wood removal

[JohnN]

What method do you use when you have a considerable amount of wood to remove ? Have a new TOW Tulle kit and the barrel area is square. Most of my kits had the basic shape and just needed some thinning.

 

[Birddog6]

Band saw the if major wood removal. Then a Sureform rasp to cut it down, then regular woods rasps.

Keith Lisle

 

[robert reed]

Does anyone use hand planes for gunstocks? I have seen many specialized planes and wondered if some were used for stock work.

 

[Stringbean]

I have used hand planes but you need to be careful as you get near final dimensions because the curl will pull on maple.
String

 

[Birddog6]

I use a spokeshave sometimes & a drawknife at times. Have a special lil curved draw plane I got from Woodcrafts that I use at times.(don't remember what they called it)

But 95% of the mass I remove with a SureForm Rasp.. It is fast & cuts well. I can take a square forestock to a rounded one in about 20 min. & that is being careful.

Keith Lisle

 

[frogwalking]

I mark along the barrel on each side so I know how far to go. Then, carefully clamp the stock, one end in my vice with an aluminum pad on the barrel and a pine block on the wood, and the other end propped up on wood blocks. Put some scrap leather between the clamped part and the vice (under the part) as some day, it will slip out of the vice and will bounce off the padding rather than the steel of the vice. Now, I take a rasp or Japanese carving file and begin working it down. Yes, it does take a long time, but if I am careful, I don't mess it up. I often use spray contact glue to attach coarse sandpaper to a wood block to finish removing the rasp marks. Always rasp toward the bottom of the stock as any minor tear-outs will be removed when you round out the fore end.

Do all the work you can before rounding out the stock because it will be much harder to hold in your vice.

 

[Spikebuck]

But 95% of the mass I remove with a SureForm Rasp.. It is fast & cuts well.

I really like the Microplane version of the SurForm available from Muzzleloader Builder's Supply. I like the narrower width of this rasp and they work great!
http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssup...i?cart_id=4104619.11252&next=50&product=Tools

 

[Crewdawg445]

+1, those sureforms work great, I also just purchased the smaller sureform shaver for more delicate work. Those tools coupled with my Nicholson 8" rasp/ file do the majority of my work. I've also got a float file older than me that belonged to my great grandfather... Thing will remove more wood than a woodchuck on steroids.

 

[Claycow]

I used a dremel, just be careful. I just order a wood rasp set and metal file set off amazon. I plan on using my dremel for big projects, you just again, have to be careful.

 

[Birddog6]

Yes, I have several of those types as well. All basically the same thing, just dif shapes & sizes.

Keith Lisle

 

[Vaino]

Bought a set of ball bearing blade guides for my bandsaw which enable me to saw "on the line". After bandsawing, there's not a whole lot of wood to remvove....mainly rounding the corners w/ a Surform.

Asre the buttstock from the wrist back....make a series of vertical saw cuts w/ a hacksaw which also roughly outlines the cheekpiece and remove the "blocks"w/ a straight chisel. Amazing how fast the buttstock is cut down. Then it's smoothed w/ the Surform.

Doesn't take much time at all to reduce a blank into a "precarve"......Fred

 

[Crewdawg445]

I used a dremel, just be careful. I just order a wood rasp set and metal file set off amazon. I plan on using my dremel for big projects, you just again, have to be careful.

:shocked2:

 

[Birddog6]

:shake: Just a matter of time before that Dremel causes you a Major screwup..... Not if, it is When.... Careful don't mean nothin to a Dremel..... :rotf: :rotf:

Keith Lisle

 

[tenngun]

Stanly makes a " pocket plane" that has a rasp like blade. Removes lots of wood, stays flare and produces a excelsior like waste that's good for fire starting.

 

[Birddog6]

Yes, in fact, that is the first one I ever bought. Then I bought the other ones. But no doubt about it, you can really
take the wood off Fast with them. You can also easily take off TOO Much wood easily too !

Keith Lisle

 

[Crewdawg445]

:shake: Just a matter of time before that Dremel causes you a Major screwup..... Not if, it is When.... Careful don't mean nothin to a Dremel..... :rotf: :rotf:

Keith Lisle

+1 to that... No way would a dremel ever come close to a kit I've spent $ on. Definitely not a tool you want near a build if you have exercise "extreme care" with. It's not if, but a WILL cause major problems eventually. There is a reason simple hand tools are used... again, this is a hobby that requires patience and dedication, not short cuts and time saving.

 

[Vaino]

I use a Dremel for a number of operations....slotting the holes in bbl lugs, cutting the slot in the wood for a trigger and roughing out a lock inlet for the "innards", but not for the lock plate inlet. Also removing a lot of brass from a TG or BP sand casting w/ a 1/2" dia coarse sand paper wheel.

Granted, it can be tricky if one's mind wanders and doesn't observe cutter rotation. Also a firm grip and solid arm support are very important.

Perhaps a Dremel isn't a tool for many, but a "hand grinder" {Dremel} was a tool that was very important when I was a tool and diemaker.....and one was expected to be flawlessly proficient in it's use.

As a general statement....beware of a Dremel...it can make a mess if not properly directed. Practicing on scraps will tell a person as to whether he should use a Dremel.....Fred

 

[Crewdawg445]

Not disagreeing one bit. I also use one for many tasks at work on a regular basis, very handy they are. Just not for me when building! Many guns have been ruined by the whirling tool of death! lol, just not a risk worth taking. To each their own, as with anything. :thumbsup:

 

[MSW]

:shake: Just a matter of time before that Dremel causes you a Major screwup..... Not if, it is When.... Careful don't mean nothin to a Dremel..... :rotf: :rotf:

Keith Lisle

+1 to that... No way would a dremel ever come close to a kit I've spent $ on. Definitely not a tool you want near a build if you have exercise "extreme care" with. It's not if, but a WILL cause major problems eventually. There is a reason simple hand tools are used... again, this is a hobby that requires patience and dedication, not short cuts and time saving.

coming down on the side of the general consensus this time ... Dremel makes a great tool, and their customer support is top notch - mine died, and they sent me another one for free, even though it was well out of warranty, and when I called to thank them, the lady told me, "You're the reason we exist as a company.'" - how cool is that?
:grin: :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

but having said that, I will confess to using a Dremel to polish metal, but as far as taking it to wood, well, it can get you into trouble a whole let faster than it can get you out of trouble.
:shocked2: :shocked2: :shocked2:
one guy's free advice - doubtless well worth the cost

 

[JohnN]

I have a Dremel also but think I will leave wood removal to hand tools and sandpaper. P.s. thanks for all the suggestions so far. Although the squared off forestock makes for more work it also makes drilling and working the barrel pins easier.