Could someone give me step by step instructions for setting up a simple checkering pattern? Or direct me to a good source for such a thing?

Most of the books and video's I have get way beyond me in a hurry.

I haven't looked in a long time, but Brownells used to offer "decals" that you applied to your gunstock and then followed the lines of the checkering pattern. You just had to get the pattern stuck on the stock evenly on both sides. All lines were then on the stock and you just cut along them. They had everything from simple 4 panel to some very elaborate patterns that included carvings. Hope this helps.

For me, Monty Kennedy's book and Joe Balickie's video, both availible from Brownells, were all I needed. If you can't get it from those 2 sources, then you are going to have to sit down with a good checkerer and pay them to teach you.

I hav enever seen the usefulness of the patterns sold by Brownells. No stock is the same as some other, so the odds of that pattern fitting are close to zero. Plus laying out a pattern and lating out all of the crossing lines is what checkering is. If you are going to do checker, then you might as well learn to do it correctly from the start

i bought the miles gilbert dvd kit... it is okay, and will let you know how tough it actually is.

hint, buy a 2 cutter, with a non-cutting side to go with it

second hint, at least for my lame attempts, is to cut VERY lightly during layout

There is one thing I really like about those patterns form Browmnells-they have some very pretty fleurs that you can copy and blow up or shrink down to fit a stock and hand-drawn pattern. The decals may be very helpful for some people. THey were not good for me and the way I learn, but they may be just the ticket for the next person and their learning style!


I forgot to ask-what have you been reading and watching that was not helpful?

Also, can you tell us about specific problems you are having? Everyone develops little tricks to do it and maybe some one could help you with your problems

Hey Wes...kind of a broad subject. What questions do you need answered specifically?

I have attempted to checker a stock once before. After he finished laughing Costomstox said this about it: The forward leading edge of the point checkering pattern is normally made by the master lines and they should be a 3:1 or 3 1/2:1 diamond. That means if you make a half diamond (triangle) that is 2 inches wide at the base, it should be 3" high along the centerline. Your diamonds may be that dimension but the aligment of the pattern only allowed you to use one line of the leading edge for the master line. You have the pattern oriented so that one of the master lines is parallel with the bore.

Now I have made sense of most of this. I have a Dem-Bart checkering kit with cutters for 16, 18, 20 and 22 lpi. I also have the gauge thing that looks like a diamond one side is 3 1/2 to 1 and the other is 3 to 1. I also have a very nice checkering cradle and almost all the patterns that Brownell's sold. However I never could figure out how to transfer them to the stock.

Let me try to put this into perspective. Let's say you stopped at my place and said to me teach me to ride a horse. So I get you on one and say ride at a walk in a round circle then go into a figure eight. Make one end of the figure eight bigger by leg yielding. Then come out of the eight and canter in the right lead then do a flying lead change and then do a sliding stop back ten steps and spin to the right.

That is kinda how it is for me when I read a book on checkering.

Bill, like I said before, you could make a ton of money if you would make a video about checkering using your $85 pattern and don't even talk about anything more complicated.

I could show you but writing down instructions on how to do it is a lot harder.

I started by buying Kennedy's book; that one will give you lots of information but I had to read it a couple times to get out of it what you're asking. I also bought the Mile Gilbert kit, but was very disapointed with the tools--ended up giving those away.

I start by making a paper pattern that I sort of trace onto the stock using a china marker. Next I use my forearm scribe to scratch in the top lines--you want those dead straight! I then us Dymo tape to layout my master lines and then cut those. Then I go real slow with the spacers, making sure the layout is as perfect as I can make it. When I do a point pattern I make sure I end my layout lines plenty short of where the borders will be and when I end up having to extend a line to an area I don't have a previous line to space off of, I again use the Dymo tape to make sure I keep it straight.

For me, the most important part and the toughest is to get the layout as perfect as I can make it. The rest is just deepening the lines and that takes patience and concentration.

I doubt any of this will help but like I said, I could show you but writing it down is a lot harder.

If it is of any help, I do it like this. I lay out my pattern on the stock with a ball point pen over masking tape. I tape the entire area and then lay it out with the pen. I use a 2" wide piece of clear plastic as a straight edge. I never found the Dymo to work because it can lead to a curved line. With the wide plastic strip it won't cause a curve when laid flat on the stock. After I get it laid out, I take an Exacto knife and carefully follow the outline and master lines. It is a simple matter then to deepen the master and keep the pattern with the incised lines.

One of the most important things about laying out a pattern, IMHO, is to keep the pattern in a "flow" with the lines of the stock. Make the borders parallel with the top edge of the stock or the grip cap for instance. On the grip's front, make it follow the radius of the curve in the grip.

You might try it on a flat, finished piece of walnut first, second, third...until it starts to make some sense and you get the feel of the tools.
And always remember what Jack Belk used to say about checkering, "It's the last, best way to F**k-up your rifle."

Started with the skeleton grip cap. 22 lpi The rest will be 20 lpi.







Finished?

Not bad at all but the shiney spots in the middle look like flat spots that could be pointed up a little better...........................DJ

Wes

is that the Dakota Skeleton Grip I sold you a couple of years ago. Looks good. Who profiled that blank for you.

What do you charge for teaching a guy how to ride a horse???

I have wrapped paper over the forend and taped it on and then practiced drawing patterns on the paper until it looks good. I then use a "pounce wheel" from Brownells and transfer that hand drawn pattern to the stock and checker from there.

Getting a pleasing pattern is 90% of checkering.....assuming you can actually checker afterwords.......
I've seen others use a "grease pen" directly on the stock and then wipe it off if they want to change it!

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
Wes

is that the Dakota Skeleton Grip I sold you a couple of years ago. Looks good. Who profiled that blank for you.

What do you charge for teaching a guy how to ride a horse???

The one I bought from you is going on a 300 H&H. It is at Royal Arms Gunstocks now. Gerry Dunn also turned this blank for me. I also have one more that he turned that I am finishing now.

I don't give lessons. I don't like people enough to do that. My wife gets $20 an hour for group lessons and $30 an hour for private.