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Cutting a stock
dennis53
Member Posts: 86 ✭✭
I want to cut .75" off a new, unfinished walnut stock for a mauser sporter in order to install a recoil pad. What is your tool of choice and do you make the cut square to the line of sight?
Thank you,
Dennis53
Thank you,
Dennis53
Comments
It needs to be squared on all sides, and you can use tape and small bits of wood to do that
so the stock is 100% square to the blade, when it's laying on the table.
Tape the cut line so no splintering will happen....
A good table saw with a fine tooth blade with the same ability to cut a straight line will also work.....
You say you want to take 3/4" off and you may wish to consider shortening the length of pull in smaller increments rather than all at once and trying it out with your pad or plate taped onto the stock. This is insurance against cutting the stock too short.
Remember that your final measurements should consider:
-- the thickness of the pad or plate you will install on the butt,
-- the saw kerf (loss of material) of whatever saw you use.
To make the cut, I personally would use either a very fine toothed carbide cabinetry blade on a table saw or as second choice, I would set up a jig and use a very fine handsaw such as one of those fine toothed Japanese hand saws that cut on the pull or back stroke. I would not use a bandsaw, but if you feel comfortable in being able to make a straight "un-wavy" cut with one, by all means use it. Cover the wood with that blue painter's masking tape as an additional aid to avoid splintering the wood. Make your marks on the tape and cut right through it.
When you make the cut, you must maintain the angle of the stock, or the finished product will be ruined and look laughably amateurish. A good way to do this is to make sure the butt is perfectly square to the saw blade when you make the cut. I like the table saw for this kind of work. I would set up a jig to maintain the correct angle. You can find special jigs for this in some of the catalogs like MidwayUSA or Brownells, but I don't see why you can't set one up yourself and shim up the front of the stock to keep the angle straight.
Seal the freshly cut butt with a clear poly that's been cut by 50% or thinner (don't thin the whole can, only an ounce or so). When the wood stops drinking, lay on a coat of uncut poly and let it dry for 24 hours minimum. You're only sealing the cut butt, so keep the poly off the experior of the stock by taping right to the edge with blue painter's tape or electrical tape. This whole seal-the-butt thing is optional. I wouldn't call it critical, but it can protect the stock from moisture as years go by. Some do this and some don't.
Dennis53