I have a quarter sawn English walnut blank of moderate figure. It was cut in the 80s and I have had it for a few years now. It has a slight warp so that if you lay it down flat on its side the middle of the blank is raised just under 1/4". The other side has a corresponding curve as well, so that tells me it wasn't a crooked cut. Any thoughts from the stockmakers on whether or not this blank is worth using, should I be worried about more warpage, or should it have settled down by now?

Thanks.

That blank is RUINED. You need to send it to me for proper disposal!!

Actually, I don't think what you are talking about is going to amount to anything. As long as it is thick enough you won't notice it after turning. The warping probably happened when it was green and it has been like that for awhile.

I had one that had the slightest twist to it. It is off being made into a stock now.

The Wright Bros were the first to fly because they invented propellers by using reject stock blanks.

Thanks Elcab. I thought it would be good too since it has probably had a chance to stabilize. Only one way to find out!

if it got that way early on and has stayed there, then I would not be worried about it. If it continues to move and warp in different directions during the year, then I would not use it.

How was it stored, leaning up aginst a wall or something like that. or was it on a flat surface or hanging?? Was it green when you got it. Lots of things cause your problem. I would surface plane it square to the world, let it hang for another 3 or so months, the longer the better and see what it does.

I have a blank turned (most of the time) then let it hang for a few months, then make a stock out of it, it is most likely to warp after a turn if its going to. Unfortunatly most gunsmiths cannot afford to do this, as time is money, but with good wood, properly laid out, properly cured, and picked for straight grain as opposed to color and flash, its seldom a problem.

Thanks Marc and Ray. I've had the blank for about four years and when I got it, was told that it had been cut about 10-15 years prior. It has had the warpage since I bought it and hasn't changed any since then. I'm not sure how it was stored prior to my purchasing it. It's a good quarter sawn blank that is properly laid out with nice figure in the butt and I would like to use it for the Lapour 1909 35 Whelen that I posted earlier, but not if it's going to go haywire on me. I guess I just need to talk it over with my stockmaker, but wanted to try and educate myself a little first

If you are lucky, the warp may be in the correct direction so as to incorporate a bit of "cast" to the stock. If not it is still no big deal. The stockmaker can lay it out to come out correct.

Here's a photo of the blank in question (on the left). It is a decent blank other than the warp and I hope to be able to use it. Hope to post pics of the complete rifle in a year or two after stocking engraving and finishing.

When I was a gunsmithing student at Trinidad State (75-78) I had the unique privilage to help sort and grade three pallets of Tessier French walnut that was to be sold at the college bookstore. Much of the wood looked alot like these blanks. Quarter sawn, great layout, fine lined streaking and reddish background color. Still my favorite kind of blanks. Both these blanks will pick-up at least a grade in appearance when shaped.
I wouldn't worry a bit about some minor cupping, but I'd leave it to the stockers discretion, assuming you trust him enough to make a stock for you.
I wish I could find more blanks like the one on the left!
Steve

Have the bank roughly shaped to a little larger than finished size and let it sit a little while longer. This will give it a little more time to relaxe with some of the wood removed that may have caused the warp.
I do not have that much experience with stock blanks but in sawing wood it is surprising how many stresses are released when running wood through a saw.

Steve,

What a wonderful opportunity for a young student to help with the sorting and grading of those Tessier blanks. You went to the right kind of school if those were sold in the bookstore!!

I appreciate the fact that you mentioned the resemblance these blanks have to the Tessier wood. That was part of my criteria in selecting them. The supply of wood worldwide seems good right now, but it certainly would be nice to have some true French walnut available again. Both blanks are likely to end up in either Helena or Bigfork for stockmaking.

I have to admit, those blanks I sorted were the second grade, Keith Stegall, of Gunnison was the importer and he got the top grade. My then wife bought me the top pick of the batch for my birthday, much like your blank with full fiddleback from end to end. It was an enormous sum of money at the time, $80!
Needless to say, I learned a lot about walnut stock blanks early on, under the tutelage of Ed Shulin, who also taught me how to make a stock from the block.

quote:

Originally posted by Chisana:
Steve,

What a wonderful opportunity for a young student to help with the sorting and grading of those Tessier blanks. You went to the right kind of school if those were sold in the bookstore!!

I appreciate the fact that you mentioned the resemblance these blanks have to the Tessier wood. That was part of my criteria in selecting them. The supply of wood worldwide seems good right now, but it certainly would be nice to have some true French walnut available again. Both blanks are likely to end up in either Helena or Bigfork for stockmaking.

For everyone that buys a tupperware stock, one piece of wood is saved for those of us that can appreciate it.

What is the coreect way to store blanks? I have two similar grained blanks that I have sitting in the rafters of my basement. It seems that leaving them on their side can cause them to sag, is it OK to leave them on edge or should they be hung or stood on end?


Thanks, Rob

Probably the best way to store a rifle blank is to hang it from a screw-eye in the small end. I only have a few, standing on end in the corners of my shop. The many 2-piece are stacked flat on a shelf with 1/2" spacers between, up high and out of the way.

Those blanks of Larry Brace's were stored upright on shelves, Fisher has a sort of bin with the blanks resting upright on their top flat. Monty Kennedy used to have a dry box made of plywood, with a light bulb inside, blanks resting upright on the top flat, as I recall.
Tucker keeps his in a safe.

sdh wass bull your metal shop teacher

Joe Tessari taught bench metal and Bill Prator, an extraordinary man, taught machine shop (75-78). Long before Lenard Bull, I've never met him. I could tell many tales about Bill Prator!

Gentlemen ; If a stock blank was cut 10-20 years ago there is NO RELAXING !. No matter how much you cut it !. Wood is ALWAYS ALIVE !!. It seeks it's own moisture content depending upon storage conditions !. If the Warp is not acceptable and you wish to straighten it . STEAM it and Weight stack or clamp it straight . Then allow it to dry throughly and I do mean throughly !. You can even split the difference by over bending it Half the amount of the original warp !.

After it's fully dried release the wood , and Cut it to your needs work it and use a good finish that penetrates into the wood not just on the surface !. This will " Seal " the remaining moisture in the wood . Should be about 7 - 9 % !. The Good Doctor is an Expert on All woods !. Hard and Soft domestic and Exotic !.

I've grown it , imported it , cut it , milled it ,screwed it, drilled it ,glued it and fastened it as well as finished it in every possible manor that any of you could think of !.