It's been a full year now since I got my checkering kit and I'm still having fun with it. In fact it's a lot more enjoyable now that I am gaining a little more competence here and there and spend less time screwing up. Thanks again to all that had advice and tips for me last year!

Here's some recent work I've done to a semi-custom Ruger 10/22 stock.



There's still lots of work to do deepening lines and finishing them to the borders above. I just got this grip pattern drawn out and started last night on the same stock.



I also modified the "practice" cradle I made to actually work with a real stock. It is far from perfect but gets the job done (until I bite the bullet and just build one).



From a few months ago...

Nice job!

it won't be long now and folks will start asking you to checker. Better get a price list ready to go.

Looks a 100% better then anything I can do. My checkering tools are in the bottom of my roll away waiting on another project. I need more practice.
But very good job looks far better then expect for a years worth of experience.

A tip I picked up somewhere: Put a cutting tip into the handle backwards. Use it to "pull" the line back from the border instead of pushing the tool all the way to the border. It will help reduce those "overruns" and is helpful when working the inside of the pistol grip area. I used a marking pen to draw arrows with points away from the cutting end so I can see at a glance which tool I am picking up

Eric,

The run overs can be repaired using a little sanding dust from the same blank. Wet the area with Super Glue and mix the sanding dust into a paste. Allow it to dry for a couple of hours and sand with 400 wet or dry paper. This will help in the over all view of your checkering. I use the small 90* V tool to cut close to the edge lines.

Over all it is looking very good.

Les

The beginning checkerer's best friend can be the 1/4" wide masking green tape available from auto body supply shops. Outline your pattern completely with it and it will prevent many runovers as well as give a very visible stop line.

Thanks for the nice comments and suggestions all!

quote:

Originally posted by stocker:
The beginning checkerer's best friend can be the 1/4" wide masking green tape available from auto body supply shops. Outline your pattern completely with it and it will prevent many runovers as well as give a very visible stop line.

I might have to stop by the local Napa Auto store for some tape today... Managing overruns is still a challenge for me.

I'm trying grip patterns that touch at the top of the wrist of the stock for the first time. Makes it just a bit more complicated, but not as bad as I expected.





I still have to cut all of the lines to full depth (all the way to the border!) and even everything out in these patterns, but a lot of the work has been done now.



Two different fore-end patterns for different fore-ends. The top stock has a rounded sporter fore-end so I did a full wraparound pattern. The bottom stock has a wider, flatter fore-end for more stability on a bag, so I am only checkering the sides of the fore-end and leaving the underside smooth.



You can just barely see where the grip patterns meet over the top of the wrist here, and the size/dimension of the fore-end pattern relative to the rest of the stock.



The remaining two uncheckered stocks here have the flatter varmint/target style fore-ends. One is already marked and taped up for a new point pattern (still deciding if I want to go through with it) and the other will have to wait for awhile. You can see some masking tape and 1/4" wide auto detailing tape on the grip- that stuff is a huge help!



I've been working on those four stocks off-and-on for a few years now and while my overall design/style preferences have changed, they're still ideal for me to practice my checkering with. It's about time they are nearing completion anyways.

I do a checkering job about once every 3 years---that's how long it takes me to forget my sore back, crossed eyes, hand cramps, and headaches from the magnifier headband.

Evan, 1/8 inch or 1/4 inch pin striping tape from the auto supply store makes a good border. It's flexible for those curves and thick enough to stop overruns. Just degrease the finish before you run your tape. Use sharp cutters. I ruined a dandy one with a worn cutter. CB

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
Evan, 1/8 inch or 1/4 inch pin striping tape from the auto supply store makes a good border. It's flexible for those curves and thick enough to stop overruns. Just degrease the finish before you run your tape. Use sharp cutters. I ruined a dandy one with a worn cutter. CB

Thanks! I edited my last post but you can see a bit of 1/4" detailing tape above the grip cap on the stock second from bottom. Great stuff!

I also noticed my single point tool was getting dull last night... it was taking a lot more effort to deepen lines than before. A minute later I pushed a little too hard while getting through a tight spot and cut a HUGE overrun. *$#@%^@%! I should have put that tool down the second I felt it was wearing out.

quote:

Originally posted by Evan K.:

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
Evan, 1/8 inch or 1/4 inch pin striping tape from the auto supply store makes a good border. It's flexible for those curves and thick enough to stop overruns. Just degrease the finish before you run your tape. Use sharp cutters. I ruined a dandy one with a worn cutter. CB

Thanks! I edited my last post but you can see a bit of 1/4" detailing tape above the grip cap on the stock second from bottom. Great stuff!

I also noticed my single point tool was getting dull last night... it was taking a lot more effort to deepen lines than before. A minute later I pushed a little too hard while getting through a tight spot and cut a HUGE overrun. *$#@%^@%! I should have put that tool down the second I felt it was wearing out.

Been there. You'll get it. Sorry I didn't warn sooner. Have fun. CB

your work looks very good..... I wish I had the patience to do something like that....

The checkering is real nice. You should be proud to have such a skill. But, where did you get that piece of wood? It's gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by custombolt:
Been there. You'll get it. Sorry I didn't warn sooner. Have fun. CB

I appreciate the advice- and I tend to learn things the hard way too.

quote:

Originally posted by wapiti22:
The checkering is real nice. You should be proud to have such a skill. But, where did you get that piece of wood? It's gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks! All four of those 10/22 stocks are factory seconds I bought from Numrich in 2010 to practice some stockmaking. I don't know who originally made them, but the inletting is good and they look and feel a lot better with some reshaping and the addition of an ebony tip and steel grip cap (at least I think so). You could say I have champagne taste on a cheap beer budget.