My latest ML experiment...

[taco650]

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This will be my first attempt at stock making from a plank. I "built" the Traditions Kentucky rifle this summer because I wanted a cheap muzzleloader for deer (didn't have one) but the length of pull on the stock is WAY TOO SHORT, like 12.5 inches! The plank I'm using is from a Tulip Poplar I cut down in my yard a couple years ago. I know nobody uses any type of poplar for stocks but it was free and will give me good experience in making a stock. Maybe I'll just learn that I prefer a pre-carve LOL!

I've already started cutting out the barrel channel. And yes, there is a patch on the right side of the stock. That was a crack that was caused by part of the pith left in the plank before I decided to make it into a gunstock. A lot of that will get rasped away.

Wish me luck!

PS not sure why the photos uploaded upside down so... SORRY!

[taco650]

I hope Waksupi doesn't have a heart attack when/if he reads this... :holysheep

[starmac]

The photos turned over in their grave, nobody, and that means nobody uses poplar for a stock and your camera knew it. lol

All jokes aside, it seems like it may just be smart thinking, if it is your first. There is something to be said for practicing on a 2 dollar (free) piece of wood, instead of ruining a beautiful piece of walnut or similar. lol

[Mr_Sheesh]

For barrel inletting I would strongly suggest investing in the Barrel Bedding tool at any store that carries them... Brownells has them, for example; https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-making-hand-tools/barrel-channel-cutting-tools/barrel-bedding-tool-prod6796.aspx They are a neat tool! (And I'm a tool addict LOL)

[M-Tecs]

For barrel inletting I would strongly suggest investing in the Barrel Bedding tool at any store that carries them... Brownells has them, for example; https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-making-hand-tools/barrel-channel-cutting-tools/barrel-bedding-tool-prod6796.aspx They are a neat tool! (And I'm a tool addict LOL)

They work OK but only on round barrel channels.

[waksupi]

You picked a good piece of wood to learn on. Poplar will be a bit soft, and be a little difficult to keep sharp, well defined lines, but should cut easily. I do all my octagon barrel inletting with chisels, and a homemade scraper. Takes me around 6-8 hours to put a swamped barrel into a blank. Since you are on a learning curve, expect 25-30 hours for that part of the job.

[bedbugbilly]

For your first stock, I also think that poplar is not a bad choice as you will be learning many new things - and it's supposed to be a learning process. It's soft enough to carve and work easily but as mentioned, it will be hard to keep sharp lines on profiles, etc. When you go to finish the stock, just remember that poplar does not take stain well and and will be "muddy" looking. I ran thousands of board feet of poplar through my shop when I made millwork and it was strictly for a painted surface when finished but if the customer wanted to stain it, I always informed them that it would not take stain well and would be muddy looking.

You are using an octagon barrel - the barrel bedders as mentioned are for round barrels and are worthless for inletting an octagon barrel. For barrel inletting, I have an old Sears Craftsman single knife molding head that was designed for use on table saws and radial arm saws. It takes the same knives as what Vermont American made. I have taken the 1" knives for cutting rabbets and re-ground it to the profile of the various sizes of octagon barrels. I can quickly cut a barrel channel in three or four passes, raising the cutter with each pass. A lot can also be done with a router with a good guide set-up using straight bits of the appropriate size to cut out most of the barrel channel. Usually the only thing left to be cut are the angled corners for the bottom 45 degree flats.

Good luck to you on your project - you'll have a lot of fun and learn a lot along the way - and don't get discouraged. Even the best builders sometimes run in to problems and the secret is to study what the problem is and then figure out a way to accomplish what you want to do. If you make a "oh-oh" - don't fret about it. Part of the fun is learning how to fix a mistake when you make it - you've already started on that learning process by taking care of the void in the wood. AS they say, "nothing ventured, nothing gained" and you'll do just fine! :-)

[taco650]

The barrel is straight 7/8 octagon so inletting will be a bit easier than a swamped barrel. I've already started cutting out the channel but didn't do it the prescribed way... ;-). Doing this will also give me practice on sharpening tools... ugh!

[centershot]

Doing this will also give me practice on sharpening tools... ugh!

A valuable skill set, in and of itself!

[oldracer]

I bought my octagon barrel tools from Gun Line up near L.A. They also make great checkering tools. Anyways with my chunk gun with 1 1/2 width they or no one else had a scraper set so I bought a set of cabinet scrapers from Rockler, traced the barrel outline then cut out the size I needed. The commercial barrel scrapers usually have 3 blades so I did that and it took several hours. I opened the width with my router and then cut the bottom with the hand tools. I agree that the softer wood is a good idea to start on but I was surprised to find that wood like maple or walnut scrapes easier and checkers easier too?

[waksupi]

I bought my octagon barrel tools from Gun Line up near L.A. They also make great checkering tools. Anyways with my chunk gun with 1 1/2 width they or no one else had a scraper set so I bought a set of cabinet scrapers from Rockler, traced the barrel outline then cut out the size I needed. The commercial barrel scrapers usually have 3 blades so I did that and it took several hours. I opened the width with my router and then cut the bottom with the hand tools. I agree that the softer wood is a good idea to start on but I was surprised to find that wood like maple or walnut scrapes easier and checkers easier too?

Yep. a soft wood like poplar is a wooly bugger to checker. A good hard wood is needed for good definition.

[taco650]

A valuable skill set, in and of itself!

Very true

[KCSO]

For your inletting scrapers use spade bits ground octagon and sharpened and heated and bent. Quench and don't bother to draw them out and sharpen them with stones and burr like a scraper. I have a set I made 30 years ago and they are still going strong.

[kens]

Can you slice off a thin section of octagon barrel, and make a scraper from that?

[taco650]

Can you slice off a thin section of octagon barrel, and make a scraper from that?

I suppose you could but holding onto it would be problematic without attaching a handle of some sort. There's also different barrel sizes to contend with.

[nekshot]

Use a real dark walnut stain and its mother will think it is walnut!

[taco650]

Use a real dark walnut stain and its mother will think it is walnut!

Good idea!

[taco650]

Made progress

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Another

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[Buckshot Bill]

Can you slice off a thin section of octagon barrel, and make a scraper from that?

I done it, works good. I welded a piece of rondstock to it at a bit of an angle and attached a file handle to it, works great

[Col4570]

210560A Large piece of Walnut for a 12 bore Flintlock Shotgun.Used a Spokeshave to take off the excess timber and made up an octagonal scraper for the barrel inletting.Your Gun looks as if it is coming on fine.

[Col4570]

210564The finished gun.

[taco650]

210564The finished gun.

Thanks for the encouragement. I've got a long ways to go but I will get there eventually.

[Flintlock1812]

Best of luck taco650! Looks like your off to a great start. Keeps us posted with you progress.

[taco650]

UPDATE:

Decided to change direction a little after picking up a used T/C Hawken barrel on ebay. Finally got the barrel & tang inletted today. Now to drill the ramrod hole...

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[waksupi]

Can you slice off a thin section of octagon barrel, and make a scraper from that?

If you do that, I highly recommend taking a file or belt sander, and taking some metal off of each side. If you use the full dimension piece, you will end up with big gaps in the inletting. You need to sneak up on it.

[taco650]

Can you slice off a thin section of octagon barrel, and make a scraper from that?


If you do that, I highly recommend taking a file or belt sander, and taking some metal off of each side. If you use the full dimension piece, you will end up with big gaps in the inletting. You need to sneak up on it.

Yes, you can always take more off but you can't put it back on, a lesson I'm learning the hard way.:groner:

[waksupi]

Yes, you can always take more off but you can't put it back on, a lesson I'm learning the hard way.:groner:

Well, you CAN put it back on, by cutting and sanding filler stips to glue in. Much better to do it right the first time. The strips pretty much disappear on a finished gun.
Something novice builders tend to do, is to keep removing the inletting black from the sides as they inlet. This will lead to gaps. As long as you are seeing contact points on the lower three flats, concentrate on those for making clearance. Always look very carefully at the sides before removing any wood, as barrels tend to tip being put in and removed, leaving false trails to follow. It's not a bad idea to use some lacquer thinner and remove any indicators, and then put the barrel in VERY carefully when it comes to the sides.

For barrel inletting, I actually use chisels for 95% of the job. The only scraper I use is a 1/4" reshaped screwdriver, to remove indicator spots when getting nearly finished for final fit. I can go from plank to fully inlet swamped barrel in 6-8 hours.

[taco650]

Well, you CAN put it back on, by cutting and sanding filler stips to glue in. Much better to do it right the first time. The strips pretty much disappear on a finished gun.
Something novice builders tend to do, is to keep removing the inletting black from the sides as they inlet. This will lead to gaps. As long as you are seeing contact points on the lower three flats, concentrate on those for making clearance. Always look very carefully at the sides before removing any wood, as barrels tend to tip being put in and removed, leaving false trails to follow. It's not a bad idea to use some lacquer thinner and remove any indicators, and then put the barrel in VERY carefully when it comes to the sides.

For barrel inletting, I actually use chisels for 95% of the job. The only scraper I use is a 1/4" reshaped screwdriver, to remove indicator spots when getting nearly finished for final fit. I can go from plank to fully inlet swamped barrel in 6-8 hours.

6-8 hours? I think I spent three times that on a straight octagon barrel LOL! I also still have to do a "filler strip" repair but that's only because my plank was cut too small to begin with, something I didn't realize at the beginning. Lessons learned...

[KCSO]

Take a spade bit and file to octagon a little under size. Heat and bend and sharpen and viola. I have a set made in different sizes and have used them for the last 30 years or so.

[taco650]

A question for those "in the know"...

When figuring out the "drop" on a stock, where is it measured from and to?

[taco650]

I'm also trying to decide what kind of trigger to use. I like the idea of a simple, single trigger like a Bivens style but if I' going to stay in the Hawken vein, then a double set variety is more appropriate.

What do the masses say?

[indian joe]

A question for those "in the know"...

When figuring out the "drop" on a stock, where is it measured from and to?

Forget book measuring - make the stock to suit YOUR hold

[waksupi]

Forget book measuring - make the stock to suit YOUR hold


This is the correct answer.

[taco650]

This is the correct answer.

Don't worry, I'll be doing that. Just wanted some general guidelines because this is my first time down the road.

Got my lock today, still need to decide on a trigger, get it and a few other small items. Lastly, just need some time to work on it LOL!

[taco650]

Latest progress

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Got the ramrod hole drilled, barrel key slot cut & butt plate fitted. Starting to shape the stock but still need to get a few more parts. Those are a trigger, barrel key & escutions, nose cap & a few screws. TOW has all of it in stock right now but I don't have the $$$ just yet.

Sorry about the rotated pics, not sure how that happened cuz they're oriented correctly on my tablet.

[taco650]

Starting to look like something, at least at the back end of the rifle...

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Still a lot more to do so stay tuned! :-)

[Jniedbalski]

Looking good

[taco650]

FYI, the screws holding the butt plate on are temporary substitutes until I can get the correct ones.

[taco650]

Ordered the last of the major parts for it tonight from TOW. Still need to get some screws for the butt plate and barrel wedge trim plate thingies... Anyway, once getting these I'll be able to make a firing rifle out of these parts I've been collecting.

Finally got the lock installed although it didn't turn out like I wanted yet still works. Guess I've got a lot to learn about parts orientation and placement. It will work but won't look right but I've always been more interested in function than beauty so...

Will try to post more pics when I can. I forget to take them while working on it, guess I'm more focused on getting the job done. :-)

[LAGS]

I use Poplar to build Patterns to make stocks on a duplicator.
And sometimes, I slap a barrel and action into the Pattern ,then go out and shoot it.
Sometimes to try out the feel of the stock shape.
Other times to have a rifle to shoot, or even hunt with.
So far ,Poplar has worked well for me.
It is the Softest Hardwood, but it can be shaped and finished to make a nice stock.
Looks wise, it isn't that great, but when you coat the stock with a coat of Fiberglass Resin, then paint it with Black Wrinkle Paint, they look great.
This is a Poplar stock , made as a Pattern, then fitted to a cut down Mosin Nagant, that I still shoot to this day.

[taco650]

No more excuses now...

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:wink:

[taco650]

Video update of recent progress. Forgive the video quality please-a tablet camera is not the best thing to do this with but its all I have. The trigger is a Bivens style single assembled from parts from TOW. The longer I work on this project, the more respect I have for those who have built these either as a profession or serious hobbyist. I am obviously neither and am constantly reminded of how much patience and caution it takes to get things done, things I am learning as I go LOL! Eventually I'll get this done but not soon. Next up is the trigger guard.

Many thanks to Waksupi (and others) for advice and guidance!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2HEAYF1nm4

[taco650]

More progress pics...
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Trigger guard is just started but glad to get sitting in right place.