New Rifle Project

[ntsqd]

Being in R&D/Production tooling I recognized nearly all of the COTS parts that you used to build your duplicator, and the Shimano roadie caliper too! That took some time and a not inconsiderable amount of money to build. I am curious about the aluminum structure outboard of the timing belt. It looks like it is connected to those shaft collars?

Not really related, but might be of interest. When I read "router duplicator" I flashed on this video of Culver Propeller's propeller duplicating pantograph:

 

[khmplus]

Being in R&D/Production tooling I recognized nearly all of the COTS parts that you used to build your duplicator, and the Shimano roadie caliper too! That took some time and a not inconsiderable amount of money to build. I am curious about the aluminum structure outboard of the timing belt. It looks like it is connected to those shaft collars?

Not really related, but might be of interest. When I read "router duplicator" I flashed on this video of Culver Propeller's propeller duplicating pantograph:

Really cool video! I can usually find propellers in the construction lumber aisle at Home Depot, lol. Good eye on the duplicator parts! Yes, those are shaft collars, which I tighten with a hex key to lock the shafts in a certain orientation.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Keep in mind, for every inch of thickness. It will take about a year of air drying.

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info. Not that I have gotten any green stock material.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Here are some pictures of my duplicator. It was a challenging project in itself. I can use it for other fun projects besides stocks. An eagle wall art piece was my first.

Impressive!

 

[Lee7588]

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info. Not that I have gotten any green stock material.

It is an estimate of time. You never know what may come up in the future. I keep an eye on what different wood dealers have, Goby Walnut has some stunning stuff just not much for gun stocks

 

[Mike Matteson]

Stock finish? I used Tru-oil. It take awhile but come out very good. Take some sanding dust and mix in to fill the voids. lightly sand continue adding Tru-Oil you have filled in and finish off the stock. My rifles are in Montana and it won't be until late Sept before get back there. Otherwise I would send out a picture of it.
Richards Microfit stocks, Inc. They have all types and grades of stocks.

 

[Lee7588]

Stock finish? I used Tru-oil. It take awhile but come out very good. Take some sanding dust and mix in to fill the voids. lightly sand continue adding Tru-Oil you have filled in and finish off the stock. My rifles are in Montana and it won't be until late Sept before get back there. Otherwise I would send out a picture of it.

Tru-oil is great for stocks. I build custom furniture so my finishes are a little different. When I build a table or something that is going to get a good bit of touching I use Rubio monocoat. The pure color is what I use the most of, then I top it off with a ceramic finish (Blacktail studios). The Rubio is a hard wax finish, I do 2 coat even thought it is called MONOcoat. After I do the Rubio and Blacktail finishes water will bead off, wood has a slight sheen but not to much, and is nice a durable. The Tru-oil as a stand alone is great if you were to add the Blacktail studios nano finish it would just make it better.

 

[tooth doc]

The blank was cut in 2018. It should be ready

find a moisture checker. in the pacific NW, takes about 10 years unless you have in a dryer box. about 10, 11% is as dry as we get

 

[R. Cram]

there are some very good comments here don't forget to use a block when sanding or all the corners will be rounded also I am a oil finisher to get it to have great luster the last 10 coats put on with your finger and put the least ammount you can put on, maybe 10 drops on the whole stock, then let dry overnight and do it again this will make more sense after you do it, this is the most beautifull finish and is repairable if needed

 

[DUCKMAN11]

You could use "cactus juice" and a vacuum chamber to stabilize the walnut stock also. I use it on knife handle scales with very punky hunks of burl and it basically turns them from a natural wood to a dense and uniform composite.

We had a hand crank duplicator in my middle school wood shop. It came from the Justin boot factory and they used it to build "lasts" out of bois de arc for making boots. Super simple machine for what it did.

Very cool project!!!

 

[Lee7588]

You could use "cactus juice" and a vacuum chamber to stabilize the walnut stock also. I use it on knife handle scales with very punky hunks of burl and it basically turns them from a natural wood to a dense and uniform composite.

We had a hand crank duplicator in my middle school wood shop. It came from the Justin boot factory and they used it to build "lasts" out of bois de arc for making boots. Super simple machine for what it did.

Very cool project!!!

I've never used stabilizers but I have friends that do and their vacuum chambers are maybe 5 gallons or less. I'm assuming doing knife scales You're probably similar size vacuum chamber. Is there a chamber large enough to take in a rifle stock? Or how would you do that? I can't imagine you could use vacuum bags cuz it would take the liquid out at the same time.

 

[Mike Matteson]

1. thing, besure and seal the insides of the stock so moister doesn't effect it in wet weather.

 

[DUCKMAN11]

You could use a pipe as a chamber. Part it off flush/square on a lathe then use the typical acrylic "lids" so that you could watch the vacuum process. Heck weld a plate on one end and just use one acrylic lid. Position the draw tube above the "water line" when the pipe is horizontal.

Now the next problem would be finding an oven large enough to hold a gun stock to cure the resin. Maybe a regular home oven would work if you angled the stock just right.

I've contemplated doing a similar process to make bois de arc shooting/walking sticks.

You could definitely use vacuum bags. You just need to have 2 ports on the bag. One to draw vacuum and 1 to draw in the resin. The side drawing vacuum would need a couple of shut off valves and a length of sacrificial hose/tubing. Something like clear ice maker hose is what I've used before just to track the progress of the resin. This hose could be cleaned and reused because cactus juice doesn't cure unless baked and all extra liquid can be reclaimed and reused.

Many ways to skin a cat!

 

[khmplus]

Finally made it to the stock finishing portion of my project. 5 coats of Tru Oil on, a few to go. It's looking great!