mikemeteor
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2008
- Messages
- 660
- Reaction score
- 3
This is another of MeteorMan's unsolicited, redundant tips for beginners. Wiley vets can ignore this post:
You've read it here a million times - this will make a million +1, with a pic.
If you are easing into this hobby/craft by using a precarve (like many of us), realize that NONE of the surfaces you are looking at on your brand new virgin pre-carve ("Look Pa, ain't she a beauty ?!?") are going to remain on your finished product.
Except for maybe some of the barrel channel.
Don't be a-feared to TAKE OFF WOOD, LOTS of wood !
And don't attempt to retain some of those virgin surfaces by dramatic contouring to meet your hardware, like I did. :shake:
Otherwise, 20 years from now, you'll be posting on this forum how you look at your first gun or two, and liken it to a two-by-four with a barrel in it.
If you really work at it, you can be like me and look at your 3rd or 4th gun and liken it to a baseball bat with a barrel in it. :barf: :haha:
I just made a comparative before-and after picture of my Pecatonica River precarve (Carolina model).
I think I took off more wood then I left on, and I probably still haven't done enough.
The width of the butt, which you can't tell from these pics, was reduced by almost a full inch.
As proof, you can see the grain patterns aren't close to similar anymore.
Anyway, hope this helps the firstimers diving into your first precarve.
Get out your #50 cabinetmakers rasp and use it liberally. (But wisely, of course...)
BTW, I am SOLICTING AND WIDE OPEN TO critical review of my lock panel.
Some readers may remember that I struggle mightily with shaping lock panels.
Hopefully it's kinda obvious by now , but this is a southern Appalachian flavored rifle, with maybe a hint of Tennessee.
That's a Chambers Dale Johnson lock with the tail left on.
I think spring is finally coming to central Pennsyltucky ! :applause:
/MM
You've read it here a million times - this will make a million +1, with a pic.
If you are easing into this hobby/craft by using a precarve (like many of us), realize that NONE of the surfaces you are looking at on your brand new virgin pre-carve ("Look Pa, ain't she a beauty ?!?") are going to remain on your finished product.
Except for maybe some of the barrel channel.
Don't be a-feared to TAKE OFF WOOD, LOTS of wood !
And don't attempt to retain some of those virgin surfaces by dramatic contouring to meet your hardware, like I did. :shake:
Otherwise, 20 years from now, you'll be posting on this forum how you look at your first gun or two, and liken it to a two-by-four with a barrel in it.
If you really work at it, you can be like me and look at your 3rd or 4th gun and liken it to a baseball bat with a barrel in it. :barf: :haha:
I just made a comparative before-and after picture of my Pecatonica River precarve (Carolina model).
I think I took off more wood then I left on, and I probably still haven't done enough.
The width of the butt, which you can't tell from these pics, was reduced by almost a full inch.
As proof, you can see the grain patterns aren't close to similar anymore.
Anyway, hope this helps the firstimers diving into your first precarve.
Get out your #50 cabinetmakers rasp and use it liberally. (But wisely, of course...)
BTW, I am SOLICTING AND WIDE OPEN TO critical review of my lock panel.
Some readers may remember that I struggle mightily with shaping lock panels.
Hopefully it's kinda obvious by now , but this is a southern Appalachian flavored rifle, with maybe a hint of Tennessee.
That's a Chambers Dale Johnson lock with the tail left on.
I think spring is finally coming to central Pennsyltucky ! :applause:
/MM