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Who knows about gun stock blanks (follow up on walnut root ball thread)

Started by Daren, April 03, 2007, 01:09:50 PM

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Daren

rathbone started a thread about sawing a walnut rootball. I kinda jumped in there and posted some pictures of one I was working on. I didn't mean to take it over, I have some questions about gun stock material. This is what one of the chunks looked like just off the mill.



I sanded one to see what it really looked like.





Looks pretty good to me  8).
I sawed it mostly 10/4 and a little 12/4 thinking gunstocks....that is as far as I have got. I don't know anything about them and was looking for some place to learn more about the subject  :P. I figure I can get a few blanks out of each slab, they are 26" wide and 36" long on average. I sorta know about the whole grain orientation and how that is important, like why they use crotch pieces. This is more or less a crotch and it has 2 distinct halves, some of the slabs the heart wood is shaped like a heart with 2 lobes.
From what I could find out looking at stock makers sites they let them air dry 3-5...15 years. They say kiln drying is no good ? I am thinking about letting them air dry for the summer to make sure they don't crack (or at least if they do I can work around that, there is a crack smack in the middle but I planned on cutting them in half anyway) and try to market them as is, not quite dry.
I have access to as many of them as I want to saw, but I gotta figure out if it is worth it ($) I have 16 hours, 2 chainsaw chains that I ground to a nub sharpening on them I will have to replace and 6 bandsaw resharps and 1 plumb ruined band blade. I know what I need to break even, but obviously need to be over that and was thinking further processing would help...if I do it wrong then we know what happens I ruin the whole mess.
I thought about contacting a couple custom stock makers, but not everyone is a freindly as me. I will chat anyone up who hollers, some guys just won't take the time.

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

Larry

I put a screw eye in the small end and hang em in the closet for a few years.  The boss don't much like the idea so I only put them in the "His" closet along with all the guest closets.  After a few years of sawing you will have plenty coming out on a regular schedule.

Figured wood in the butt, follow the curve of the grip with the grain, and upward sloping straight grain in the forend.  If you could get a book matched pair the price would way more than double.

Pieces to small for a rifle stock think two piece stocks...especially for shotguns.  Pistol grips and knife scales for the really small stuff.  I'm sure you probably already checked eBay for few prices.  American Walnut used to have an online shop with fancy grade stocks running in the stratosphere range.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Bibbyman

Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

WH_Conley

Bill

donald_harby

Make sure and seal them as soon as you can after you saw them.  I use yellow carpenters glue it is pretty cheap by the gallon and works great.  Make sure and seal the areas of figure too not just the ends.  As said hang them is the best and let them dry at least 7 years.  I worked for a major stock manufacturing company and kiln drying didn't work too good.  Don't expect to get rich.  The flow of the grain is very important.  Would be good to have custom stock maker talk to you about cutting them. 

Larry

Quote from: WH_Conley on April 03, 2007, 05:52:20 PM
Larry, you just hang them, no anchorseal or anything?

I think everybody in north Missouri is dipping.  Take a fresh log and saw out your blanks.  Dip both ends into the tank about 1".  I use hot paraffin but the big boys are using anchorseal or something similar.  I feel paraffin is the best but I wouldn't bet on it.  If you dip or paint the whole stock it might not be dry...until I'm long gone.

The reason the stock makers like air dry best is because the wood cuts smoother with hand tools.  Little difference when in-letting but it makes a big difference when checkering.

Sawing out gunstocks is an art...think I posted some reference books long time ago.  I would give ya the names but there packed away in a box someplace.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Daren

I anchorsealed all the endgrain as I was sawing them out. I have them stickered on a pallet in the barn. I have air dried walnut crotches with good success by doing just that. I never got any surface check on the straight grain, that is where I would expect it to open up. The figured grain is really interlocked. I saw a decent amount of figured woods, I have less trouble drying them than straight grain. I had a feller from Missouri who bought some green crotches I sawed out a couple years ago and was going to use them later for gun stocks, but I have slept since then. I don't have his contact info anymore, or I would call him up he was a pretty nice guy.
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

tcsmpsi

Daren,

Just keep in the back of your mind, when and if you do start talking to some in the stock world, that they have to deal with a lot of 'million dollar wood' folks.  ( you know, every backyard walnut tree is worth $$$$$$!) 

You may be the initiate of a conversation after a line of those other types.  So, if you feel like maybe you're being grilled, it ain't you they may be a bit frustrated with. 

I haven't made a stock for anything in many years (and have no desire, tendency or other penchant for doing so), yet still get a call every now and then from someone wanting to sell me this hunkie-dorie piece of wood that they are just certain I have to have. 

The most recent, had this "about 16" dia. pecan log....about 10' long....laying for about 3 yrs..."  I explained a little about stocks, and though wasn't interested in it for that (thought I would have a little hoot), asked what he would take for the log.  "Ooohhhh....couldn't take any less than $600 for it."    :D

Of course, if I had many of such calls every day, the 'hoot' part would soon dissipate.  :D  Sort of.

From what I could see of what you have, a small, custom maker ought to be quite pleased to have it.

For some reason or other, Larry is right about the checkering.   ;)
\\\"In the end, it is a moral question as to whether man applies what he has learned or not.\\\" - C. Jung

Daren

Quote from: tcsmpsi on April 04, 2007, 10:58:39 AM

Just keep in the back of your mind, when and if you do start talking to some in the stock world, that they have to deal with a lot of 'million dollar wood' folks.  ( you know, every backyard walnut tree is worth $$$$$$!) 


I know the type...I deal with them quite frequently  :D. I was just wanting to talk to a stock guy to pick his brain on further processing, not to sell to him necessarily. I was looking for direction on cutting the slabs into blanks, and if that was even a good idea in the first place. I didn't know if down the road when I did think about trying to market them if they would fetch more cut or whole.
I do know as they lay they are 80 lbs each  ::)
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

tcsmpsi

You had mentioned a couple times about whether the prospective buyer might or might not be friendly.  My only reason for mentioning possible responses.

Personally, I would rather have the slabs as they are so I could orchestrate my own pattern for what I might do with it.   But, that would ultimately depend on the individual buyer.
\\\"In the end, it is a moral question as to whether man applies what he has learned or not.\\\" - C. Jung

Daren

Quote from: tcsmpsi on April 04, 2007, 06:52:11 PM
Personally, I would rather have the slabs as they are so I could orchestrate my own pattern for what I might do with it. 

Yea, something like the cutting would probably be better left in experienced hands. I will leave them whole.
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

low_48

Good thing the weather kinda cooled off around here! You really want them to go slow at the beginning. I seal the end grain and then "gift wrap" big crotch pieces with newspapers when I start my drying. It lets enough air get in so mold won't start, but really slows the moisture exchange. For a while Pekin Hardwood would wrap burlap around bunks of white oak that was milled in the summer to slow the moisture release. I was at Erickson Log and Lumber in New Windsor and the guy told me they hadn't used their vac kiln in a long time and they might be getting ready to sell. Maybe something to look into. I bet it would be cheap :D He also gave me the number of a guy in the Quad Cities that might do some vacuum kiln work. PM me if you are interested in the guys number.

Daren

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

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