Do it yourself Stock making thread

[Bully]

Getting there.

Little by slow...

Thanks @joshb .

 

[joshb]

View attachment 1075833 Little by slow...

You can use a table saw to cut that forend angle steeper and deeper, if you want to. You’ll need really big bits on a shaper, otherwise. A cheap Wen rotary sander for the butt shaping. You can also do it with a palm sander and 60 grit if you want to avoid buying a new sander. It takes longer but because it’s slower, it’s less stressful.

 

[Bully]

You can use a table saw to cut that forend angle steeper and deeper, if you want to. You’ll need really big bits on a shaper, otherwise. A cheap Wen rotary sander for the butt shaping. You can also do it with a palm sander and 60 grit if you want to avoid buying a new sander. It takes longer but because it’s slower, it’s less stressful.

Thanks bud. I appreciate the recommendations.
As to the forend, I'm pretty happy with the angle. I think I'll keep it where it is for the time being.
For the butt, I wasn't too sure how to go about it. However guide lines and a rotary would be great. If not, I may try to work it out on a table saw to start and finish with a palm sander. Maybe...

 

[joshb]

Hey Bully: The cheap Wen sander/polishers are only about $40 from Home Depot online. My stock making post covers how to do it by making a template for the butt. Flat cuts in a table saw can be done but it’s tricky. Be careful!

 

[Bully]

Setting up a plan of attack.

 

[CStuck]

Looking good bud, how do you plan on making those cuts? Sanding them down with a belt sander or grinder?

 

[Bully]

Looking good bud, how do you plan on making those cuts? Sanding them down with a belt sander or grinder?

I’m working that out now. I MAYYYYY try my hand with a chisel or possibly remove the bulk with a bandsaw. Either way, I’d finish with a palm sander.

The material opposite the grip I’ll do with a rasp of some type.

 

[joshb]

Don’t use a chisel! Unless you have skills and it’s as sharp as a razor, you’ll get tear out. There’s a reason I promote sanders in this thread! The rotary sander has it’s purpose. Belt sander would be my second choice. Harder to control, tho.

 

[Bully]

Don’t use a chisel! Unless you have skills and it’s as sharp as a razor, you’ll get tear out. There’s a reason I promote sanders in this thread! The rotary sander has it’s purpose. Belt sander would be my second choice. Harder to control, tho.

Thank you. Solid advice and I appreciate it.

 

[jpmimproved]

Y’all inspired me to do some work of my own. Got a deal on a Barnard action and have been doing work for about 4 weeks on and off on the stock. Just got the barrel, so off to the smith at the end of this week. Aluminum is not fun to deal with...

 

[Bully]

Y’all inspired me to do some work of my own. Got a deal on a Barnard action and have been doing work for about 4 weeks on and off on the stock. Just got the barrel, so off to the smith at the end of this week. Aluminum is not fun to deal with...

Beautiful!

 

[CStuck]

It is so awesome seeing everyone making some progress on their stocks!!!

I am making some progress too. I still need to work on the forend stippling. It isn't straight and it really bothers me. Hopefully I can find some time this weekend to clean it up and make it a bit more straight and parallel. The stock also needs to be sanded more and oiled with a few more coats to get it smooth and right. I also used slightly different cheek riser hardware and am not very pleased with it, it isn't the quality of the KMW I have used previously.

I also need to finish the inletting but I haven't decieded on the bottom metal just yet. This will most likely be a 223 rifle. I am thinking I will probably use the PT&G AR-15 mag bottom metal for Rem 700 so that I can use my existing AR mags instead of buying the expensive AICS 223 mags....Few down sides to that bottom metal, I would be limited on cartridge length if I wanted to shoot some heavier handloads. If I did load some 75grainers or larger I would have to single load them instead of through the AR mag which isnt a big deal, also I have to send my action off to the smith to open up the mag well to accept the bottom metal which isn't a big deal either just more time waiting. What do you think? Standard M5 bottom metal and get the 223 AICS mags...or go with the PT& G AR bottom metal ?

 

[joshb]

It is so awesome seeing everyone making some progress on their stocks!!!

I am making some progress too. I still need to work on the forend stippling. It isn't straight and it really bothers me. Hopefully I can find some time this weekend to clean it up and make it a bit more straight and parallel. The stock also needs to be sanded more and oiled with a few more coats to get it smooth and right. I also used slightly different cheek riser hardware and am not very pleased with it, it isn't the quality of the KMW I have used previously.

I also need to finish the inletting but I haven't decieded on the bottom metal just yet. This will most likely be a 223 rifle. I am thinking I will probably use the PT&G AR-15 mag bottom metal for Rem 700 so that I can use my existing AR mags instead of buying the expensive AICS 223 mags....Few down sides to that bottom metal, I would be limited on cartridge length if I wanted to shoot some heavier handloads. If I did load some 75grainers or larger I would have to single load them instead of through the AR mag which isnt a big deal, also I have to send my action off to the smith to open up the mag well to accept the bottom metal which isn't a big deal either just more time waiting. What do you think? Standard M5 bottom metal and get the 223 AICS mags...or go with the PT& G AR bottom metal ?View attachment 1078773

Nice work. On the one stock that I stippled, I used a checkering tool to carve a groove around the area. An outline, as it were.
I agree on the hardware. Not much wood above the lock nut. I was lucky and tried the KMW first. It’s top shelf and I never looked back.
I’d like to find a cure for the mag problem. The 223s I did are throated for the longer 80s. I single feed them and live with it. They’re Tikkas and I just used what came with the gun.
That stock is looking good, tho. Only a few of us will notice some minor flaws but they do drive us nuts, don’t they?

 

[CStuck]

Nice work. On the one stock that I stippled, I used a checkering tool to carve a groove around the area. An outline, as it were.
I agree on the hardware. Not much wood above the lock nut. I was lucky and tried the KMW first. It’s top shelf and I never looked back.
I’d like to find a cure for the mag problem. The 223s I did are throated for the longer 80s. I single feed them and live with it. They’re Tikkas and I just used what came with the gun.
That stock is looking good, tho. Only a few of us will notice some minor flaws but they do drive us nuts, don’t they?

Thank you.
I used a veining tool to do the outline and then went back and used a round ball diamond bit in a dremel to make it wider. I just need to straighten it up and it drives me nuts for sure!, but its fixable. The hardware was a mistake looking back at it. It was cheaper and I thought it would work well enough, and it will once it is epoxyed in place. It just doesn't have the same quality as the KMW. I used the KMW on the previous builds and I will use it moving forward. You are 100% right its top shelf and I should have never strayed away from it. Live and learn I guess, the cheaper option isn't always the best option thats for sure.

As far as the mags go, the more I think about it the PT&G bottom metal will work fine for my goals with this gun. I want it to be more of a "trainer" and a way to shoot more affordably. It will be nice to use my bulk 223 loads off the progressive press. I will most likely get it chambered in 223 wydle with a 1:8 twist so I can shoot the vast variety of 223/5.56 ammo either bought or loaded. If I want to load the heavier stuff I can single feed and it wont be often enough to really make a big head ache. The 1:8 twist may not stabilize the 80s but it has worked well with the 75s and 77s which I have a decent stockpile of. Down the road I may also get a barrel in 20 practical for a sweet little varmit rifle. We will see

 

[Bully]

It looks awesome. Seriously.

I’m jealous of your skill set.

Thankfully I won’t be dealing with the mag issue as I’m really enjoying single shot rifles anymore. I don’t plan on doing a stock for anything with a mag.

 

[joshb]

It looks awesome. Seriously.

I’m jealous of your skill set.

Thankfully I won’t be dealing with the mag issue as I’m really enjoying single shot rifles anymore. I don’t plan on doing a stock for anything with a mag.

You’re saving yourself quite a few headaches by doing that!

 

[Bully]

You’re saving yourself quite a few headaches by doing that!

That's not the norm for me. I can tell you that.

 

[heydogman]

Some of the QS Sycamore heart wood I'm using. I like quarter sawn , it's stable. Third benchrest stock for the same rifle.

 

[Puzzaz01]

You guys are doing some great work. They all look awesome, two thumbs up!

Darrin

 

[Bully]

Question for the guru's on here:
I am going to build another stock. My current is, for all intents, to prove to myself that I can do it. The wood that I am going to use on the next one is very gummy. It's old growth, super dense pine. If I try and use anything above 80grit, it's going to get all jammed up and stop cutting within a few strokes. For most of what I've done so far, I can get by. Router table and such makes it possible. However when shaping the "bevels" on the butt end on my current project I used a bunch of sanders. I don't think that that will work on the next.
My question is, can I use a plane to cut it down to approximate dimensions then rasp from there?
The cut should be thin enough to not splinter the wood as badly as a chisel would. However I'm out of my depth on this.
Thanks for any help.