment?
And personally I think buying a blank would sort of be cheating the point....
Just a thought I've been toying with

[wwbirds]

Even if you have the equipment you will still need a blank unless you have a supply of ready kiln dried walnut or have fabricated a large peice of laminate for the past year or two to ensure it is dry and will not warp?
it is not like Canada has a lot of hardwood you can cut your own blank and cure to be high quality gun stocks. DIY is risky for a lot of reasons but go for it if you feel you want to. Maybe you wil be the next high end Canadian custom gun stock maker in a few years.

[dewalt18]

Lol, probably won't ever be a "high end" anything, but might give it a shot anyways....
All I have to lose is time and money, and god knows I'm good at waisting both of those!

[wwbirds]

lets just say that Treeguy cuts down a very large walnut tree in Calgary for arguments sake tomorrow (don't know of any but that is beside the point).
You need non core wood to start a blank to slice off 4 inch minimum thickness, 6 inch high and 30 inches long. Pretty good size tree for 12 inch limb to cut the prime peice off side. need to coat ends with sealing wax, glycol or paint to prevent checking while it dries. hardwood requires 1 year to dry every inch of wood thoroughly to ensure no warpage so you have 6 years to plan your next move.

[CaberTosser]

I've often thought of making my own blank, but having it shaped by someone with a stock duplicator; at least to rough dimensions. I'd use a walnut grade something along what you might see on a Super Grade Model 70 Winchester and have two carbon fibre layers with a slim spacer of an even darker wood down the centre of the blank. I like the rear proportions of a Super Grade stock, but would prefer a Schnabel fore-end like on the Featherweight or even perhaps Sako's version of a Schnabel. Some lightening could be performed by partially hollowing portions of the stocks interior and reinforcing it with composites. High end wood looks with synthetic performance, whats not to love?

[dewalt18]

I like the way you think Caber! Don't think I'm gonna be starting the project tomorow, but it's something I've had bouncing around my head for a while now, so thought maybe I'd see if anybody else has ever entertained the thought.

[NoKlu]

My Uncle used to make stocks from a block of hardwood and all he had was hand tools. They are not that hard to do,and it never took him years to finish one. Depending on the finish,some of them were really,really nice. He was not a wood worker of any kind.

[buzzard]

I like Dewalt's thinking. You now there is something to be said of building it yourself. The challenge, the accomplishment, the failures and experience. For the most part all good. I have built many things throughout the years and the feeling during and when you see the finished project is amazing. I have not tackled a stock yet. It would be so easy to just buy a stock but any one can do that. How many has built a stock? I wish you luck! Keep us posted.

[dewalt18]

Thanks for the encouragement buzzard! The only problem is I still need to find a barrelled action to base my build on. The only bolt I currently own is my old cooey 600, and it's hardly worth the time investment! lol
And my gf would NOT be happy if I started playing with her M700 .270!

[NoKlu]

The old cooey might just be the perfect place to start. Chances are you won't get a real good stock the first time out. Get some cheaper wood and practice.

[hardy]

Start with some laminated plywood. Glue a couple of sheets together and cut it out with a bandsaw you don't need an expensive one. Then drill your two action screw holes, put some inletting screws into your action and drop it onto the wood. Trace the outline of the action and barrel onto the wood and then have at her with a router or dremel or hand tools. When you get somthin that you like then try it on the hardwood.

You can get a bunch of gun wood working tools for carving out the barrel channel and such at brownells and they ship to Canada.

[Dark Wing]

Here are some instructions for building a stock for a 10-22. Looks like a fun project to get a guy started on building his own stocks.


http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums...d.php?t=141788

[GregD]

I saw an excellent post the other day on making a stock for a Lee Enfied - from an unshaped block of wood. I think it was over at Canadiangunnutz. I can't remember the poster. He took a cunk of wood, cut it in half lengthwise and did all the shaping with forstner buts, chisels and rasps I seem to remember. He used the original stock for basic measurements for the placement of holes and straps and then used the barrel and mechanism to mark out the shaping ne needed to do. I think he noted about 80 hours of labour.

Greg

[dewalt18]

That 10/22 stock looks pretty cool! Looks about the same procedure as I had been working out in my head.... although I was thinking a normal twist bit for the drill press, not sure why, a forsner makes way more sense! Looks easy enough, I've built worse! lol

[dewalt18]

Does anybody have a good source for nice wood in the Calgary area? I'm thinking windsor plywood off blackfoot, as I've found some nice stuff there in the past. Please don't suggest home depot! haha

[double gun]

I would look at it another way. Take your original, or find a scrap or cheap stock that fits your rifle. Alter it however you want adding wood, removing wood building up features or whatever with bondo. When you have it just the way you want it, take it to one of canada's many stock duplicators and get them to copy it in the wood of your choice. Blanks are pretty cheap for plain walnut, and most guys now have some laminate on hand.... of course you can run your bill up in a hurry going to a figured walnut blank. I am actually going to take one I did up to be carved very soon. He is going to charge me $125 (I am supplying my own blank, and pattern).

If you do decide to do it all yourself, see if there is a PJ white in Calgary, there is one in Edmonton, and they have all the walnut you could hope to find. Windsor also has some, or buy it from a duplicator, they usually have lots of blanks on hand, and would gladly sell you one.

[dewalt18]

Just wondering if anybody has any suggestions for wood, should I decide not to use walnut for the first go round?

[NoKlu]

Try calling lee valley tools. If they don't have any they will no where to get it from.

[Mulestalker]

I have turned a few RH stocks into LH because nothing was available in the application I wanted..turned out great....in fact ..I think they even shoot better than the RH.....

May be an option to look into??

[densa44]

Before I owned all my wood working equipment, I'd sign up for night school and they always had a cabinet maker teaching the course. I'm sure they would love your project. Sure beats, end tables, lamps and ashtrays!

[FrostyinHell]

You can always try Richards Microfit in the US. They have some issues if you need to get a hold of them some times but I helped a friend make a stock from one of their ruff blanks. You can get laminated woods of all kinds as well as hardwoods of all grades and varieties. I personally like the Bastogne Walnut for high end rifles. They will even inlet the stock for several actions. It may be worth a look if you are still interested. You can have them leave extra wood in areas that you would like to shape. My friend had them leave the stock mostly unshaped and only inletted. Just a thought.
http://rifle-stocks.com/

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by dewalt18

Just wondering if anybody has any suggestions for wood, should I decide not to use walnut for the first go round?

According to my father, who as part of his job designed and built stocks and other gun stuff, any wood will do, as long as it is walnut!!
it's heavy enough , ans drys well enough , stable to hold it's shape, cuts easily, and finishes well.
I have built quite a few stocks over the years, and buying a semi inletted stock takes out a lot of work, but if someone wants to learn the stock making trade properly, then they will have to learn how to transfer lines, cut mortises, inlet a barreled action, and a bunch of other steps that make up the art.
however, the best way is to start with a semi inletted stock, then get in contact with a stock maker that can guide them along the right path.
Cat

[dewalt18]

Thanks for the wise words Cat. I was worried in the beginning of this thread, heard alot of negative words! Not sure when I'm gonna be able to start, but looking forward to using a lot of the tips I've gotten here! When I do get going, I'm gonna finally have to figure how to post pics!

[silver]

Dewalt, dont let them rain on your parade. If you want to do it ,go for it. putting your money down and buying it is one thing, making your own is another. As wood goes, low dollar factory stocks have been made of beech, I have a shotgun stock made out of birch, and I have heard of them being made out of maple. There are any number of gunsmith books out there that deal with stocking, to me, the advantage of building your own stock is to make one that fits YOU. More power to you.

[CaberTosser]

DeWalt: Try Black Forest off of Blackfoot Tr just south of the Shooting Edge, lotsa neat wood in there. There's also a place a few blocks north of Napa off 3rd street SE, halfway between 3rd and 4th Streets, due east of the stair making plant. Another hardwood wholesaler is west across the street from the Fire Dept headquarters, PJ White Hardwoods if I recall ?

[surfclod]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

DeWalt: Try Black Forest off of Blackfoot Tr just south of the Shooting Edge, lotsa neat wood in there. There's also a place a few blocks north of Napa off 3rd street SE, halfway between 3rd and 4th Streets, due east of the stair making plant. Another hardwood wholesaler is west across the street from the Fire Dept headquarters, PJ White Hardwoods if I recall ?

I gotta agree with CaberTosser about Black Forest. They have all sorts of exotic and very pretty wood in there. And when I asked, the girl said that they have gotten in larger pieces of specialty wood for gunstocks in the past.

Of course for your first try it would likely be best to make a laminate stock to learn on. Once you feel comfortable, then start on something fancy. Plus if you make your first laminate for a very common rifle (ie Rem 700) then you can sell it and put that money towards fancy wood.

[dewalt18]

Good advice surfclod! Thanks!