What is best for wood shaping??

Friends,
I am at the shaping stage of my project. The stock is somewhat shaped but now it is time for closer shaping, not yet sanding.
I am trying a small plane, various coarse files and scrapers. Nothing seems to really remove much wood.
Also, I just am not tooooconfident as to what to remove.
Any reccomendations as to a good tool??
Method???
Thanks

First, saw it off REALLY close to your pattern lines. Despite the false feeling of safety you get from leaving lots of extra wood, it does little good to leave it there, as it is just in the way and you'll have to get rid of it later. Then it's rasps, chisels, gouges, even planes, drawknives and spokeshaves in some places.

Well it's more art than science- you need a good eye. Rasps should remove wood pretty fast. What part(s) of the stock are you concerned about? The forestock is pretty easy- the wrist area with all the lines coming together is always more difficult for me. Also the dished area around the lock always gives me trouble.
I make sanding blocks that are concave and grind out special scrapers for the profile around the lock plate etc. I think a lot of us make our own tools.

I have found that a good Dremel tool with a small sanding drum attached is ideal. You need to have a steady hand but you can take off a little or a lot easily. Long smooth strokes will provide a nice finish that only requires a little sanding.

Stophel said:

Then it's rasps, chisels, gouges,

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crockett said:

Rasps should remove wood pretty fast.

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Yup, Rasps.

btech said:

I have found that a good Dremel tool with a small sanding drum attached is ideal.

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No! That is a very dangerous move, and requires a vast amount of practice and huge amounts of luck!!

Although they are nice you don't need the $50 cabinet rasps, the common Nicholson 4-1 does nicely; http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...-with-file-and-rasp-section-on-flat-and-round

The greatest wood remover is the bandsaw.....very little wood to remove if sawn properly.

For shaping the buttstock and wrist I use a hacksaw to outline the cheekpiece and to make vertical cuts 1/2" apart and then use a straight chisel to cut off the "blocks". Then a large gouge does the closer shaping followed by Surforms and rasps.

Not much wood left on the forestock after bandsawing, so use a Surform and a rasp to smooth.

The wood removal after bandsawing takes approx. 2 hrs and the "blank" starts looking like a LR......Fred

I don't think it's luck. A light touch with a dremel tool works wonders. I've used it also to shape pipes. A router attachment with bit is also great for inletting. Gets a nice, even depth inlet. Used one to make this pistol stock from scratch.

Rasps and Riffler Rasps are what I use a lot for fine shaping .


When ruffing out a blank, what I can’t saw off, I do use a two handed rotary tool with an aggressive rotary rasp before I use the hand rasps.

Yes you must be careful.

And yes I do use a Dremel tool a lot for fitting locks, trigger guards, butt plates, making parts.

It is an acquired skill; it does take a steady hand and it is not for everyone.

If you’re not careful or skilled in its use, you can ruin what you’re working on.




William Alexander

First stage- band saw
Second stage- hand grinder with chainsaw head[ very dangerous]
Third stage- nicolson patter makers files and rasps
Forth stage sanding boards.
Glue 40 grit sand paper on to a nice 2.5" wide board. they make a great tool. they will help keep the forarm straight.
I also glue sand paper on to different objects like rubber radiator hoses. wooden dowels and pieces of sponge. Jacob Dickert never did this but he always wished he could have. I went to school with him.

I dug deeply into my pockets and purchased some Liogier rasps. They work incredibly well.

If it's a big chunk of wood...a bandsaw helps get it to manageable. From that point, a rasp gets it to sandable. Dremmel's are simply a dangerous tool and should be locked up somewhere where it's incredibly difficult to get to.

Dave

Second stage- hand grinder with chainsaw head[ very dangerous]

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I have been thinking about trying one of those, got any tips.


Always great seeing your work and reading your posts :bow:



William Alexander

All the guys above have covered the tools.

The only thing I can add is, don't worry that it's taking you longer than expected - I think that is normal first time around.

I remember my first build - was so worried that I would do something wrong/take too much wood off that I think it took me a month of 5 or 6 hour evenings to shape the forestock alone.

By rifle number two I just got out the rasp and went at her - 2 evenings later it was ready for the scraper.

go over to www.leevalley.com

get your credit card out.........then get ONE OF EACH!!!! :youcrazy:

I like planes, and chisels, a few rasps....everyone has they're own favorites~
down deep, i am a fustrated funiture builder~

kaintuck said:

go over to www.leevalley.com

get your credit card out.........then get ONE OF EACH!!!! :youcrazy:

I like planes, and chisels, a few rasps....everyone has they're own favorites~
down deep, i am a fustrated funiture builder~

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Oh yeah.....we (collectively) can spend your money fast...fast...and even faster!! :stir:

Dave

Davemuzz said:

Dremmel's are simply a dangerous tool and should be locked up somewhere where it's incredibly difficult to get to.

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Dave
Have some bad luck with one?

Yea, I remember some oops in the learning curve. Not making fun my friend, just remembering.


William Alexander

Well if we are talking huge amounts of wood- I'm very comfortable with router work. The fore stock needs to be more narrow than the lock, etc and cast needs to be built in sometimes. In any sort of router work you need rails or guides but you can do a huge amount of work- rough out lock plate inlet- barrels, ranrod grooves, etc, etc but NO FREE HAND you have to set up guides, etc.

What is best for wood shaping??

Sorry, all of us overlooked the "best".

A 5 axis CNC router is what all the stock builders use.

However, after a quick check of used models where a 20 year old 7 horse is selling for $42,500 and an 8 year old 20 horse is listed for $249,000 - plus a quick check in my wallet - I think my 5 dollar rasp from Harbor Freight will stay on the bench a little longer :rotf:

Wha???.....I wince at going from a $115 plain stock to a $135 better curly stock, but I got a cookie jar with $270,000 to drop on a lathe in a heartbeat!!! :blah:

I have tools I use to make violins and cellos. There is a lot of wood to remove on the maple backs. I use large two handed gouges and small finger planes to finish. I've found that the same tools work fast and well on muzzleloader stocks.
Razor sharp 3/4" and 1/2" gouges will remove a lot of wood, fast and accurately. A small rounded blade plane smooths things nice and fast.


ibex plane by okawbow, on Flickr