Getting started

[waksupi]

I’m not too proud to admit my mistakes. So, My barrel sits solidly in the channel width and doesn’t wiggle laterally. But, my top side is too wide by about a 1/16” on both sides. Can I glue a maple dowel in and start over? Or, make some thin laminations and epoxy them in then gently bring them to size? I won’t be disappointed if this is a failure. I’m learning as I go and mistakes happen. Thanks for the advice.

Wood strips, glued in with Titebond 2 or 3. Do a good job, it is stronger than the rest of the wood, and will be invisible to everyone but yourself, IF you do a good job.

 

[PEARL DRUMS]

I sat in my shop for 2 hours puffing a cigar and pondering a fix. Ended up doing exactly that. Made two rails from cut offs and matched grain the best I could. My joint is air tight and solid. Used TB3 for glue. I’m sure glad you suggest doing it that way as well.

 

[Eric Krewson]

That is a really good glue joint. I have manipulated wood on the forearm with heat; I heat the barrel to the just about can't touch temperature, put it in the barrel channel and attack the forearm wood with a heat gun as I gently pull the warped wood back into place and put a bunch of zip ties around the barrel and stock to keep everything in place while the wood cooled off, the hot barrel helps hold the heat. I did this for a forearm that warped during shipping to about a 20-degree dogleg facing down.

I suspect you could have closed the channel gap the same way with a few clamps to pull the wood into the barrel then let the wood cool off.

We have both corrected more wood bow making than most people could imagine, 1/16" shouldn't be a problem, to correct.

 

[PEARL DRUMS]

Yes sir. Wouldn’t want to add up the hours I’ve spent with a heat gun in hand. Probably just about the same hours spent making a tight glue joint. I think I’m going to be glad I did it this way. If you look a few pics back you’ll see the wood dip down right if front of that step cut out of the lock plate. This will eliminate that eye sore.

 

[oldwood]

I was never a fan of "how to build" instruction books , that spend , (waste) , time on building jigs , and dies you really don't need to finish a gunstock build. The number of finished guns out my door , have shown , how simple modern hand tools , ie. variable speed electric drill motor with an "in body" mounted bubble level , augmented by a Dremel type tool. (My bench has four of these hanging on the side , as I hate to change bits.) , These few labor saving tools , will get the job done. .....Well ,ok , I'll admit to another forbidden , unapproved tool , used to speed installation of metal butt plates . I assist in cutting butt plate contours using a 26,000 rpm die grinder w/ a coarse round end wood rasp bit. This devise in addition with , a Dremel type tool w/ drum cutter bit , allows install of most rifle butt plates w/in an hour , if the metal plate is prepped to near final shape before starting. Jerrows inletting black , a wooden mallet , and a few regular files/rasps make butt plate installs easier. The only HOW TO book I have has been the Dixon's How to build the Pa. Long rifle. I don't agree w/ many staining , and wood finishing proceedures Greg Dixon recommends , but the book has excellent , easy to understand , artist drawn pictures , and examples. The instruction book's overall old time ambiance , is a valuable common thread from page 1 thought the entire volumn. I hope this essay was entertaining to anyone digesting it. Questions welcome. LOL to ya.