Told my wife yesterday that if I decide to do any checkering job in the future, just shoot me, and spare me the misery. I forget every 3-4 years how I wind up with headaches, crossed eyes, and hand spasms. How do you guys that do it regularly stay sane? Takes me one day to do one side of a pistol grip on a shotgun---but it sure do look nice, when done!

I'm with you. I just laid out the borders on a Parker PH. I was trying to remember the last time I checkered something and I think it was 8 years ago. Now I have to force myself to finish it.

I used to have very similar problems. But now its a breeze! All I do is sign a check and it looks better than anything I can do.

I have a complete set of tools including an MMC head; too busy to learn how. If it takes me one day to do a panel I definitely won't ever try it.

I probably enjoy checkering more than any other thing I do as a gunsmith. Yeah, my friends know I'm weird.

John, I'm glad you do. Most of my "checkering" seems to be single space or single point re-checkering of old stocks that were sanded and re-finished. Last week I was was re-checkering an old Stevens pump fore-end. The right panel went perfect, but 5 lines shy on the left panel my single space tool left the tracks and f-upped the job. I had to do some serious re-modeling to make it look presentable. Many specimens of old walnut seem to have "pecky" areas that tear out and ruin the work. I guess it comes with the territory.

quote:

Originally posted by Toomany Tools:
I probably enjoy checkering more than any other thing I do as a gunsmith. Yeah, my friends know I'm weird.

I enjoy checkering (must be weird too) but can go for about 4-5 hours max (with short breaks) before I have to do something else. Mistakes are imminent once I start to get tired.

I have read these reports and will add a few thoughts. Checkering, stock making, and engraving are all about the same as for skills.

I bet that most of you trying to checker a stock are not using the correct light or not the right glasses for your eyes. I like to have a dark room and use the shadows from a 40 watt bulb at about 35 to 45 degrees on my right side if you are a right handed person. I could checkering without glasses until a hit about 40 yrs old. After that I couldn't find the stock without glasses.

Next make a good cradle to hold that stock. My first cradle was an apple box in 1957. It didn't take long to realize I needed something better. My next cradle needed two people to move around. That was over kill!! The one in my write up at the top under Stockmaking Show and Tell shows one about right. The turn table I made to quickly change ends works great.

When I was active working I could checker a stock with the plain pointed classic style (two grip panels and one wrap around forend) in about 8 hrs. This speed comes from learning how to use the MMC power tool. Practice, practice, and then practice more!!

It probably would take me several days now as I can only work a short time before old arthritis stops the movement in my back.

Don't give up checkering until you can cut a reasonable design for your stock. Get the correct step up for the job and you will see an improvement in a short time after a little practice.

Les

The basics of checkering can be learned by verbal or written communication. The 'fine points'are learned from doing. I was fortunate to take a couple of week long seminars taught by Joe Balickie. A guy like that can show you the basics and a trick or two, but, over time, if you're the persistant type, you'll find your own 'tricks'. It takes repetition. If you pay attention every one you do will teach you something new. It's like stockmaking from a blank, I've got a 'set plan' and order in which to proceed, but the details get addressed as I go, some from past experience, some just because it looks like it might make the job easier.