1816 musket stock restoration

[varsity07840]

Does anyone have experience with stretching a cut off full stock to bring it back to original length? I plan on doing so with an original 1816 musket stock and a new forend piece. My intent is to put the joint at the middle band, but I'm not sure what joinery method to use. I'm thinking pins or a spline and perhaps a layer of acra glass and dryer sheet in the barrel channel.

Comments/suggestions would be appreciated.

Duane

 

[paulvallandigham]

Why not cut a dovetail in the new piece, and a corresponding mortise in the original stock. Then epoxy them together, file and sand to dimension, and then stain and finish the stock?? It will make for a much strong joint, than just using glues.

If you know what you are doing, You can also make that dovetail complex, that is smaller at the bottom of the stock and tapered wider towards the upper part at the barrel mortise. That will let the wood sit right down into the mortise, and not pass through it.

IF I were doing this, I would use this system with a blank of wood stock, then use a router to cut the barrel channel in the new section to meet the dimensions of the older stock. Once the barrel is seated, filing and sanding will restore the dimension of the original full stock.

 

[mazo kid]

One of my first gun show purchases was an 1816 musket. This had the forearm replaced using the method you describe, except that it was not fastened in any way, and was also reconverted to flint. The only place the replacements were noticeable was the flint hammer.

 

[MAP]

I did this with a M1842 that had the stock cut between the lower and middle band. I bought a Dunlap forend and grafted it at the lower band.

Proviso: I make no claims to being an expert woodworker. There are probably better ways to do this.

I cut the stock and forend where the lower band would cover the cut. I drilled two holes into each part. I then fitted wooden dowels with epoxy and epoxy on the ends of the stock pieces adn fitted the parts together. I covered the area of the glued joint with wax paper and placed the barrel in the stock and clamped till dry. I've put about 100 rounds through the barrel since then without any problems.

YMMV

 

[Zonie]

I had to rework the stock of my 1842 Springfield because the wood on both sides of the barrel tang was long sense lost and replaced with Plastic Wood.
The Plastic Wood had dried out and flaked off leaving an ugly mess.

Reworking this stock taught me a few things.
It is hard to make new Walnut match old Walnut.
Old Walnut is incredibly easy to sand. Just a few passes of 220 paper can remove more wood than you want to remove.

Here is a link to that project if your interested. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/.../post/38131/hl/1842TEXT11/fromsearch/1/#38131

 

[mazo kid]

You did a nice job replacing that plastic wood...very nice! What little I have done along those lines, the matching of the original wood was the biggest challenge. I've got a couple more stocks with a chunk of wood missing behind/above the locks. You have given me inspiration!

 

[varsity07840]

That is a nice job. True enough about new vs. old walnut. I bought some Peter Vanderhave military stock stain and it does a pretty good job as a base coat. A little flat black overspay helps too.
Before I do this job I'm going to experiment with a couple of walnut scrap pieces. Im goin to let one weather out side for a while. On the other, I plan on heating it;similar to using aqua fortis
but trying to give it slightly dried look. The joint is going to be covered by the barrel band
so the transition will not be as obvious.

Duane

 

[Swampman]

Drill 2 holes into the buttstock piece and insert 2 wood screws into them leaving 3/4" or so sticking out. You can put epoxy on the threads if you like. Take a Dremel, and cut the heads off and shape them into points. Slide the muzzle end piece down the barrel and tap it gently so the points mark where to drill the holes. Drill the holes, slather the pointed tips with epoxy, and push the points into the drilled holes. Wax paper between the barrel and the wood is a good idea. You can fill any gaps with sawdust & epoxy mixed together. Clamp it an let it dry. Match staining isn't hard with Dangler's stains. I repaired a Krag this way & you couldn't tell it was actually a busted Carbine stock & a cutdown rifle stock put together.

 

[varsity07840]

I like It!

Thanks,

Duane

 

[Tinker2]

Zonie

Very good job, nice work.




Tinker2

 

[Swampman]

I also took my Dremel and put some shallow grooves in those screw shanks to give the epoxy something to grip. I forgot to mention that.