To bend or cut

[Mr. Chester]

If'n it were you - would you bend the butt plate to fit the stock or cut the stock to fit the butt plate?

Kentucky Kit from Traditions - since I live a FEW miles away I went with them and I got to see the wood grain b4 buy'n.

"Something to do and it keeps me out of the bars"

 

[Black Hand]

Perhaps a bit of both. Though I would be more inclined to bend before cutting. If you break it you can always get a new buttplate, but the wood is difficult to replace....

 

[Mr. Chester]

thanks - the issue is the toe (the part that is facing down) is a wee bit off compared to the rest. I know the brass bottom plate will cover some of it but it just bothers me that it is off a bit. It is close, a couple bus. cards thicknesses off. Brass is hard to bend..
Thanks again.. I'll sleep on it for the night. :snore:

 

[rich pierce]

If you anneal the brass- heat to a very dull red visible in very low light- and dunk in water- the brass will bend very easily. Most sand castings require bending.

 

[howlingwolf]

Or... think of this in another direction. You are going to have to sand the stock anyway. Attach the butt plate to the stock and reshape the but plate with a file to match the stock. It sounds like you dont have much to remove so it should be light work.

 

[Birddog6]

I would most likely do a lil of both. I would bend the buttplate a tad & if that didn't get it I would inlet it a tad deeper using inletting black or lamp black.
I like the buttplate aligned so the screws pull it up tight. If it lays tight before the screws are istalled, sometimes when ya put the screws in tight it pulls it out in other places & the toe is famous for this as it is thinner there.
I want the toe & comb part of the buttplate touching & pull the screws down & in doing so, close the gaps in the heel & etc. area.

If this is your first one, just do the best ya can do & go on. It is not supposed to be perfect, it is supposed to be a learning tool for the next project..... :thumbsup:
The main thing to do is enjoy doing it..... :grin:

 

[howlingwolf]

If you anneal the brass- heat to a very dull red visible in very low light- and dunk in water- the brass will bend very easily. Most sand castings require bending.

Im sorry but that is how you temper metal, not soften it. To soften it you heat it up and then let it cool slowly with out help. Just let it sit until you can handle it. Then it should be easier to work with.
With the situation at hand I do not recomend your method.

 

[howlingwolf]

I like your idea to inlet a little further. My hats off to you.

 

[dlemaster]

Rich's method to anneal is correct for brass and non-ferrous metals. Ferrous metals require heating and a slow cooling to anneal.

Regards, Dave

 

[Robert Wolfe]

Gunsmith -
Brass is acutally anealled as Rich says - heat it and dunk it. Iron/steel is annealled by heating and cooling slowly.

oops - didn't see the last post!

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

If you anneal the brass- heat to a very dull red visible in very low light- and dunk in water- the brass will bend very easily. Most sand castings require bending.

Im sorry but that is how you temper metal, not soften it. To soften it you heat it up and then let it cool slowly with out help. Just let it sit until you can handle it. Then it should be easier to work with.
With the situation at hand I do not recomend your method.

Brass can be anealed very nicely after heating to a red color then by either letting air cool OR by dunking in water, both work. You are thinking of iron or steel, brass is different...

 

[khwils]

I am working on one of those two piece stock cva/traditions/jukar/whatever kits myself. I also had a dilemma with the buttplate not quite fitting right. These things are too thick and rather stiff. I annealed the brass and twisted the toe a bit, mine was slightly twisted also. I then filed the "inside" of the plate to further make it square. At this point it was square on the inside but still looked slightly twisted on the "outside" of the butt. I then inlet the "squared" side to the wood but still had small gaps. I tried the method of peening the plate to the wood but it would not budge. I put it away and scratched my head for awhile. I finally realized that I still had to square the outside profile of the buttplate so I filed the outside square to the wood. I also took off a lot of metal at the edges making them almost as sharp as a knife edge. I could then peen the thinner edge to the wood. Originals were a lot thinner than these kit buttplates anyway, it really adds to the sleekness of the rifle. The filing was done with the buttplate installed. I did not have to re-anneal it but it might of helped. I hope this was clear and makes sense? In retrospect I would probably thin the buttplate partially before twisting it, I think it would of been easier. I only partially twisted it because I was afraid of breaking it, if it were thinner I believe I could of twisted it easier with more confidence. Kurt

 

[howlingwolf]

Ok everyones point is taken :bow:
Thanks for correcting me.

 

[Mr. Chester]

I am a reading and working on it. I may end up having to aneal it, it is close.
So thanks to all!
A true learning experience for sure!
Especially when the whole thing is off one way or the other or both!
On another post someone made mention of a scraper being you best friend, it is certainly the case here!
BTW- if you can't find the basic piece of steel scraper - a piece of glass works great.

 

[khwils]

Especially when the whole thing is off one way or the other or both!

Mr Chester, It won't matter if it is off either way or both. Before you do anything square the flat surface of the buttplate up with a file and then inlet. Kurt