fiberglass stock making...
- Thread starter Sniper338
- Start date
Alex Wheeler
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Dont do it. It sucks! I made a mold and did one, I am happy to pay Mcmillan or manners. PM me for details if you decide to do it.
I dont have time or money to even try. But if i did id give it a go. Maybe a retirement projust in 19 years...
I've made countless fiberglass parts, starting nearly 50 years ago, including a lot of molded parts. The first rule of molding composite components is this: IF YOU CAN BUY IT, DON'T MAKE IT.
You should only start a special project like you propose if you're making something you can't buy. Think of it like reloading. Nearly all of us reload because we can't buy the stuff we really need. And, just like reloading, you need to stockpile a lot of equipment and supplies before you even start. Nobody in their right mind would go into reloading just to get 200 special rounds, and then put the equipment on the shelf.
Likewise, you would have to be pretty nutty to get into composite molding just to get ONE gun stock. And, unlike the epoxy bedding process, making a molded stock is not relatively simple. The chances of success are very high for a first-timer doing an epoxy bedding job. Big-time failure is nearly guaranteed for the first-time stock molding project if the shooter has zero experience in the field.
Finally, I'll say that my McMillan stock is nice, but it isn't 6 times as nice as my Boyd's stocks even though it costs 6 times as much.
Bottom line: Unless you already know what you're doing and unless you REALLY, REALLY need a special stock, and unless it REALLY REALLY MUST be molded fiberglass (or other composite material) don't get into making a mold just to get a composite stock.
You should only start a special project like you propose if you're making something you can't buy. Think of it like reloading. Nearly all of us reload because we can't buy the stuff we really need. And, just like reloading, you need to stockpile a lot of equipment and supplies before you even start. Nobody in their right mind would go into reloading just to get 200 special rounds, and then put the equipment on the shelf.
Likewise, you would have to be pretty nutty to get into composite molding just to get ONE gun stock. And, unlike the epoxy bedding process, making a molded stock is not relatively simple. The chances of success are very high for a first-timer doing an epoxy bedding job. Big-time failure is nearly guaranteed for the first-time stock molding project if the shooter has zero experience in the field.
Finally, I'll say that my McMillan stock is nice, but it isn't 6 times as nice as my Boyd's stocks even though it costs 6 times as much.
Bottom line: Unless you already know what you're doing and unless you REALLY, REALLY need a special stock, and unless it REALLY REALLY MUST be molded fiberglass (or other composite material) don't get into making a mold just to get a composite stock.
Just to be clear, disliking fiberglass is not a reason to recommend that a person avoid working with it. I happen to really like composite construction of all types.
I've built countless high performance R.C. model airplane fuselages, a lot of boats (the largest being 55 feet long) and two 2-seat airplanes and a single seat sailplane (part wood, part fiberglass), plus a lot of other stuff. All of my projects were very successful.
If I still had my old shop set up along with all the materials and equipment in place, I'd build a custom fiberglass stock in a heartbeat 'cause I have something in mind that is not commercially available. But when I moved to Italy I sold nearly everything having to do with fabricating and I'm not about to equip a shop for doing work in composites at this late date. Now I'm limited to building simple things like annealing machines.
I still stand by my recommendation that the OP abandon the idea of making a molded composite stock. The investment in materials alone is just not worth it for one project.
joshb
Gold $$ Contributor
I agree. Tooling up for a one-off isn't cheap. thought an explanation of my "perspective", jaded as it is, would be helpful in assessing where I was coming from. Nice resume, by the way.
Last edited:
Alex Wheeler
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