Checkering tools FYI

[MBTcustom]

So you go to find a weird set of checkering tools and you find out very quickly that you are SOL.
Not to fret my friends! You can get by just fine with a little bit of craftsmanship!
Today, I decided to order up a Dem-Bart checkering tool from brownells. I needed a three line cutter in 16LPI to chase some janky laser checkering that Marlin put out. Well, no such luck. Brownells was out of stock, and MidwayUSA did what they do best and showed me a pretty picture of what they can't sell me. LOL!
I called Dem-Bart, and they were out of stock there too!

I had to make my own tool, and I snapped pictures of the whole process so you guys can see how I did it. Might get you out of a jam someday, I don't know.


First, I selected my trusty piece of unknown rusty toolsteel (I got this baby from a friend and all I know is that it gets hard when you quench it. I swear I think I'll cry when I finally use the last of it.) It's 1 1/2" in diameter.
I turned an accurate diameter to work with:
96009

Next, I calculated the point spacing for 16LPI being .0625.
I switched to the threading tool and began plunging it into the work, using plenty of cutting oil and setting a new depth every time I pushed the grooves deeper. In this way, I worked the grooves till they formed perfect points witch will end up being the cutting edges.
96010

Then I drilled out the center with a 1" drill bit:
96011

Ground out a hook internal grooving tool (or whatever you call this thing) out of HSS.
96013

I figured the total width of the finished tool was going to be .187 wide (.062 X 3) and I wanted a .050 blade left in the center (this ended up being too wide) so .187-.050=.137 .137/2=.068
So I scratched the face of the part, moved in .068 and pulled back about .150.
Then I added the width of the tool+.050+.068, moved in and pulled out .150 creating a .050 blade in the middle of the grooved section. (if that makes no sense, don't worry about it).
96014

Then I parted the grooved section off with the cuttoff tool:
96012

Now I have a kewl ring of steel:
96015

I used a mini cuttoff abrasive disk to grind the teeth in there and then cut it off:
96016
96017
96018

[MBTcustom]

Next I sharpened the teeth carefully with a 60* file:
96019

Drill a little hole, grind a little relief, startin to get the picture?
96020

Then I hung it on a piece of spring wire, heated it cherry red, and quenched it in water. I tested hardness with a file and it was very good.
96020

Back at the bench, I grabbed a special mini chisel I had in the drawer, dipped it in solder paste, held it to the new tool, heated it up till the solder flowed, and voila!
A new three line 16LPI checkering tool! (look at all the money I saved on shipping!)
96023

I tried it out tonight, and it works like a champ. It's no dem-bart you understand, but it will get me through this job.
I hope this helps you fellers out.

[waksupi]

Tim, the reason they don't show three line in stock, is they don't work worth a damn, so they don't make them very often. They don't sell to people with much experience with them. I don't know if Monte Kennedy even shows a three row in his book. If Monte didn't use them, probably not a good idea. Too easy to make a jump, and bugger the work. For refreshing, much better to use a double, one smooth rider, one cutter. Also, it's easier to drill, while it is still in a larger chunk.

[MBTcustom]

Have you tried to refresh the checkering in these laser cut laminated stocks? Geez it's a bear!
The bottom of the cuts' is almost flat and really wide, the single line tools are all over the place. There's just nothing to track with,and the laser was good enough to leave plenty of wood grain in there to deflect the cutters. The three line tools track better for me. I'm not using it to cut the checkering, I'm just trying to get everything moving in the right direction so I can use the single line tools.
It's either that, or sand off the "checkering" and start fresh.

Regardless, this is about how to make the tools from scratch. You can use this method to make almost anything you want. I just wish I had a really thin blade file to sharpen the teeth with more control.

[btroj]

I don't care if times the right tool or not, the tool is cool.

I always find it interesting to see how something can be made with a bit of machine knowledge and an open mind.

Well done Tim.

Photos of the checkered stock? Or at least the one with the checkered past.....

[CastingFool]

Sometimes you do what you have to do, so you can do what you have to do. Makes sense to me!

[oldred]

You just gotta love ingenuity, it's that kind of thinking that gets problems solved!

[nekshot]

Great detailed info. I also was making some of my own checkering tools but your way is sure handier. I know what you mean when you have that special piece of steel for odd creations and it starts to disappear!

[williamwaco]

You guys amaze me.

I can do metal work too.

I can bend a ( small ) nail with a hammer.

[MBTcustom]

I don't care if times the right tool or not, the tool is cool.

I always find it interesting to see how something can be made with a bit of machine knowledge and an open mind.

Well done Tim.

Photos of the checkered stock? Or at least the one with the checkered past.....

OK, here is what I am dealing with:
Try chasing these lines with a single point cutter! As you can see, the wood grain is the most prominent feature!
96054
96055
96056

As you can see, this tool I made is just the thing for getting a line started in the middle of all that mess so that I can track across the wood. It's not a normal situation, and a multi line cutter has a place in an application like this. The hardest part is just ignoring the wood grain and trying to see and follow the miserable excuse for a pattern that is underneath. It's like trying to follow a hound dog through a thicket!
96057

[DLCTEX]

I'm hitting the "like" button.

[robroy]

Stipple
[smilie=1:

[KYCaster]

Stipple
[smilie=1:



Skate board tape!

Tim, Ya know, yer makin' the rest of us look bad. :groner:

Jerry

Nice work BTW. :drinks:

[btroj]

Looks good Tim.

[MBTcustom]

It's comin right along.
I just used the three line tool I made to witness the lines and get things going in the right direction. Then it was single line from there on:
96159
A few more hours and this baby is going to be all shcnazzy and stuff:
96160

[Reg]

Nice work, Sir !!!!

[lka]

I'm hitting the "like" button.

Where's the like button?

[btroj]

Where's the like button?

Over on Facebook where it belongs.

I prefer to just say "Damn nice job Tim", that goes for the tool and the checkering.

[BNE]

Our tool and die guy at work is indispensible. He loves it when I bring an abused part to him and say "all you gotta do" like it was easy. You make it look easy, but I know better.

[MBTcustom]

My favorite thing when I'm checkering is to call up one of the members who has a lot to say and have a phone conversation while I'm checkering. Just gets me in the groove. I just plug in my earbuds and dial up one of these old guys that knows everything, and let him bend my ear for an hour or two. It really is one of the best parts of the job.
Slow and easy. Relaxing.
There's nothing like a good checkering cutter that just goes where you tell it.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Tim,

Love reading your posts. Like the tool you made a lot and your approach to the work, especially getting a guy on the phone to listen to while you work. I could't do it and focus, but I'm envious of your ability to do so. Gunsmithing and Armorer work can be long, steady and tedious. Having some background entertainment and getting to see the end result makes it all worth it. Great job.

[leftiye]

I've got a CZ52 with self adhesive 80 grit sandpaper on the slide. Werks like a champ! Doesn't look bad neither (black shoe dye).

[andremajic]

Great work. I'll admit, it took me quite a few pictures before I figured out what you were doing.

[btroj]

Seems to me you had enough of that ring left to make a few replacements too. Between selling checkering tools and powder tricklers you aren't gonna have much spare time.

[BCgunworks]

That laser checkering is a pain to clean up. I have had to use single line cutters many times on them.

[MBTcustom]

Seems to me you had enough of that ring left to make a few replacements too. Between selling checkering tools and powder tricklers you aren't gonna have much spare time.

Well exactly. When I'm done, I'm just going to chunk that ring in my checkering kit. I'll probably never have to make another one just like that, but it doesn't take up any room in there. Every time you crank out a special, you just throw the remainder of the ring in the box, and if you ever need another one, just cut off a chunk and solder it on.

That soldering bit was the coolest part of this. You know, when I heated it up and quenched it, it was hard as glass, and may not have lasted very long (not that it had to) because the fine edges would break down too fast. By soldering it on the tool handle, I drew it back at the same time because that solder melts at 464 degrees and that should have put the cutting tool at about 55-58RC.

Seemed like it worked out nicely anyway.

[btroj]

I figured you used the soldering to temper the metal.

I just love the fact you had the vision to see how to make the tool. I don't think the actual machining is as important as the thought process behind it.

How well can you visualize the final tool and the steps to make it? I find that is often the key.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

So you go to find a weird set of checkering tools and you find out very quickly that you are SOL.
Not to fret my friends! You can get by just fine with a little bit of craftsmanship!
...snip
An excellent essay with photo's :)



Tim, the reason they don't show three line in stock, is they don't work worth a damn, so they don't make them very often. They don't sell to people with much experience with them. I don't know if Monte Kennedy even shows a three row in his book. If Monte didn't use them, probably not a good idea. Too easy to make a jump, and bugger the work. For refreshing, much better to use a double, one smooth rider, one cutter. Also, it's easier to drill, while it is still in a larger chunk.
I for one (a budding checkerer) want to thank you for your comments. A newbie like me would never realize what a specialized situation Tim is dealing with, and your suggestions are surely filed away for when I finally start touching tools to actual gunstocks...instead of firewood :)

[fouronesix]

Well done for certain!! Any checkering is hard to do right and is tedious, at least for me. Must be a cabin fever thing as I just finished cleaning up the bruised and buggered checkering (using a single cutter) on an older rifle, but thank goodness it had proper hand cut checkering to begin with and wasn't one of the pressed or laser types! I can't imagine even trying some of those. A friend tried not too long ago and ended up with a mess. He'll probably just end up stippling the whole mess. :)

[DougGuy]

If that tool ever loses it's edge, you can use some of the leftover 80 grit paper that leftiye used on his slide, cut some narrow strips and glue them right to the teeth! :kidding:

[robroy]

How about a screw slot file to cut the grooves in the tool. Brownells has them in 3 widths I think. Some where either side of .030".

[MtGun44]

Tim,

When you started that was NOT checkering, it was "roughening". When you were done,
it WAS checkering. Well done on the tool and on the woodwork, too. As usual!

Bill

[detox]

I am impressed...good job.

What hand tool can i use to cut vent grooves in a iron mould. I have a couple moulds that need extra vent grooves.

[MBTcustom]

I am impressed...good job.

What hand tool can i use to cut vent grooves in a iron mould. I have a couple moulds that need extra vent grooves.

Straight edge with a scribe, followed by a stone to flatten out the burrs. If it's not deep enough, use a 3 square needle file to carefully deepen the lines.

[screamingjohnny]

Great work on both the tool and the checkering!

[geargnasher]

Uh Huh. Now I know why you don't remember half of what I say on the phone! :kidding:

LAMINATE???? Seriously? I'm officially calling you a dumb a** for even approaching that garbage with a checkering rasp, and a talented stud for succeeding! Nothing quite so fun as trying to cut hundreds of straight, parallel lines, diagonally, across alternating layers of Styrofoam and tire rubber. You know there are three excellent sources for nice, solid walnut mostly-inletted Marlin blanks, dontcha? One of them is about four miles from my house and sells to Midway, etc. Nice job on the tool and the work, finish it with Minwax wipe-on poly and a toothbrush so it lasts.

Gear

[MBTcustom]

Uh Huh. Now I know why you don't remember half of what I say on the phone! :kidding:

LAMINATE???? Seriously? I'm officially calling you a dumb a** for even approaching that garbage with a checkering rasp, and a talented stud for succeeding! Nothing quite so fun as trying to cut hundreds of straight, parallel lines, diagonally, across alternating layers of Styrofoam and tire rubber. You know there are three excellent sources for nice, solid walnut mostly-inletted Marlin blanks, dontcha? One of them is about four miles from my house and sells to Midway, etc. Nice job on the tool and the work, finish it with Minwax wipe-on poly and a toothbrush so it lasts.

Gear

Do I look amused?
100526
I may be a dummy, but I'm the dummy that brought it on this one!
100527
100530
100528
100529

This piece took a lot of work, and a lot of time. It took 5lb of force from my trigger pull gauge to open the lever with the hammer down. The trigger was set at 3lb 4oz and breaks like glass. The metal was finished to a mirror and buffed by hand till it shined.
I ruined five checkering bits cutting those lines.
But now it exists, and it didn't before.
This was done for a very special client of mine in Florida, and he will be using it to hunt bear in Alaska. I wouldn't hesitate to use it for that purpose myself, because it's just a nice as my own.
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly that little action can cycle those huge cartridges! Other than a slight difference in recoil, you would swear you were shooting a 22. LOL!

[btroj]

Man, that is polished!
Nice looking work Tim. Five checkering bits? Holy cow

[MBTcustom]

The resin in the laminated wood was remarkably effective and raping and pillaging the cutting edges of my tools.

[btroj]

Tough stuff eh?
Makes me understand why people like it for a gun stock, pretty durable.

[geargnasher]

Look out, Tim, Brad's gonna want that rainbow 4x6 checkered next....at 28 LPI! [smilie=l:

Seriously, you're a freakin' stud to be able to re-work that piece. I really like the coarse checkering for winter-glove use, that's a heluva guide rifle. Does the receiver double as an emergency signal mirror?

Gear

[MBTcustom]

No, but if you find yourself in the woods, in desperate need of a shave, and some raccoon stole your darn mirror.......

[btroj]

I would be afraid to take that rifle to Alaska, the weather could be rough on the bluing and polish.

Gear, no checkering, it was already discussed! I think something along the lines of "Hell no" was spoken.....

[MBTcustom]

Tough stuff eh?
Makes me understand why people like it for a gun stock, pretty durable.

And abrasive.

[btroj]

So a checkered laminate stock doubles as a rasp?

[MBTcustom]

So a checkered laminate stock doubles as a rasp?

Not quite, but if you turned some boolits out of the stuff, it would make one heck of a bore polisher.

[Just Duke]

My favorite thing when I'm checkering is to call up one of the members who has a lot to say and have a phone conversation while I'm checkering. Just gets me in the groove. I just plug in my earbuds and dial up one of these old guys that knows everything, and let him bend my ear for an hour or two. It really is one of the best parts of the job.
Slow and easy. Relaxing.


:bigsmyl2:

[smokeywolf]

Nice work Tim. Very nice.

Your tool steel that you used to make you checkering tool; was it W1?

smokeywolf

[nhrifle]

Nice job Tim! I have been debating whether or not to take the plunge and buy some tools and learn to checker but have been on the fence for awhile, weighing the cost of the tools and the possibility of checkering not being for me. Maybe I'll make up a couple of cutters and practice a little. Thanks for posting this!

[w5pv]

This is going to be a dumb question but could you use a thread file of different diminsons make a cutter?

[smoked turkey]

Tim, as usual your work is inspiring and the problem with a write up and pictures like this makes me think I can do it. NOT! At least not without some serious practice. From what I see here the next set of checkering tools that hits swappin and sellin will last about 2 minutes.

[MBTcustom]

This is going to be a dumb question but could you use a thread file of different diminsons make a cutter?

No, that won't work. It's just too rough you see? You have to use something with very fine teeth so that you can cut in a smooth, parallel line. The threading files are just too course to do that. At least the ones I have seen are. On my thread files, you would only be using about 2 teeth to do the cutting and that just wont work.
Checkering is a difficult, precise operation that should be approached with respect. Considering the difficulty of what you are actually attempting to do, the checkering sets are a bargain! I used to milk every last cut out of a tip that I could, but any more, I just chunk it when it quits cutting with minimal pressure.
The tools I made in the OP were only to establish a pattern in the middle of that soup. Once I had something resembling a pattern, I chased the lines one at a time like normal, but make no mistake, there was no comparison between my cutter and one made by Dem-Bart.

[MBTcustom]

Tim, as usual your work is inspiring and the problem with a write up and pictures like this makes me think I can do it. NOT! At least not without some serious practice. From what I see here the next set of checkering tools that hits swappin and sellin will last about 2 minutes.

You can do it! It's just like learning to swim. Grab yourself by the belt loops and chunk yourself into it, and you'll be doing the backstroke in no time!