How do you guys cut a barrel channel beginning with a starter channel? I have been cutting them enitrely by hand with a Gunline barrel bedding tool and it takes forever! There has got to be a better way!
You can use good SHARP wood chisels to hog a lot of it out in the beginning but be careful. Just remember you can always take out more but you can't put any back. You will build up speed as you gain experience & a feel for it.
------------------ NRA Life member
[This message has been edited by Bear Claw (edited 12-05-2001).]
Posts: 8351 | Location: Jennings Louisiana, Arkansas by way of Alabama by way of South Carloina by way of County Antrim Irland by way of Lanarkshire Scotland. | Registered: 02 November 2001
That is what I was hoping to here, someone using a router. Are you using a router table? Is this a homemade set up? If so how did you do it? That has got to be a real time saver. Thanks!
We need to get Norm Abrams to show us how with a router! you think he could do it free hand?
------------------ NRA Life member
Posts: 8351 | Location: Jennings Louisiana, Arkansas by way of Alabama by way of South Carloina by way of County Antrim Irland by way of Lanarkshire Scotland. | Registered: 02 November 2001
Carefull with those routers!! Be sure you set your fence so that you are pushing into the opposite side of the channel as the fence. If you do it the other way one slip and the stock is toast. Problem with the router idea is that if you set it up the first and safe way the taper of the barrel groove will not match the barrel, it will be opposite on a rough shaped stock. The other way with the cutter on the same side of the groove as the fence will invaritably catch and ruin your stock. Bitter experience there. I bet if you made a taper jig and fixed the stock to it, then used a router table......seems like the set up time would take longer than a gouge. I take a round gouge and scoop out a piece of wood, then move the gouge back a hair and do it again. As long as you leave the chip some room, made with your previous cut, things go pretty fast.
[This message has been edited by scot (edited 12-06-2001).]
Posts: 813 | Location: Left Coast | Registered: 02 November 2000
Oh yea Norm could do it start to finish in one half hour episode! Who knows how much behind the scenes time would have been involved though. I showed a stock to a friend who is an avid wood worker and he doesn't think it would be too difficult to set this up for a router, probabally using a router table. I know I gun guy who uses a mill, anyone else do that?
You can use a mill or a drill press with a mill table... Or trace the barrel and using ) & ( chisles, scoup it out then finish with scrapers....nothing wrong with slow in stock building...Nothing is simpler than inletting, or slower.
My mistake, I thought you meant how do you start a channel not finish one. I use the scrapers to finish. I only use the router to do the main center part and work the taper and depth with scrapers. There really is no fast way if you want it to look good and fit right.
I did mean how to start and get the majority of the wood removed in a somewhat timely manner. The finish work I would still do by hand like Ray said, slow and careful. I don't do this full time but I can see how a guy could starve doing it. How could you charge enough to be worth your time!
Thats why I never got into the gunbuilding full time, I didn't want to starve to death. It is a great way to make extra money and enjoy your skills..Today when I make a stock for someone which is very seldom, I charge $2000 for labor, $300. for checkering and they furnish the grip cap, swivels, recoil pad, etc..That still figures to probably less than $15.00 per hour when you figure it all out...If I was in it full time then I would have to work a lot faster, probably have my stocks turned from my patterns also, but then workmanship just can't be as good...
