Reply With QuoteLooks like time well spent to me, I'll be following along as I have thought about this many times.
Happy New Year everyone!
I was stuck home after some minor sinus surgery, so I decided to try making a HBR Stock for my Savage Target Action based rifle to keep myself busy. Please understand that I have no formal woodworking training and I may just throw the stock out at some point if I don't like the way it's going. I thought some of you might get a kick out of my folly. I'll add photos as the project progresses
I started by downloading a few stock photos and working with them in Microsoft Paint to make a paper template.
Since this may just end up being firewood I am investing as little as possible in this project. So far I purchased a sheet of 18mm 4x8 standard Lauan from Loews, enough for 4 stock blanks, and a couple bottles of interior/exterior wood glue. That brings the total invested in this stock so far to about $15. I know this wood is not exterior rated and I don’t even know if it will hold up longterm. I'm not going to count the cost of the tools used, since I had most of them before starting this project, but I did purchase a few inexpensive router bits on eBay.
Like I said I'm just a little bored and I don't want to waste anyone’s time. I know I'm not the only one out there that's given this a try or at least thought about giving it a try.
Looks like time well spent to me, I'll be following along as I have thought about this many times.
Looks good to me, keep up the good work. Where'd you get the laminate blank? I have thought of ordering one from Bingham archery products, a bit of a throwback to my bow building days.
awesome keep it up man
I made the blank myself out of 18mm plywood. The main body is 3 layers and the forearm will be 5 layers. I glued the first 3 rough cut 7" x40" pieces of plywood together with the wood glue and then stacked a whole bunch of weights from my gym on top and let the glue set overnight. My family was teasing me about that. Wish I had thought to take a picture of that process. I'm not going to glue the two additional forearm pieces on until I've had a chance to cut the 1.25" channel down the center of the stock for the basic barrel/action inlet. Just waiting on a $9 router bit from Hong Kong.
Just finished up a little more sanding and it's not looking half bad. I need to run out for some emery cloth strips to smooth out the grip area.
I plan to cut down the base of the butt to 1" and have it taper up towards the top. Not sure how I'm going to make those cuts though. I planned on doing them on my cheap table saw, but I will only be able to cut one side due to the tilt. I will probably pick up a cheap right tilt table saw for that cut and to angle the forearm portion as well.
i think on the butt & forearm you should be able to rip one side then other by going from front to rear one cut then rear to front 2nd cut. you may need to raise hight of rip fence with a pc of plywood or make a L shaped sled to run aginst fence good luck jw
Nice work. Thanks for taking the pics and sharing. Please keep us in the loop as this progresses
JWW123 thanks for the suggestions on how to cut the angles.
The forearm shouldn't be a problem. Since I'm using a small table saw I will be able to do a push turn the stock and then pull through for the other side. Unfortunately, it's going to be a little more difficult with the butt though. I can't just pull through, due to the wide grip. I think you gave me the answer though. I'm going to try positioning the stock for the pull just past the grip with the blade down. I'll then recruit my Wife or Son to slowly raise the blade while I hold the stock in place against the rip fence. I should then be able to complete the pull through without cutting the grip area.
Here's another photo with a little more of the sanding done. I didn't get a chance to smooth out the front of the grip, but I did pick up some emery cloth so I'll get to it this weekend.
Looks good so far. Cant wait to see the rest of the progress. I have a big hunk of black walnut with a stock outlined on it, but have yet to cut it out. Like you, I thought it may be something to keep me busy...LOL
”I have a very strict gun control policy: if there’s a gun around, I want to be in control of it.”
~Clint Eastwood
If I may make some suggestions. Inlet the barrel and action before you do anything else. Then you can fit the buttstock to your needs relative to your head position to the action and scope. As for weatherproofing. Whisker the wood with water to raise any grain and remove those pain in the butt little whiskers. Stain it whatever color you want and use 4 aught steel wool to smooth out any more wiskers. Then give it a good oil finish per what instructions come with the oil. Looks good so far. Be carefull, you will be getting requests for stocks and the next thing you know you will be in the business. I know, it happened to me over 40 yrs ago when I built a flintlock rifle and have been doing it eversince. A part time money maker. Lets see the finished stock. Your on the right track.
El Lobo
Boy a cheapskate, like me! Love it! Do you have any issues with voids in the plywood? What type was it. Really cool project.
Yes, there are a few voids in the plywood. Since this is Lauan plywood, they are minimal though. Originally, I figured this would just be a test or proof of concept and at best a painted stock. I didn't want to waste $100-$150 on a stock blank. At this point though I am planning to fill/skim coat any voids or questionable areas with wood filler before doing a final sanding. I will then stain and Urethane the stock after bedding the action and inletting the trigger guard.
ellobo - I absolutely agree with you. I'm kind of at a standstill until that 1.25" router bit arrives. I've left a "little" extra wood just in case I want or need to fine tune the shape. Honestly though, even without the bottom of the butt being cut it feels great on the shoulder and lines up well. I've inlet and bedded numerous wood and fiberglass stocks over the years, so as long as the final cuts go well and my rough measurements for the trigger guard location work out I should be in good shape. I am still concerned about the cuts for the bottom of the butt though. They could easily be make or break cuts and the inexpensive/ inherited table saw I'm using doesn't have a Zero Clearance Insert. Still thinking about a band saw for those cuts. I don't have one, but it would be nice to have around. Lot's of used 12" saws out there for <$100.
I just wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions and encouragement. I really appreciate the support.
very nice, i am no craftsmen iehter but i think you are doing a good job. i am looking forward to the inletting pics.
Made my own stock once. Inletted the action area with a drill and router and chisels. Barrel channel was a pain. Make sure your router can't walk on you.
Good luck and posts pics of progress. Looking good so far.
Larry
Tinkerer
Here are a few more photos. I was able to make the butt cuts by pushing through the one side and then reversing the stock clamping it in place and raising the blade up, so that the wider grip wasn't cut.
Dude......THAT LOOKS GOOD!!!
Very nice!
Stu
looking good. keep us posted.
+2!Originally Posted by Apache
Vietnam Vet, Jun 66 - Dec 67
I like the color of that wood, that should be very pretty finished.
The one who dies with the most toys still dies--except in Christ.
I've made many a plywood stock. I used 1/8 luan and cross laminated the layup. I did the inletting and bedding first, then did the profiling. When it was ready for a finish I first coated it with polyester resin and put it in a vacuum chamber. This will fill all the voids and seal it. The final finish is automotive clear. The colors are achieved with tint added to the clear.
"As long as there's lead in the air....there's still hope.."
Beautiful. I don't expect my stock to turnout half as nice as your stocks. I am planning to keep the total cost in the $40-$50 range though and to learn from the process.
The $9 router bit I've been waiting for finally arrived from Hong Kong this afternoon, so I was able to start the basic inlet. I also attached the additional wood to the forearm. I should be able to square it up, angle cut the forearm wood, round the edges and start the final shaping tomorrow after the glue sets overnight. After that I will inlet the trigger guard and install a recoil pad.
Here are so more photos.
[img width=580 height=386]http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h457/zargon123/IMG_1492.jpg[/img]
[img width=580 height=386]http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h457/zargon123/IMG_1493.jpg[/img]
[img width=580 height=386]http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h457/zargon123/IMG_1487.jpg[/img]
[img width=580 height=386]http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h457/zargon123/IMG_1490.jpg[/img]
[img width=580 height=386]http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h457/zargon123/IMG_1494.jpg[/img]
[img width=580 height=386]http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h457/zargon123/IMG_1496.jpg[/img]
Very nice wish I had the time to do it look great and can I put the first order in for one
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