Let me ask a question. I have a stock blank, I have a stocked rifle I like. the stock on it is comfortable to me. my understanding is duplicating on a hoenig or other highly accurate duplicator is 150++. the stock blank is only a couple hundred dollar blank.

this is the question, is it worth spending the money on expensive precise duplication? is there a cheaper way to have it cut? but then of course the hours go up and the required skill too I'm guessing.

Thanks

Red

I will quote Chic as he knows about 10,000% more about this than I:

quote:

The difference between a 95% inlet and one from a Dakota or Hoenig is about 20 hours of inletting.

And keep in mind that is 20 of Chic's professional hours. For the rest of us hacks that works out to about 40 hours and we don't get it nearly as close as the pros.

So figure that you might save $50 and it works out to about a dollar an hour.

I would be happy to pay the extra.

the problem lies with just how confident you are of getting the rough shape right and how experienced you are at shaping a stock from the blank.
there are all sorts of levels here. i know guys that can take a pre shaped blank and turn into a nice stock, but they would have a real good chance of screwing up on getting to that rough shaped stage. i also know a fair number of guys that would have a hard time getting a nice finish and good detail on a pre shaped stock, but would have no problem getting to the preshaped stage.
so you have to self-evaluate where your strong skills lay.
either way, the value of the finished product (providing nicely done, of course) will far greater than the cost of the blank + duplication.
personally, comming from someone with a life time of woodworking the real savings in duplication are in the initial mortice inletting for me. i have no trouble with the shaping part and can get to that fairly fast. i just did my first machine inletted stock. done an an extrememly beefy old paternmaker's drill press capable of milling the softer metals accurately. being able to mill the initial mortice so good and closely is so worth the cost it ain't even funny. it took hours of tense chisel and scraper work out of the project and actually made the finish fitting a breeze.
in my opion, blanks that are just slabs, bandsawed to a general profile outside, in the more or less accepted genres of styles and machine rough-morticed for the action requested with a barrel channel would be the ideal semi-inletted/pre-shaped stock. it would be quick to do cost wise and allow the gunsmith or hobbiest free reign of the finshed shape with plenty of material everywhere to adapt to his style.

IMO if you're going to work with making or finishing a stock at all, you'll never spend better money that for precision shaping and inletting. It's a bargain if you count your time for anything.

Who does duplicating on a hoenig, or close to that precision and what prices?

Thanks guys

I would use James Anderson"Gunmaker".
Butch

I thought I saw a post that he charges 225. I thought somebody else did it on a hoenig for about 150. He does do awesome work though

More than likely, "You get what you pay for".

Keith

quote:

Originally posted by Hog Killer:
More than likely, "You get what you pay for".

Keith

I have felt that is true far less often than I would like.

A close duplication helps on the outside shaping too. After using stocks cut off regular equipment I will pay the extra $100 anyday of the week for a close duplication.

Shane Thompson and James Anderson are the names that come to mind when I need a duplication. Shane has two machines and the price varies. James built his own machine and it puts out work every bit as nice as a Hoenig.

If you don't have a pattern Shane has a few.

Terry

So, is there anyone out there that has diffrent type of cheap as in crappy wood that a person might glass his action, barrel, bottom metal and such and maybe add or subtract to the outside shape and then have a blank turned from this? Like an inventory of diffrent styles of stocks, classics of course!

Mike Kukulos (sp) does excellent work ... i feel that most duplicators do an okay job .. and some are FANTASTIC ...

quote:

Originally posted by srtrax:
So, is there anyone out there that has diffrent type of cheap as in crappy wood that a person might glass his action, barrel, bottom metal and such and maybe add or subtract to the outside shape and then have a blank turned from this? Like an inventory of diffrent styles of stocks, classics of course!

Al Lind will glass bed into one of his patterns and then run it for you.

http://www.allindgunmaker.com/

In addition, IIRC, TC1 showed a project here in which GUNMAKER (aka James Anderson) machined a blank for him out of a lesser wood (maybe it was poplar or cedar) and then after the metalwork was glassed in that pattern was duplicated.

I have the stock the rifle is in right now, and I really like the fit, there are just a few things to adjust that I'll try to do with bondo, was thinking of even trying to do a bit of cast-off. then send it off.

I know that many gunsmiths that do stock work will send you pattern stocks, I have one that I got from a smith in Montana (well known here but I can't remember his name off hand). and they are cheaper than what you'd pay for something you plan on keeping on there.


Red

Michael Kokolus has a good selection of patterns and for less than $50 will send one laid out- rough- in low grade wood. You modify it to suit yourself and send it back to him for duplication. After duplicating, he keeps the pattern. Quality of the semi-inletted blank you get back is a function of how well you do your part. I can't compare his to the quality of others' mentioned here, but the economics and fast turnaround work for me.