Do it yourself Stock making thread

[joshb]

On a side note: When I finally got back in the shop, I did a little more fine tuning on my grip area. It felt a little big, so I took some more wood off. Then I formed finger grooves. I like them, some don't. Your choice.
I make them with my little drill mounted drum sander and finish them up by hand sanding. I grip the stock and stick a pencil between my fingers to mark the lines. Then I sand with my drum, centered between those lines. Here is my finished product, at 120 grit. Finished sanding goes to 1000

 

[joshb]

Dang I can see your floor ! Mine just makes me taller - too many layers .

Hey, Gary! I'm a little obsessive compulsive about it. I sweep my work area 3-4 times a day. I can't stand walking on chips and stuff. It also allows me to stop and think about the next step in the project.

 

[joshb]

Back to the shaping, I follow the same procedure of drawing lines and sanding. When I get the big edges off with the disk sander, I switch to a palm sander with 80 grit. Knock off more edges and get the big scratches out with that and then switch to 120. I glue a piece of 120 grit to a flat piece of wood, about 2"x12" and use that to find any high or low spots. Clamp the stock down and sand some, moving the sanding board in line with the stock. Look for the "straight scratches" (high) and spots without scratches(low) and palm sand the high spots until the sanding board gives you straight scratches on the whole surface.


After that is done, I move to the end of the cheek piece. I use a small drum of 120 grit on a dremmel to hollow a concave surface on it and make it flush to the stock. Now I get out some sheet paper and finish it off by hand. Get ready for some blisters. Here's the finished product.

 

[joshb]

Notice that I still have about a 1/16" of wood around my butt template. That will come off with the finish sanding. I still need to do 180, 220, 320, 400, 600 and 1000. Don't worry. It sounds intense but it only takes an hour, tops. The grip area takes the most time. Usually 2-4 hours.

 

[joshb]

Minor adjustments, today. Opened up the palm well. It felt a little snug. It also "sweetened" the curve. I used the little Dremel drum sander to remove and shape the new curve, then the edge of my palm sander with 120 and finished by hand.

 

[joshb]

The next step on the list is the recoil pad. I like Pachmeyer. Depending on the butt profile you've chosen, you'll order the size appropriate. I use the template I made for the butt to shape the pad. First, you push a steel "something" thru the holes and make a slice on the bulge with a razor knife.


Then, I push a 1/4-20 bolt thru that slice, the pad and my but template and secure it with a nut. I use some old furniture feet I had lying around.



Then, I use a disk sander to remove the excess material outside my template. You can clamp down your hand disk sander to do this. I happen to have an old radial arm saw I put a disk on. Either way, I hold it with my hands during the sanding. Go slow and watch the knuckles and fingers.

I get it close, then finish it with a palm sander and a new, sharp flat file.

 

[joshb]

On the pattern I sent out, I included a tracing of my template and a small Pachmeyer pad. They're fairly close to a match. The pad in the pics above is a large. I'm using a small on this stock. It's so close to my butt profile, I can screw it to my stock and sand it to flush, installed. I haven't ever had one of these pads lay perfectly flat when screwed on so I apply a layer of thickened epoxy to the butt before I screw the pad on. I wrap my butt with painter's tape to keep the epoxy off the surface of my stock. I put some butcher's wax on the pad to act as a release agent, in case I ever want to replace it.The epoxy is just a filler for this install.

I'll let it sit overnight before sanding it flush.

 

[joshb]

I pulled the tape this morning and started sanding the pad with 120. Keep the sander on the pad as you do this. The rubber is fairly tuff. If you get the sander on the wood, you'll remove more wood than rubber and create a divot on your butt. Use lite pressure and let the sander cut the rubber. When I get it right, I switch to 220 and sand the joint /stock.


Finished to 220.

 

[joshb]

I'm adding a bipod receiver to this stock. I asked Andy Delikat ( 230grRN) to make me some custom receivers so I can use my Sako TRG bipod on some of my other guns. Andy was very quick at coming up with a design and made them in a flash. He sent some off to the anodizer for my walnut stocks but since this is a stainless barreled action, I wanted plain aluminum. Andy said "No problem" and I had it in a flash. Thank you Andy!
I spent the time to make a template because I'll be retrofitting 4-5 other stocks.
As usual, I used my router with a 1/4" bearing bit. I epoxy glued it in place for extra strength.

 

[230grRN]

I'm adding a bipod receiver to this stock. I asked Andy Delikat ( 230grRN) to make me some custom receivers so I can use my Sako TRG bipod on some of my other guns. Andy was very quick at coming up with a design and made them in a flash. He sent some off to the anodizer for my walnut stocks but since this is a stainless barreled action, I wanted plain aluminum. Andy said "No problem" and I had it in a flash. Thank you Andy!
I spent the time to make a template because I'll be retrofitting 4-5 other stocks.
As usual, I used my router with a 1/4" bearing bit. I epoxy glued it in place for extra strength.

Looking good Josh !!! Your other adapters and bipod should be there by Friday!

 

[joshb]

One more cutting operation to do before final sanding, I have to make the bolt notch. I put my action and bolt in the stock, mark the location and square a line down the stock. I use a Japanese dozuki saw to make the cuts and chisel out the bottom of the cut. I start a little shallow and work it down as needed. I put a piece of tape across my closed bolt as an indicator for "closed". I use a sanding board and flat file to finish the cut.



The tape tells me I need to go a bit deeper.

That done, it's finally time for sanding to 1000 and a few coats of oil!

 

[joshb]

I'll check my bolt clearance with my cheek piece before I do.

All is good. Let's finish this thing!

 

[joshb]

Ok! Two heavy coats of oil, 10 minutes apart. I'm using Watco Danish oil. First coat was Dark Walnut. (Looking at it, I wished I had used Medium Walnut.) Second coat was Clear. I let it soak in and dry for 1/2 hour then rubbed it down. I'll do another coat of clear while wet sanding with 1000 grit, and then more coats over the next few months. I kept the oil away from the bedding area, so I can finish that and put the rifle together. Other than that, it's done.

Just remember. This started out as a $15 piece of Maple from Home Depot and a piece of left over Cherry.

 

[joshb]

I hit the shop again and looked over the color. It's too dark. I'm going to have to make another one.

 

[joshb]

I bedded the action, cleaned out the squooge and put the gun together. One last cut for the safety. I just sand it out with a Dremel and finish by hand.



It's done. Now, to mount a scope and shoot it!

 

[J355]

Josh
Great work , I read a lot more than I comment on , too many critics get involved , but this deserved a thumbs up , what are you using for the wet in wet sanding , one is on the list right after retirement unfortunately got a few years to go

 

[joshb]

Hey, thanks. I just use the oil I finished the stock in, with 1000 grit paper. I'll be starting another one for a Tikka with fewer pictures. I'm going to focus on posting the "time" it takes to do the build.

I know there might be better ways to do stocks and I am certainly no expert at any of this. I try to use what I have at hand with my limited experience. I've done 9 of these, so far. I'm "just getting started". Feel free to chime in with constructive comments. I have a little to learn about this.

 

[joshb]

I'm working on another stock. Earlier, I had suggested clamping down the cheap rotary sander to sand a butt pad. Today, I tried it and it worked great.
I put some foam under it.

 

[teele1]

Josh what talent you have....that is an absolutely beautiful stock.

jim

 

[Ggmac]

Ditto teeles comment , and aBIG THANKS for all the patterns sent and time it takes trying to pass on knowledge.
Coffee time now .