shaping stocks

[srottman]

I know this is not traditional, but has any one ever used a power hand grinder with a circular sanding disc to start shaping a stock?

 

[BrownBear]

Eeek! I'm way too clumsy to risk it.

Rasps, files, sandpaper and scrapers for me. I'm not in any rush, so there's no payback for speeding it up with power. Same for barrel channels.

 

[Longsmoke]

Yes but, I have been doing body work for over 30 years and know these tools well and still scares me. I can tell you this though, it's easy to turn a good stock into fire wood with a rasp in a few seconds. You don't get that much time with a grinder.

Bruce Everhart

 

[srottman]

Thanks for the reply.I knew a gun builder, it was 20 years or so ago that built alot of rifles and I remember him using a grinder to bring a full stock down. [not to the finish stage]. I was just wandering if any one else used this method, and if it was good way to get a stock close to size.

 

[F.G. Ford]

They have dupli-carvers, mounted with power routers and dremel-like tools, that do the job very quickly.
It took me along time to realize the joy of taking my time, and making my piece( rifle, pistol), enjoying every step of the journey. And improving along the way.
With some of the coaching that some of the fine craftsmen that we have here, your ability to make a fine rifle, and leave something for future generations of your family to wonder who you were.
ENJOY THE TRIP!
Best Regards
Old Ford

 

[Allan Gray]

If you're really comfortable with a grinder and starting from a blank I see no problem.

If starting witn a pre-carved stock, maybe too aggresive

 

[dlpowell]

You can screw up enough with a rasp! Leave power sanders and grinders alone on the stock work. Only thru hand power can you achieve the lines of a graceful longrifle!

 

[JCBush]

It all depends on your ability and comfort zone with power tools...but I would seriously not recommend it!
While it is certainly possible for some folks to use power grinders / sanders and the like with decent results, for the rest of us who may not be as skilled, all it takes is one slip, oops or mis-calculation and bingo, you have ruined a perfectly good stock blank.
This happened to me about 25 years ago and then and there I vowed to only work on any future stock shaping projects with hand tools. In the time that has passed since then, I have never regretted that choice.
Yes, hand tools are decidely slower but...they eventually give you a far greater skill level in duplicating the subtle details which make longrifles / fowlers / etc the works of art that they are, better than any power tool can do. Hand tools give you the benefit of time to stop and take a critical look at what you have done, as well as the time to anticipate your next move.
Not only that, but the inevitable screw-ups that every gun builder experiences are much easier to fix.
Hand tools will (@ 90% of the time) give you a second chance to redeem yourself. With power tools, the odds drop like a rock to @ 10-20%.
Not very good odds IMHO...
Go buy yourself the rasps and files if you do not already have them. They cost considerably less than power tools do and trust me, you will become a much better craftsman and far more pleased with your end results!

 

[ladysmithtrading]

I just finished mentoring my first rifle under the tootlidge of Mr. Dave Dolliver, he was featured on the last page of the Jan/ Feb issue of ML mag this year, Ive seen him take a 4" angle grinder with a rasp disc and masterfully take a rough cut stock blank down in no time, of course he was building gun# 198 at the time and has done this many, many times, asked him if he'd ever screwed up a piece of wood, his reply was a wry smile and a wink, never did answer me but the man uses that thing like a skilled surgeon, now I'm an accomplished woodworker, but it scares the hell out of me just thinking of trying that, even on a cheap stock, good luck if you try it!

 

[gmww]

Believe it or not, I use a Dremil. I'll first rough out the shape then use a Stanley surform. The I'll go to town with my dremil and several of different grit sandpaper rounds. Works rather well. Lastly I'll finish up by hand with a sanding block.

 

[Vaino]

After the blank comes out of the bandsaw there's not a heckuva lot of wood to remove and various Surforms and rasps remove it quickly w/ the exception as around the cheekpiece, where a gouge and mallet are used. I use a Dremel to fit the buttplate, lock internals and a few other places, but never felt the need for a larger disk sander. To each his/her own and whatever a person feels comfortable w/, use it. On a precarve seeing that there's not much wood to remove, Surforms and rasps are the ticket....Fred