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carve a shadow line on gunstock
swampthing36
Member Posts: 274 ✭✭✭
I've been thinking of attempting a shadow line on a gunstock I am going to be working on. Any of you ever attempt that? How'd you do it?
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Hi swampthing36----I don't have a clue how you do it, but I also would like to know!!! NONONSENSE????
NONONSENSE, you out there buddy?
Just draw a line where you want the shadow line to appear and carve wood away until you have it like you want it... Ultra sharp tools and patience are a requirement for a good job...
do you finish off with a sanding block of any sort?
Here I am, over here!
Unfortunately for posting, I am unusually busy with commitments to several agencies and I don't have the free time I used to... but here is a short, simple explanation to follow along with mrbruce.
First though, a little more information would be a good start. 'Thinking of attempting' can indicate that you haven't committed to the project yet and you haven't made any rash decisions about wood, stock sizes or configuration.
Cheek pieces in general, require additional wood thickness in the overall stock to accommodate the cheek piece thickness and let you offset the barrel channel to one side or the other.
See what I mean?
Once you've established the thickness and gotten the buttstock placed correctly with the barrel channel all to need to do is plan the shape of the cheek piece and it's position then do as suggested. Remove everything that isn't the cheek piece being careful to leave a little extra for final shaping and depth.
There are two types of 'shadow lines'; one beaded and one not:
There are two basic patterns to cheek pieces:
The European style 'Pancake'
Traditional American/Western
The style of the stock you want to use will guide you in determining which style cheek piece is suitable, or vice versa.
If all of this is confusing, join the crowd of first timers! There is nothing more nerve racking than removing stuff which can't be put back... That's why I usually suggest getting a semi-inlet with the basic cheek piece in place and doing the finessing of the final shape and size for beginners.
Little tools that are extremely sharp along with very fine sanding shapes will make all the difference in the world as you get to the point of finishing the stock.
On the other hand, we all started at the same place, the beginning. If you feel that a longer, more detailed tutorial with pictures would help, I suggest getting a copy of Monty Kennedy's Checkering and Carving Gunstocks
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=12613/Product/CHECKERING___CARVING_OF_GUNSTOCKS
This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in stocks and stockmaking.
If you need more help, post or use my e-mail in my profile.
Good Luck with your project!
Best.
swampthing36,
Here I am, over here!
Unfortunately for posting, I am unusually busy with commitments to several agencies and I don't have the free time I used to... but here is a short, simple explanation to follow along with mrbruce.
First though, a little more information would be a good start. 'Thinking of attempting' can indicate that you haven't committed to the project yet and you haven't made any rash decisions about wood, stock sizes or configuration.
Cheek pieces in general, require additional wood thickness in the overall stock to accommodate the cheek piece thickness and let you offset the barrel channel to one side or the other.
See what I mean?
Once you've established the thickness and gotten the buttstock placed correctly with the barrel channel all to need to do is plan the shape of the cheek piece and it's position then do as suggested. Remove everything that isn't the cheek piece being careful to leave a little extra for final shaping and depth.
There are two types of 'shadow lines'; one beaded and one not:
There are two basic patterns to cheek pieces:
The European style 'Pancake'
Traditional American/Western
The style of the stock you want to use will guide you in determining which style cheek piece is suitable, or vice versa.
If all of this is confusing, join the crowd of first timers! There is nothing more nerve racking than removing stuff which can't be put back... That's why I usually suggest getting a semi-inlet with the basic cheek piece in place and doing the finessing of the final shape and size for beginners.
Little tools that are extremely sharp along with very fine sanding shapes will make all the difference in the world as you get to the point of finishing the stock.
On the other hand, we all started at the same place, the beginning. If you feel that a longer, more detailed tutorial with pictures would help, I suggest getting a copy of Monty Kennedy's Checkering and Carving Gunstocks
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=12613/Product/CHECKERING___CARVING_OF_GUNSTOCKS
This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in stocks and stockmaking.
If you need more help, post or use my e-mail in my profile.
Good Luck with your project!
Best.
Thank you very much for the information! The images speak volumes. I've got a few ideas now, and some techniques to practice a bit. The stock I am acquiring for my heym action is a monte carlo with a cheek piece. I've got a real good set of wood chisels that are very very sharp. Have an Arkansas stone and a bit of oil handy to. Per Monty Kennedy's book, I got it from the library back in February. Read the whole thing. And I mean the whole thing. It was interesting reading, particularly how he used to make up his gunstock finishing liquids. Talk about a witche's brew.
Thanks again guys. I'll keep you appraised as my project progresses.
I forgot to add a couple of notes:
Prior to doing any cutting or carving on your stock, I suggest using something like a 'Prisma' color pencil in white or yellow to sketch in the lines you want to follow while working on the cheek piece. They can be erased and moved around without doing any damage to the shape but it lets you see what could be done.
I missed the question about sanding blocks.
Yes, small sanding blocks with sharp edges can be used for the shadowline edges. You can also use other shapes with a radius on them for doing the curved sections. Matching the radius to the different sizes of the curve saves time and mistakes while sanding. I have found that rubber window beading and similar things work better than wood, the flexibility with sanding in this area is a benefit. Look around the hardware store for bits and pieces that can be helpful with the shapes. I use a standard pink pencil eraser, the trapezoidal ones that the kids get for school, to sand the curved areas of the buttstock after the initial shape sanding.
Always sand with the grain. I use a 'wet-n-dry' paper which can be cleaned out and used for a little bit longer than the standard wood working sandpaper.
Always fit your recoil pad before getting the butt sanded down to the final size and shape.
Best.
swampthing36,
I forgot to add a couple of notes:
Prior to doing any cutting or carving on your stock, I suggest using something like a 'Prisma' color pencil in white or yellow to sketch in the lines you want to follow while working on the cheek piece. They can be erased and moved around without doing any damage to the shape but it lets you see what could be done.
I missed the question about sanding blocks.
Yes, small sanding blocks with sharp edges can be used for the shadowline edges. You can also use other shapes with a radius on them for doing the curved sections. Matching the radius to the different sizes of the curve saves time and mistakes while sanding. I have found that rubber window beading and similar things work better than wood, the flexibility with sanding in this area is a benefit. Look around the hardware store for bits and pieces that can be helpful with the shapes. I use a standard pink pencil eraser, the trapezoidal ones that the kids get for school, to sand the curved areas of the buttstock after the initial shape sanding.
Always sand with the grain. I use a 'wet-n-dry' paper which can be cleaned out and used for a little bit longer than the standard wood working sandpaper.
Always fit your recoil pad before getting the butt sanded down to the final size and shape.
Best.
brother, you are a wealth of information. I'm headed to Ace Hardware today to get some of that window beading. I know exactly what you mean. And that angular pencil eraser as a sanding block is a superb idea. I would not have thought of that. I will be using a compass with a pencil to sketch in the shadow line off the cheek piece. That's one little trick I've used to that helped my unskilled hands.
all my best.
One last comment and a couple of other pictures:
A compass is fine to establish position and relative size of some of the radii but the reality of stockmaking is that the cheek piece will often look contrived or mechanical instead of fluid and organic. I know it sounds silly but it should look like it grew out of the stock blank as fitting accoutrement to a custom stock.
A couple of illustrations:
There that should be a little help...
Best.