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Any Experience With Checkering?

After waiting almost five months, my 6mm AI barreled action finally arrived last week. When I ordered the barrel I decided I would make my own stock and put together a block of laminated black walnut with a center strip of bird's eye maple months ago. Over the past few days I've cut a pattern, shaped the stock and spent the better part of today sanding.

I've never attempted checkering wood and have no idea how difficult the process is or what tools are needed. If anyone has experience and can give some insight I would appreciate it.

Thanks.
 
Very time consuming. Takes patience and a steady hand to say the least. If your patience lacks to where road rage is acceptable behavior then I don't recommend it as a past time or hobby. :) I did 5-6 stocks when I wanted to 'learn how to do it' in the later 80's and very early 90's. Picked too complicated of a pattern for my very first. It looked ok from a distance but not up close. It was a wrap around on the forend which is difficult for a pro! Keeping your lines straight, and I mean really straight is difficult with a 1 pc pattern on the forend. Not beginner material but that was my 'stupid' factor in not knowing what I was tackling with no experience. The last 2 or 3 were very complicated patterns but they turned out really nice. All for customers. Regrettfully I never done a nice one for myself. Think the last one on a $300 blank in about 90 for a Sako 222 took me about 60hrs over a 3 month period for a lawyer friend. He is OCD so there were NO options as for quality/perfection.lol

Think I charged him either $150 or $200 then. Still spending the interest money off that deal. Just nobody around here wanting to pay more than $50 or even less. Sold my tools 5-6yrs ago for about $150 I think so even lost money getting rid of that stuff.lol Got tired of trying to explain why it should take that long and/or cost that much for 'just a small area'.lol

You can buy most of what you need from Brownell's or even Midway for hand cutting. Probably $150 to get you started. Best thing to do is recut a couple of factory stocks and it won't take long to find out if it is your 'cup of tea' or not!!!!!! Nothing more nerve racking than cutting on a $300+ blank that you have already inletted, bedded and finished. The type of finish will make a big difference in getting a nice pattern layed out. Certain finishes either clog or dull cutters rather quickly. Tru Oil has silica so cutters go south frequently. Maybe the real pros have gotten past the stress of messing up a blank worth thousands and all the labor they have in it up until checkering time? I know the first one for me wouldn't be a cake walk mentally!

Back when Dakota Arms first opened in Sturgis I stopped and walked through the shop with Pete Grisel. A lady was setting there with a MMC just making dust fly. Pete told me how he modified them to be able to work right up to the edge with no overrun. It looked easy but suspect it weren't her first rodeo either. They or others in that profession can probably do one with power checker in an hour? or so? If they paid me for how fast I worked with hand tools they would still be in hock up to their butt cracks!

Well, enough rambling, hope you kinda get the picture. Not trying to discourage you but keep you from making a quick decision and spending money. Honestly, a poor checkering job looks alot worse than a plain stock!!!!

Respectfully,
Dennis
 
The glue will 'eat you up'! Laminate would not be my first choice! There is a reason why English Walnut is the prefered material. It inlets well, and checkers sharply. You posted "I've made a pattern, shaped the stock and spent the better part of today sanding". Did you not inlet first? I turn down lots of 'stock making/checkering'. Too many think they already have it figured out and what it should cost, when they really haven't a clue! Monte Kennedys' book would be a good place to start if you're 'set' on checkering something.
 
shortgrass said:
The glue will 'eat you up'! Laminate would not be my first choice! There is a reason why English Walnut is the prefered material. It inlets well, and checkers sharply. You posted "I've made a pattern, shaped the stock and spent the better part of today sanding". Did you not inlet first? I turn down lots of 'stock making/checkering'. Too many think they already have it figured out and what it should cost, when they really haven't a clue! Monte Kennedys' book would be a good place to start if you're 'set' on checkering something.

All the inletting was completed over the weekend. That in itself was a learning experience. After the initial rough cuts were made I used the chalk powder builders use and covered the lower part of the barreled action with it and then set it in place- the chalk showed were the wood was tight. I think I pulled the barreled action in and out over 100 times before I had it seated properly!

The stock is three pieces of hardwood laminated together, not your typical laminate. Two sections of black walnut on the outside and a center strip of maple down the middle. As a result the checkering will be done on clean walnut, no glues to deal with. If I get a chance, I'll post a pic later today.

Considering the time I've already invested I may just hold off on checkering for the next build. I'm very happy with the lines and wood and I'd be heartsick if I ruined it at this point.

Thanks for the responses.
 
Check this out, it ain't for the faint of heart but should give you some insight.

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9411043/m/9181029961

Jim
 
I've been making stocks by hand from a blank for 20 years. If you can inlet one in a weekend I think I'll just give it up. My 'fastest' inletting is in the neighborhood of 30 hours, even by doing some 'pre-inletting' on my vertical mill.
 
shortgrass said:
I've been making stocks by hand from a blank for 20 years. If you can inlet one in a weekend I think I'll just give it up. My 'fastest' inletting is in the neighborhood of 30 hours, even by doing some 'pre-inletting' on my vertical mill.

I received the barreled action last Thursday and started inletting on Friday; on Saturday, I don't think I left the shop before 9:00 p.m. In short I probably spent 20-25 hours at it. Much of the work was done with a dremel tool.
 
onelastshot said:
shortgrass said:
I've been making stocks by hand from a blank for 20 years. If you can inlet one in a weekend I think I'll just give it up. My 'fastest' inletting is in the neighborhood of 30 hours, even by doing some 'pre-inletting' on my vertical mill.

I received the barreled action last Thursday and started inletting on Friday; on Saturday, I don't think I left the shop before 9:00 p.m. In short I probably spent 20-25 hours at it. Much of the work was done with a dremel tool.
There's the difference,,,, after using my mill to "get the hole started" it's all Dastra chisels/gouges, and the variety of 'home made' scrapers, barrel rasps, ect. that have found their way into my tool box. I do use a die grinder and double cut burr to remove some excess from the barrel channel. Final fit is "scraped in". No gaps, no glass to fill them.
 
onelastshot said:
shortgrass said:
I've been making stocks by hand from a blank for 20 years. If you can inlet one in a weekend I think I'll just give it up. My 'fastest' inletting is in the neighborhood of 30 hours, even by doing some 'pre-inletting' on my vertical mill.

I received the barreled action last Thursday and started inletting on Friday; on Saturday, I don't think I left the shop before 9:00 p.m. In short I probably spent 20-25 hours at it. Much of the work was done with a dremel tool.

[/quote

If you are using a Dremel tool in your inletting you must havve arms like popeye and a case of spinach handy. I would sure like to see the quality of the inletting where you used the Dremel
 

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