Tell me about building a stock

[imlay city]

When I cut my channel, I've used my table saw for the sides and bottom going just inside my lay outlines on a straight barrel. After sides and bottom are ruffed out I take my sharpest chisle knock down my angles as close as I can. Square up the breach area, then I take my barrel and plane the rest out for a tight fit. Ive taken about 2 hours this way. Just make sure to go slow be carefull on the table saw

 

[Zonie]

Well, to be exact the width of the flats on an octagon barrel are calculated using the following formula:

W = 2(D/2 tan 22.500 degrees) where D is the dimension across the barrel from flat to flat.
W is the width of the flat to the sharp corners.

With the 15/16 inch octagon D = .9375 so D/2 = .4688

The Tangent of 22.500 degrees is .4142 so, .4688 X .4142 = .1942
.1942 X 2 = .3883

Perhaps an easier way to figure the flat width is to multiply the dimension across the flats times .414. That would be close enough for what we are doing.
Using this method we have .937 X .414 = .388

For you guys who don't have a calculator and who spent most of your time in H.S. Math studying Jane's torso :haha: here are a few flat widths:

3/4 octagon = .310
13/16 octagon = .336
7/8 octagon = .362
15/16 octagon = .3883
1.00 octagon = .414
1 1/8 octagon = .466
1 3/16 octagon = .492
1 1/4 octagon = .518

 

[Stophel]

Many thanks to all who have replied so far.

John, I know both hand and power tools. I try to teach my students by using hand tools as much as possible, in part because I think it is important, and also so I breath as little dust as possible doing this all day every day. My personal chisels are just marples, buy you could shave cleaner than a razor could with them. I use my block planes to take .001 shavings off in bamboo rod making.

That said, I'm also accepting of power tools and their uses and purposes. I'll probably do a stock by hand and then try one with a router. My intent is to restock my cheap cva with a piece of mesquite I milled a few years ago from some land. Mesquite has it's own unique problems and is hard to work with machines.

Chris, I like the plane you built. I've built many tools of my own design and will try to build one too. The grove looks to be about .25" Any reason for that size?

One of my many downfalls is I'm not a typist and it takes forever to do posts so they tend to be short. Thanks for all the info so far. mp

I don't know exactly how wide it is (I don't have it in front of me), but it is just a tad narrower than the narrowest portion of the flat of any barrel that I might use.

Originally, I made this as an octagon plane. Well, it worked, but not that great. It tended to knock chunks of wood off the sides of the inlet. So, I cut it down.

 

[john armstrong]

http://www.jsbrookslongrifles.com/theclassroom.htm

The old way and it's easy.

 

[crockett]

Thanks Zonie- I was assuming an octagon was sort of like a cross made of five squares with 45 degree angles connecting the corners to make an octagon- hence my thought the flat was 5/16"
BTW I am ever more leaning to doing the entire job with chisels- so it takes longer- better that and get it right.

 

[hotsparks]

I don't totally eschew power tool, I've got a shop full of expensive INCA power tools from my furniture days, I just prefer the handwork more now, especially since I'm not under production pressures, or in a race to finish by some arbitrary time limit I've set. I use my trusty band saw to rough out a blank, mostly because it wastes very little of an expensive 9 or 10/4 slab, and I save those cutoff wastes for other projects. Roughing out a blank with chisels, an adz, or even rough straight cuts with a hand saw just leaves chip$$. And, of course, I use a drill press or my toolroom lathe for drilling both wood and metal, and making/forming metal parts. But for me at least, using hand tools for most of the wood work is very relaxing and does wonders to de-stress. If I were building for other folks, I might have to do things differently, but then I don't think it would be "fun" anymore. My hat's off to Mike, Rich, and the rest of you guys that do this for a living, or as at least a major contributor to your income and may have several (dozen?) projects going at any time. Gotta also give kudos to the old-time smiths that were pupming out many front stuffers a year to make a living, and doing it with all hand-tools. I'm pretty sure had routers, tablesaws, profilers been available back then, they would have certainly been using them.

 

[BLAHMAN]

For you guys who don't have a calculator and who spent most of your time in H.S. Math studying Jane's torso :haha:

Jane's torso was always more interesting :grin:

Isn't that why we went to school? :haha:

 

[crockett]

Actually I appreciate Zonnie's trig lesson. I still have my HS trig book so I went back and read things long forgotten. Ran outside and found out how high some trees are- good stuff to know.

I am having a lot of fun with my project and thought I would share what I am doing. I've built a few kit guns, you know- the kind with the 95% finished stock and metal parts in the white. On the last one I did a lot of modifications, new under rib, soldered on pipes, different nose cap with an entry pipe, etc.
Still......
I'm Sort of afraid of paying $600 on a kit that will be a learning experience. What to do?

A few years back I got a CVA gun with a fast twist barrel and black plastic stock and never did much with it. A while ago I was at Wood Crafters and they had some plain grain maple that the guy sold me for $30- enough for a full stock, a pistol stock, a tomahawk handle, and knife scales. So I am using the parts on the CVA gun and doing a low cost project mostly as a learning experience.
The CVA gun had no under rib. Instead there is a dovetail on the bottom of the barrel to which a ramrod pipe is attached. I can't do much about the dovetail other than cover it up so I am going with a full stock. I'll put a tenon in the dovetail and either use a heavy pin or a very small wedge.
I am going to make my own ramrod pipes and nose cap. I am going to use a brass scroll trigger guard -the type that is pinned in place. I'll pin the trigger and make the trigger plate, tap it, and position it to minimize trigger play.
I'm using a large early plains brass buttplate. I was going to put in a patch box simply to get the practice, especially on the push button release; and, I may still do that although I may change my mind and put in a cap box with a pineapple finial.
There'll be an 8 point star on the cheek piece and sawn type checkering on the wrist- copying patterns on period guns.
Per the recommendation of others I've bought some chisels and slow ground them down to 15/16" and .388. I'll probably make my own ramrod drill as well.
More questions to follow as I proceed.
I posted this for those of you that are maybe in the same spot, a little intimidated about spending big money on a kit. I think after this "practice piece" I'll feel a lot more comfortable about doing a real rifle.