I have several rifles being finished up at Bijou Creek Customs down near Little Rock Arkansas, but the checkering guy Mike uses is backed up. Does anyone down that way want top take on a few rifles to checker?

Sent you a pm

Hope you find someone I have some hobby names and some high $$ names. Looking for something inbetween

There are no good, basic checkerers any more since all the machines are no longer made. I find just rank amateurs like me, or high end, meaning expensive, people who take 2 or 3 days for a job and charge 2 or 3 days labor for it.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
There are no good, basic checkerers any more since all the machines are no longer made. I find just rank amateurs like me, or high end, meaning expensive, people who take 2 or 3 days for a job and charge 2 or 3 days labor for it.

We don't all use the machines for checkering.

Try Errol Case in Buckhorn Mo.
http://www.casecustomgunstocks.com/

quote:

We don't all use the machines for checkering

And do a GREAT job without them.

He doesn't list prices.
Of course not everyone uses checkering machines; and they charge big bucks for their time; not saying they shouldn't but I (not sure about the OP) often need a basic 4 panel job for guys who don't want to spend $350 and up, on a checkering job.

For a basic 4 panel Carol at Ahlmans is hard to beat

You have a PM from me as well.

What does Carol charge?

I'm curious: what do you mean by "machines"?

John I had simply "assumed" he meant a power checkering tools.

Well, power checkering tools are used by almost all top checkering professionals. I use one to do my initial layout as it is a whole lot faster but more importantly it is far, far better at keeping the lines straight. After my first layout pass I switch to simpler hand tools which I use to finish the job. Anyone who considers that "machine" checkering and that it is somehow inferior does not know what they are talking about.

I "thought" he was referencing the fact that the power unit company was out of business so more and more manual work was being done. Thus more labor and thus cost.

Then again I have been wrong numerous times in the past and for sure will be in the future.

Yeah, since the untimely demise of Jon Doiron it's been difficult to find the power tools. About a year ago I purchased a new cutting head from Tom Hosford and IMO it is far superior to the JRS and MMC tools. It runs much smoother and the guide is infinitely better design. Anyone looking for a power tool should take a look. Hosford. His screw slotting tools work extremely well too.

I meant the power checkering tools like the MMC, one of which I have. I didn't read that anyone suggested, and I certainly did not mean that method was in any way inferior. I used the term "machine" as it was easier to type. But using a tool other than a hand operated one, is using a 'machine". And it contrasts with "doing it totally with hand tools".
I just have not learned to use my power checkering setup totally well yet.
As usual, Ramrod was spot on with the interpretation.
And looks like Ahlmans is a good deal; I was not aware of them.
Also looks like Hosford has stepped in to fill the void in the Power Checkering Tool market; for $2k, you can have one, it seems.

The problem I have with the MMC is the damned flex-shaft; I never could get used to it. The MMC tool uses a guide almost exactly like the JRS but they aren't interchangeable. I now have three power tools: a new MMC, a well used JRS and my favorite, the Hosford. My first stock using only non-powered tools took me way over 40 hours to finish, but using the powered tools, and the best part of ten-years practice, I can complete a stock in two to two-and-a-half days. Of all the work I do in the shop, checkering is my favorite thing to do.

Does the Hosford head work with the Fordom motors and shaft?

I started using the MMC tools back in 1968. I thought that you couldn't keep lines straight with a power cutting head. What a mistake own my part. After a little practice I could cut lines on the pointed patterns in less than half the time. The spacing of lines are used to cut to about 3/4 depth and than finished by carbide cutters with the hand tools. Checkering can be a very tense, but I like to stop and rest by waiting on customers.

Here is a set up that will speed up your checkering time by keeping the dust away from your nose. Keeping an air flow over the checkering will send the dust away. It may look like a lot of trouble, but it allows the cutting to never need to stop to clear the lines of dust. I wore a dust mask in my later years to help keep down sinus infections down.

A simple 4 panel point pattern would take about 10 hrs to complete. Ribbon patterns can take up to 30 hrs and the price would be 3 times higher.

MR. BROOKS!!!!

How are you, Sir? Happy to see you posting!