butchlambert
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The best part of the tree for a nice looking stock is in the root ball. Blanks from the trunk will work great if looks doesn't matter.
Desert/black ironwood is heavy and hard. It's also hard to work. Usually limited to small projects such as knife handles and such. I have a number of knives with desert ironwood scales.That's interesting, we have a lot of red bud around here too, but I have never heard it called ironwood. It does grow very slow, but it rarely gets big enough to mill into lumber here. It's funny how different areas assign names to wood. Where I live the trees we call ironwood are "horn beams" or hop horn beams. AKA "blue beech" or "water beech" and are not really beech trees at all. They also rarely get big enough to do anything with but like most slow growing dense trees they are very heavy and have a lot of BTU's so they make excellent firewood...if you can get it split. Out west, they have what is referred to as "desert ironwood" and it is beautiful. It seems to be a favorite of custom game call makers and grips for handguns. I only wished our "ironwood" looked half as good!!!
Thanks for the advice guys! I've looked at the recommendations, and they never list prices which scares me! I very rarely get a chance to call during the day due to work so I'm wanting to get an idea of what I'm getting into. Am I looking at the cost of a manners F stock ($1200 base) or a Boyd's?
As far as Ironwood goes, I cut two off of my back lot. Both were 13" at the base and took forever to cut. Between dulling and gumming the bit, it was all kinds of fun. I kept a section of it as a memento and it's seriously heavy. A 6" x24" piece weighs almost as much as my PRS gun.
Wow. How did I miss this one? Yes, I had "just gotten" my duplicator. I wasn't ready to chew up some guys blank as my first guinea pig! I've so far made three stocks with it and I'm STILL working out the kinks!Didn't joshb get a duplicator??
I mean I've got a few McMillan A5a and Manners around so it's more budgeting not affording . I'm actually dumping the EHF1A LA with Seekins DBM that the action is sitting in now to finance a proper F stock.It's one of "those"situations. If you have to ask, you probably can't afford it!![]()
Man that's going to be a heavy stockTalked to Doan Trevor this morning. This piece is headed his way soon, Osage Orange, bet it weighs 70 pounds! My pockets aren’t deep enough for one of those triple grade walnut stocks I don’t think. I was scared to ask the price...
What a great thread! I was curious why walnut has always been the material of choice instead of mesquite for rifle stocks. It is tough as nails and is the most dimensionally stable wood on the planet. Getting back to the subject, does anyone know of a good custom stock craftsman in Eastern Washington or North Idaho?
Looks just like the blank he did for me, except I gave him a blank to duplicate from and mine doesn't have the pretty paint.....He did a really nice job and his turn around time was great too.Bringing this back to the top.
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2018/08/guns-of-summer-pride-and-joy-collection-for-august/
The 12# dasher stock was built and painted by my buddy Jesse (jghoghunter) it's the beautiful faded green one.
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Just another fine example of his work. It's even more magnificent in person in the sunlight.
Josh, sent you pics 2 hours ago, pay it forward if you pick up in PaThanks for that tidbit, Butch. I found some Mesquite on eBay but it’s all too thin. I need at least a 2” thickness, otherwise it has to be glued up. I just got a pm from a guy that may have some. I’m waiting for pics and pricing. If you know of any sources, I’d like to know about them.![]()