So I find myself puttering with more stock work, such as trimming/lightening forends, sanding old finish off, General reshaping of wood riflestocks and thinking there must be a better way to hold said stock while shaping with a rasp and files. I have a the ‘gunmakers’ vise with the swivel jaws and wood caps with a move able support arm for the end of the stock, along with a padded jaw swivel base bench vise. looking for a bit more versatility and stability. I was thinking about a checkering type cradle with a ball mount that I could rotate the stock and also swivel around. This would offer more support to the workpiece with contact at both ends of the stock.

What does everyone else use for stock making to hold their stocks while shaping??? Thanks for any info!

A big ass vise with wooden jaws. Fancy don't make skill.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
A big ass vise with wooden jaws. Fancy don't make skill.

Really not thinking ‘fancy’ at all, I would consider it more ‘effective’. Reason being is I came across a good sized RAM ball mount arrangement in a bucket of parts and it got me to thinking.

Padded wood in a vise and a microphone stand. I always liked this picture.

That’d work.

Here's what I use and I find it perfect for all kinds of tasks. Same as I used to see stockmakers use at Bishops and Fajens back in the good ole days. Fairly reasonable cost. Just need this bench screw, a couple of 2x6's, some 2x4's, and a little time. You'll love it. Every stock maker I know personally uses the same.

https://www.woodcraft.com/prod...er-screw-1-1-4-32-mm

I'd post pictures of mine all set up and running, but I refuse to go thru all the gyrations necessary to post a picture here. Sent me you email address and I'll send you pictures. My email is p.mcfall@hotmail.com
Phil

quote:

p.mcfall@hotmail.com

Phil, email sent and thank you.

Matt
If you want, you can post the pics for me. Surely you are more computer savvy than I am, everyone else is.
Phil

I’ll give it a shot, since tinypic went away my Goto is gone also.

Make yourself a brace that hooks onto the bench so you can really attack the stock with a lot of force. I really struggled until I made this.
Also a swivel vice is a must.

Well, I think I have figured out how to put up pictures showing my bench screw vise I talked about in earlier posts.

I use a vintage Rock Island No.52 bench vise with swiveling base AND swiveling rear jaw for all of my holding. The swiveling rear jaw can hold tapered items. And weighing 80lbs mounted to a 500lb bench, she’s sturdy.

Here’s the images emailed to me by Phil...see if it works. These are the stock vises in use in Missouri around the old Fajen and Bishop factories apparently. He noted the base where the two boards meet allows the outside ‘jaw’ to pivot and grip the stock no matter the taper.

Thanks all for the comments and pics. I am closer to thinking of what would work for me and being able to re-position my work instead of practicing yoga while shaping a stock blank!

Keep them coming if you have anything to add.

Thats correct, Matt. As you know, Warsaw, Mo has more skilled stockmakers per square inch than any other place. Even today, when I visit one of their shops, these are still the vises in use.
Phil

Thats about what I use, all the pics look good to me..A big vise and a brace of some sort for the butt stock..

I use a 3 in Wilton vise on the pickup tailgate on the last stock I made. It has all that is needed to hold a stock. I bought this Wilton about 19yrs ago at a yard sale for $10, I jumped on it quick. With a good support for the butt end you can do almost any thing. Just make up a small piece of old barrel to put into the barrel channel. I use the front swivel screw hole and another bolt into the front guard screw. Make the old barrel extend out in front about 5 inches.

I used old boat trailer bearings to make a rotating swivel base to use for checkering and also for some parts to be engraved. I can post a picture if anyone would like to see the set up.

quote:

Originally posted by LesBrooks:
I use a 3 in Wilton vise on the pickup tailgate on the last stock I made. It has all that is needed to hold a stock. I bought this Wilton about 19yrs ago at a yard sale for $10, I jumped on it quick. With a good support for the butt end you can do almost any thing. Just make up a small piece of old barrel to put into the barrel channel. I use the front swivel screw hole and another bolt into the front guard screw. Make the old barrel extend out in front about 5 inches.

I used old boat trailer bearings to make a rotating swivel base to use for checkering and also for some parts to be engraved. I can post a picture if anyone would like to see the set up.

Les, I for one am ALWAYS up for your pictures.

This is a swivel tool to hold the checkering cradle. Cheap to make and best I have found to use for checkering.

quote:

Originally posted by Toomany Tools:
http://media.midwayusa.com/pro...imary/577/577167.jpg

I have that vise on the bench. It works great, I need a better support and have seen some great ideas on this thread already.

IF you're going to use a big screw like
Phil posted.

Save your money and buy a 3' section of
ACME all thread and make the rest with
parts. Several metals and tools sellers
have ACME threaded rod in stock.

I bought a wood vise for $5 at a yard sale.
Screw was only 10" long. Way too short for
what i had in mind. bought a hunk of ACME
the same size and put one in two feet long.
Sure been a lot of help at times.

I don't do much wood work and very little
stock work. This is on the edge of my 3/4"
steel plate welding table. Then I drilled
a row of 1/2" holes in the top and made up
a plug to push against.

Just another idea.

George