Tang bending
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Put the tang in a vice and pull on the barrel. Put it in so the barrel sticks out the side rather than up, start about half way up the tang, go slow, try often. It bends REAL EASY with that much leverage. The jaws don't need to be tight but if they are TOO loose, the edges of the jaws may bite into the tang. If you go too far you can just bend it back.
Cody
Cody
Guest
File the hump down flush with the wood.
As was said, you can file it down, or use a hammer gently to flatten it back out a little. The best way IMO, is a judgment call depending on what, where and how much you need to adjust its shape.
For all of you people who are building for the first time, DO NOT drill any tang hole until you are absolutly sure the tangs shape is correct, and you've inlet the barrel and tang.
I once (notice, once) decided to adjust the tang "just a little more" after drilling and countersinking the tang hole, and sure enough, I broke off the end. After doing that, I looked at the amount of metal that is actually holding the end on and realized there isn't enough there to even take a light bending unless you want to bend it Only at the tang hole, or break it off like I did. :curse:
For all of you people who are building for the first time, DO NOT drill any tang hole until you are absolutly sure the tangs shape is correct, and you've inlet the barrel and tang.
I once (notice, once) decided to adjust the tang "just a little more" after drilling and countersinking the tang hole, and sure enough, I broke off the end. After doing that, I looked at the amount of metal that is actually holding the end on and realized there isn't enough there to even take a light bending unless you want to bend it Only at the tang hole, or break it off like I did. :curse:
Guest
Castoff,
If you put the tang in the vice all the way up to the lug and start your bend there, you should eliminate most of the hump. You will have to pull the end back a bit. You will likely still have to file the final shape as you can't bent the tang where the lug is. It is normal to file the final shape. bending just gets it close and reduces the amount of fileing.
Cody
BTW, when fileing, clean the file often. Otherwise, you may (will) get a piece of metal in the file teeth and it will score the wood :cry: Also, keep the tang flat. Don't slope the edges.
Castoff: Most likely everyone does them a little different. I taper my tang on both sides & on the end slightly, so the top of the tang exposed is longer & sider thatn the undernieth part in the wood.
I have the tang wood area shaped pretty much to where I want it. I like to inlet my barrel first, then attach the tang to the barrel & inlet it in to the stock. I inlet the base of the tang that is against the barrel first & have the long part of the tang sticking out over toward the wrist. Now I lay the barrel in the barrel channel & I shim the muzzle of the barrel up with a piece of scrap wood, out of the stock the same adistance as the tang is above the stock, so the barrel is setting pretty level. Look at the bend I need & then go to the vice & chuck it in as far to the breech of the rifle as I can for that first bend & bend a lil, going back & forth several times to the stock, setting it in, eyeballing it, back to the vice & try to conform the tang as close to the contour as the wood as I can. Now that you have it bent to the right contour you can slowly inlet it in to the wood using inletting black or you desired marking solution.
It is always best to have the tang to the correct conformation you need before inletting, as if you end up having to bend it more & the inlet is cut, you could have a gap at the end of the tang, as bending it a tighter arc makes the inlet needed shorter.
Always bend it & have it all fitted & etc Before ya drill the tang hole..... As if you have a hole there it makes it weak at that point & is easily broken there.
:results:
I have the tang wood area shaped pretty much to where I want it. I like to inlet my barrel first, then attach the tang to the barrel & inlet it in to the stock. I inlet the base of the tang that is against the barrel first & have the long part of the tang sticking out over toward the wrist. Now I lay the barrel in the barrel channel & I shim the muzzle of the barrel up with a piece of scrap wood, out of the stock the same adistance as the tang is above the stock, so the barrel is setting pretty level. Look at the bend I need & then go to the vice & chuck it in as far to the breech of the rifle as I can for that first bend & bend a lil, going back & forth several times to the stock, setting it in, eyeballing it, back to the vice & try to conform the tang as close to the contour as the wood as I can. Now that you have it bent to the right contour you can slowly inlet it in to the wood using inletting black or you desired marking solution.
It is always best to have the tang to the correct conformation you need before inletting, as if you end up having to bend it more & the inlet is cut, you could have a gap at the end of the tang, as bending it a tighter arc makes the inlet needed shorter.
Always bend it & have it all fitted & etc Before ya drill the tang hole..... As if you have a hole there it makes it weak at that point & is easily broken there.
:results:
Some hump is normal and to be expected in the bending process, so long as hump is not excessive, (as to weaken the tang by removing too much) file it down. Initially file from wood to metal, (helps avoid dips and valleys in the wood) for final finishing, always judiciously file and sand with the grain
flaming canvas
45 Cal.
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castoff,
I use a 12 ton shop press for shaping stuff like that. With a long handle you can force it gently and with precision.
To take out the hump, you might try screwing down a vise on the tang.
CrackStock
69 Cal.
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- Dec 23, 2004
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If you use a vise, pad it so as to avoid marring your metal. Leather or an old innertube works well. You can make it removable with a stretch fit or use tie straps as you feel the urge.
I have also secured the barrel and then used a large boxed end wrench to work the tang into shape. This gave more control t bend at various locations. It did make a few smaller humps, but these were easily filed.
YMHS,
CrackStock
I have also secured the barrel and then used a large boxed end wrench to work the tang into shape. This gave more control t bend at various locations. It did make a few smaller humps, but these were easily filed.
YMHS,
CrackStock
Here's what I do. I turn the barrel around and put it in the channel (muzzle end against the breech part of the stock). Lay the stock and barrel down on the flat side of a 2x8. Outline the top of the barrel and stock with a pencil on the 2x8. Then I cut along the line with a jig saw and file smooth, ending up with a copy of the top half of the finished gun. In other words, a mold. Turn the mold with the cut side up and carefully mark a line where the breech mates with the barrel on the mold. Line up the barrel with the tang attached with the line on the mold and start tapping on the underside of the tang with a hammer untill it begins to conform to the shape you want a little at a time as you inlet the tang to the real stock. This works very well for me and eliminates the humps. My pistols are all made the same style and shape.
Hopes this makes sense and not too confusing.
Hopes this makes sense and not too confusing.
