how does one go about making a stockblank? how wide, long, thick? how long should i let it dry? is there a certain section you cut it from the tree- trunk, limb, center or sides of such? grain up or down? the look of the grain is not important, the stain will be dark. summer is here and lots of storm damaged trees to pick from. :hmm: thank again walt cowan
stockblank for a matchlock.
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Walt: I am no expert on this. If you have access to lots of walnut, maple, cherry and such from storm-dmaged trees, I think you are a lucky guy. You'll probably get the best wood from the trunk section leading toward the roots. You'll probably want to cut it in four-, five- or six-foot sections depending on the stock lengths you seek, then split the log in half the long ways, then quarters, then eighths depending on the diameter. Then you'll want to brush the ends with paint or melted wax -- anything to seal the end grain and slow the loss of moisture to minimize warping and cracking (checking). Then it needs to be stored in a shady, dry spot to air dry over the summer and maybe longer. Others can tell you what moisture content you are looking for. Out of each of these "wedges" of wood, you're looking to get a raw piece about two inches thick and six to seven inches wide. You'll want straighter grain from the lock area to the end of the barrel, and you'll hope for grain that runs down through the wrist into the butt in a way that will enhance the stock strength. Good luck!
I just bought a piece of KD German beech from the local hardwood shop for my matchlock.
I just bought a piece of KD German beech from the local hardwood shop for my matchlock.
thanks, thats what i was looking for. came here a while ago and got bit by the matchlock bug 
so... details,details! what type, cal. etc. you making? smothbore, rifle? you sticking to a time correct pice or shooter? i got no idea for mine yet. still dreaming lol. anymore tips? thanks much again.
so... details,details! what type, cal. etc. you making? smothbore, rifle? you sticking to a time correct pice or shooter? i got no idea for mine yet. still dreaming lol. anymore tips? thanks much again. Guest
I know that the old Welsh bowl turners, working with a spring pole lathes, would let their wood set for a year after they cut it.
Maybe if you have a local lumber mill, they could cure it for you. Steam would do, though I would prefer microwave. Microwave speeds up the more natural process, and lessens the chance of splitting, by removing the moisture from the interior of the wood first. Thus leaving the natural resins to strengthen the wood.
:results:
Maybe if you have a local lumber mill, they could cure it for you. Steam would do, though I would prefer microwave. Microwave speeds up the more natural process, and lessens the chance of splitting, by removing the moisture from the interior of the wood first. Thus leaving the natural resins to strengthen the wood.
:results:
Walt, I have on hand a breeched .69 caliber seamless tubing barrel that I hope to let into the beech stock. Mine will be s simple serpentine and the stock shape is loosely based on the one depicted on USMC Sniper's Web site. Do a search on this forum for his thread on building a matchlock.
I am by far not an expert on this. However, the ones I cut I like to cut from the base of the tree or 6-8" below ground level, as near the base is where the compressed wood usually is & the fiddleback & nice wavy grain of lots of them. Also you can get some nice grain thru the crotch areas & off large limb forks too.
I like to quartersaw mine to get the best looking grain if the log is large enough, but will slab it if not large enough. If it is not at least 24" in dia at the base it is too small for me to mess with other than to cut into 1" slabe. Past practice has had me trying to make something from nothing with small logs & it ends up with inferior wood & allot of wasted time for a gunstock blank. (IMHO)
I cut all the planks large, well over 6' and usually 7' & over 3" thick so I have plenty to work with. If the blank doesn't show a natural curve in it for the wrist area when I saw it, I don't waste my time & just slice it into 1" planks as it is furniture wood.
You can figure drying at least 1" per year in a dry storage area (depending on you humidity in the area), weighted down well & slated every 1' and the ends sealed with wax. I prefer to get the stock down between 10-15% moisture before I cut the stock blank out of the plank as you will have less chance of warpage. I want around 8% moisture content for a stock.
I have about 12 large planks drying now & there are 2 to 4 stocks in each plank as they are quite large & several of them 9' long. If I get 6 acceptable stocks that I will use it will be unusual, however, I am picky about them. The rest I will saw to furniture grade lumber. Normally I would just buy blanks but I only gave $100. for the walnut tree & a friend has a sawmill & sawed the planks for me for free, so not a big loss if I don't get any from it..
Note, I have been kinda stingy with it at times, trying to cut thinner blanks, this has proven to be an error on me because of shrinkage & it limits you to what stock you can make because of the cheekpiece & the cast off/on & etc. So now I go over 3" to make sure I have enough. If I was cutting for a Doublebarrel flinter or something like that, I would cut it 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 to give me a lil room.
I am sure there are lots of ways of doing this, this is just a amateurs way of doing it.
PS: You say grain is not important because of the stain you will use, however, grain thru the lock & wrist area IS important to have a strong wrist & lock area. Otherwise a few years from now you may have a large copper patch wrapped around the wrist. To me, grain structure at the lock & wrist come First on any blank I buy, then I look at the stripes, fiddleback, density, color, or whatever.
:results:
I like to quartersaw mine to get the best looking grain if the log is large enough, but will slab it if not large enough. If it is not at least 24" in dia at the base it is too small for me to mess with other than to cut into 1" slabe. Past practice has had me trying to make something from nothing with small logs & it ends up with inferior wood & allot of wasted time for a gunstock blank. (IMHO)
I cut all the planks large, well over 6' and usually 7' & over 3" thick so I have plenty to work with. If the blank doesn't show a natural curve in it for the wrist area when I saw it, I don't waste my time & just slice it into 1" planks as it is furniture wood.
You can figure drying at least 1" per year in a dry storage area (depending on you humidity in the area), weighted down well & slated every 1' and the ends sealed with wax. I prefer to get the stock down between 10-15% moisture before I cut the stock blank out of the plank as you will have less chance of warpage. I want around 8% moisture content for a stock.
I have about 12 large planks drying now & there are 2 to 4 stocks in each plank as they are quite large & several of them 9' long. If I get 6 acceptable stocks that I will use it will be unusual, however, I am picky about them. The rest I will saw to furniture grade lumber. Normally I would just buy blanks but I only gave $100. for the walnut tree & a friend has a sawmill & sawed the planks for me for free, so not a big loss if I don't get any from it..
Note, I have been kinda stingy with it at times, trying to cut thinner blanks, this has proven to be an error on me because of shrinkage & it limits you to what stock you can make because of the cheekpiece & the cast off/on & etc. So now I go over 3" to make sure I have enough. If I was cutting for a Doublebarrel flinter or something like that, I would cut it 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 to give me a lil room.
I am sure there are lots of ways of doing this, this is just a amateurs way of doing it.
PS: You say grain is not important because of the stain you will use, however, grain thru the lock & wrist area IS important to have a strong wrist & lock area. Otherwise a few years from now you may have a large copper patch wrapped around the wrist. To me, grain structure at the lock & wrist come First on any blank I buy, then I look at the stripes, fiddleback, density, color, or whatever.
:results:
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