book or internet info on wood stock inletting

[Tac-O]

Do yourself a favor, spend a bit and buy yourself a stock blank. It doesn't have to cost thousands and be "exibition grade". But wood that is sold as 'stock wood'by reputable suppliers is aged. It may be kiln dried, but it has been cut and dried for several years. Time allows the blank to stabilized and quit moving. Kiln dried belongs at the lumber yard. I have blanks in my shop that have been in the rafters for 10+ years. I know they will be stable and not warp when I start turning into stock. Nothing could be as heart breaking as to put 50 or more hours into a stock and have the wood move due to stress relief. Stock wood doesn't come from the lumber yard............

Ugh! I thought maybe it was too good to be true.

I didn't know there was more to do with the wood other than dry it. What happens throughout the aging process that drying doesn't take care of? And is the worse that could happen be that it warps a bit and would it be fixable when it does?

I'm thinking I might give it a try on this piece, since I figured I'd screw it up on my first attempt anyway. Going in knowing the possibility of it warping.... I'd be ok with trying to not spend 50 hours on one stock and it would be slightly less stressful for me, I think. maybe it would be good to turn this piece into two blanks and use them to figure out what I'm doing. Or, is this piece good looking enough that it would be better to age it for a few years and turn it into a great stock when I k ow what I'm doing?

Sometimes for me, going in knowing certain failure is ahead makes it far less stressful, more enjoyable, and gives me the opportunity to make mistakes that I can learn from.

I really do appreciate your knowledge and help!

 

[shortgrass]

As a blank ages, stress is relieved throughout. I would not 'plan' on screwing-up. I can find faults in every stock I have made, that others never see. You will screw-up if you get in hurry or try short-cuts. I was thinking maybe 50 hrs for your first inletting job, not the complete stock. The first rifle I ever made a stock for was a Rock Island Springfield that had been 'sporterized' in the '50s. The stock on it had seen way too much petroleum oil and was ruined. It took me 2 days to do the lay-out and another 7 days to inlet the mag box/trigger guard. All told, I figured I had 125-135hrs in inletting and shaping before I started finishing with tung oil,,,,,,, and I had an instructors' help! The first 1 taught me a lot, the next 1 went much fast ( a Mauser '98). I am glad I followed my instructors' advice and bought a decent blank to begin with. Having a plan, what comes next, is probably the most important,,,,, next to not getting in a hurry and being careful. I always figure 100hrs to make a stock from a blank, now. Sometimes less time, sometimes it takes more. But each one is unique, there's not another just like it,,,,,,, no matter how hard I might try!

 

[Tac-O]

As a blank ages, stress is relieved throughout. I would not 'plan' on screwing-up. I can find faults in every stock I have made, that others never see. You will screw-up if you get in hurry or try short-cuts. I was thinking maybe 50 hrs for your first inletting job, not the complete stock. The first rifle I ever made a stock for was a Rock Island Springfield that had been 'sporterized' in the '50s. The stock on it had seen way too much petroleum oil and was ruined. It took me 2 days to do the lay-out and another 7 days to inlet the mag box/trigger guard. All told, I figured I had 125-135hrs in inletting and shaping before I started finishing with tung oil,,,,,,, and I had an instructors' help! The first 1 taught me a lot, the next 1 went much fast ( a Mauser '98). I am glad I followed my instructors' advice and bought a decent blank to begin with. Having a plan, what comes next, is probably the most important,,,,, next to not getting in a hurry and being careful. I always figure 100hrs to make a stock from a blank, now. Sometimes less time, sometimes it takes more. But each one is unique, there's not another just like it,,,,,,, no matter how hard I might try!

Oh I never plan to screw up... but I often stack the odds against myself pretty heavily, for some reason. And it tends to be enjoyable!

Do you have any recommendations on the cheapest source for a correctly aged/dried walnut blank?

 

[shortgrass]

It has been awhile since I've bought and wood, so I'd suggest just doing a search. They best buy I've seen is from rogervardystockwwod.com I have bought from Roger in the past. The exchange rate is great right now, shipping was very fair, although because of the distance it was not "next day". Roger's an honest guy. I had 2 blanks shipped for $40usd , which ain't bad at all.. Other than that, I would do a search. English Walnut cuts much better than American Black. It's also usually more expensive.