Drilling and Cutting Stocks.

[glo]

Hi folks, I have a question. Is there a jig that I can get for drilling or cutting wood rifle stocks?

I’m starting a new rifle project and want to do some of work myself. I have a 40XB stock and want to cut the butt down an inch using either my table saw or band saw. I am going to put a Tubb adjustable butt plate on the stock. Also I need to back bore the butt to accept the shoulder plate shaft. I would use my drill press for that.

I ask because rifle stocks tend to be an asymmetrical shape and I want my hole and butt cut-off to be nice and perpendicular to the barreled action.

 

[Preacher]

Never heard of a jig for doing that, but if you set the stock up right, and make sure it's level and 90 degrees to the table it will cut OK.
No idea as to how you'll hold it in the drill press to do the back boring, I would use a hand drill to do it, with the stock in a padded vise.. start small and go bigger when needed..

 

[Bob3700]

glo,

I just finished cutting two stocks yesterday as you outlined.

One of my shooting buddies is a serious wood worker and has every tool you can imagine to do jobs like this. I am the lucky one here.

That said, if you don't have that type of resource, I would consider taking the stock to a cabinet shop to have the butt cut off. It takes a large carbide blade to make a splinter free cut that will preserve the surface finish of the stock. How about just marking it and seeing what the cabinet shop will charge to cut it. They might just do it for free, ya never know.

As far as the hole for the adjustable butt goes, I would drill a pilot hole with a small 1/4 inch drill bit. Go to Lowes or a home supply store and purchase the appropriate wood bit to drill the final hole. If you have a floor model drill press it is not hard. Once the butt has been cut square, you can use that surface as a level reference. Use a good wood cutting bit and not a metal bit. The wood bit will cut the wood and not draw itself into the wood with the possibility of splitting the stock. 40X stocks are usually some pretty dense Walnut and drill real nice.

Hope this helps.

Bob

 

[glo]

Thanks guys that some good info.

My table saw has a 10” 60 tooth carbide blade. I think I’ll add a 1 x 4 about a foot long to the push guide and set the stock on it’s side. That should keep it square. I’ll start by taking off a ¼ inch and see how the splintering goes.

As for the back boring, I think I’ll make a jig that supports the stock via the holes for the action screws. I’ll then figure out how to clamp the jig to the drill press,stand up type) support post.

I was thinking of using a forstner bit, but the butt is end grain. I think I’ll do as suggested, start small and work up to the correct size.

Again, thanks

 

[Bob3700]

GLO,

Make sure before you cut to check the stock for square in two dimensions. Vertical as well as horizontal. Often the stocks will need to be shimmed out on the forend to keep the cut square to the vertical.

Good luck.

Bob

 

[glo]

Will do Bob,
Thanks again
G

 

[Alex_B]

I use a radial arm saw that I put a high fence on with another board to clamp the fore end in. Shim where necessary and make sure the setup is where you want it, use "C" clamps to hold it and then make the cut. I was using 200 tooth plywood blades but they wouldn't hold up over 3 or 4 composite stocks. I'm now using an 80 tooth carbide Diablo blade and it seems to be holding up so far. I made a fixture of a flat plate with a bushing type set up to guide a drill for the center hole. I center up the buttplate, mark the hole, set the fixture on and drill the depth.

 

[glo]

Thank you Alex,
I don't have a radial arm saw but understand what you did. I think my idea for the drill press is the same as yours.

This week end I'm going to experiment with the differant set ups. I am going to order the butt plate today. Within a few weeks I should be able to do complete the work.
G

 

[katokoch]

If you want the cut to be true to the barreled action, I would suggest trying to make a cut that is based off the top of the fore-end, which would give you a surface that is exactly perpendicular to the butt and square too. The sort of cut that can achieve this or jig is up to your imagination.

*After thinking for a minute...

The first suggestion that comes off the top of my head would be taking a couple peices of wood,2x4's would work), and drilling one out so you could bolt the action screws through it so you would have a peice of wood that would run perfectly parallel with the barreled action and snug to the stock. The wood should extend a little bit past the existing butt so you can screw the second peice of wood perpendicular to this peice of wood and the barreled action but parallel to the butt you want to have. Run the second peice along the fence of a table saw to get the cut you want. Run the stock into the table saw with the stock facing the blade so you don't cut into your jig.

*This is the first idea that came to my head so it may not be the best... only something that I can imagine working*

 

[treeman]

glo, I made a jig for cutting butt stocks on a table saw. I drilled an tapped 2 holes in the t-square about 6" apart and used a peice of plexiglass about 12X18"counter sank 2 holes to match the holes that were tapped in the bar of the t-sq.use modeling clay to support the stock. it sticks to the plexi-glass and the butt stock. use a fine tooth blade up as high as it will go and the flat part of the blade rides on the part of the stock that is being cut and keeps it from chattering. cut slow and you will get a very smoth cut that only needs a little sanding. then you are good to go. preacher gave you good advise on drilling the hole in the buttstock. hope this helps and good luck with your project. treeman

 

[glo]

That’s a great suggestion treeman. Very much along the lines of what I was thinking. I haven’t made it out to the garage this morning. Good thing I was here to get more info. I’ll let you know what I did and how the practice cut goes.

Thanks Guys
G

 

[glo]

Well I made my jigs for cutting the butt of the stock on a 10” table saw. I decided to make two of them. One that will cut perpendicular to the barreled action and the other that will cut 7 degrees to the barreled action.

I made large T squares. I used a 24 x 6 inch piece of 3/8 AB plywood and glued it to a 24 inch 1 x 4 clear pieces of Douglas Fir. Then I glued a 24 inch long 3/16 x 5/8 piece of poplar I riped for underneath the plywood and 1 x 4 as the guide. The stock can lay on the 3/8th plywood with the barrel channel facing and firmly against the 1 x 4. The jigs need to set over night.

Maybe tomorrow night I'll do a test cut on the 40xb stock. The 40xb stock comes with a 7 degree cut on the buttt. I'm going to go with a 0 degree cut,perpendicular). This will eliminate any torque caused by the adjustable butt plate. I have stock that came from Elkridge with a 14 inch pull. I have about a 13 inches pull. I'm going to put a 7 degree cut on that butt.

I'm going to go with something a little more high tech for the back boring. But it will be still be done on the cheap.

I'll posts some before and after pic's so y'all can follow my progress. Comments during this project are welcome.

 

[TRECustom]

glo, if you haven't cut the stock yet, I would tape the area where you will cut with painters blue tape or duct tape. It seems to help avoid splintering and protect the finish if it contacts the saw table. I've used a bandsaw with a 15 tooth blade, but never get perfectly straight or square cuts and have to finish up on a belt sander.

 

[glo]

Good evening folks,
here is my first practice cut. It went perfectly! The cut is a square and smooth as a regulation USMC hair cut could be.

Thanks TRECustom for the blue tape advice.