| Project by HalDougherty | posted 1433 days ago | 17786 views | 19 times favorited | 15 comments |  |
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This is a short tutorial showing the steps of carving a rifle stock. The first photo shows the stock to be duplicated being set up. I use a laser to make sure everything is straight by putting a 3’ rod in the rear bolt hole. The laser line on the rod helps get the top of the stock 90 degrees to the action. At the top of a 3’ rod you can see if the stock is tilted just a few thousands of an inch. It’s hard to put a level on the side of a curved surface.
The second photo shows the blank being lined up as well. This stock is for a Winchester Model 70 and the blank is made from ambrosia maple, black cherry and walnut. The stylus is shaped to match the cutter and it follows the pattern stock while everything that’s not a stock is cut away from the blank. The duplicator isn’t the crutch you’d think. The stock still has to be carved. Notice the guard on the router! I’d like to install one, but so far I haven’t found a way to fit one that will let me see everything I need to see. A dust collection system would be great too. I traveled all the way from Tennessee to South Dakota to the factory to see how they handle dust control. Yep, they put the machine in a room, close the door and the operator wears a respirator. Then clean up after the job is finished. Another stockmaker I visited only has 2 walls on his shop, the ends are open and he blows a huge fan while he carves. It’s ok in the summer, but it has to be freezing in the winter.
The third photo shows the stock just before it’s removed from the duplicator. IT takes 1 to 1 1/2 hours to carve a stock, then it takes about an hour of sanding to result in a stock that’s ready to fit to an action. The final sanding, bedding and finishing can take days.
The fourth photo is to show how close the dimensions can be duplicated. The bottom inlet is .007 smaller than the pattern. That gives some room to allow for variations in factory actions. You can always remove wood, but it’s hard to add any if you cut the opening too big.
The final two photos show the finished stock.
-- Hal, Tennessee http://www.first285.com
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15 comments so far
a1Jim
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89049 posts in 1774 days
#1 posted 1433 days ago
Wow very interesting . I was wondering the brand name of the duplactor is. thanks for sharing.
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
blockhead
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1428 posts in 1505 days
#2 posted 1432 days ago
Beautiful rifle stock Hal. Nicely done!!
-- Brad, Oregon- The things that come to those who wait, may be the things left by those who got there first.
cabinetmaster
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10874 posts in 1755 days
#3 posted 1432 days ago
Nice wormy maple stock. Have never seen one made from wormy maple before but it looks fantastic. And to have a natural finish like that looks like camo for desert operations.
-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps
SnowyRiver
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#4 posted 1432 days ago
Great job…very nice!
-- Wayne - Plymouth MN
kiwi1969
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#5 posted 1432 days ago
Dust collection on CNC,s is hopeless and the speed the chips fly off the cutter at destroy most gaurds pretty quick anyway. I used to make disposable ones out of thick cardboard even if it just meant the dust and chips stayed in the vicinity of the machine rather than get thrown across the room. Maybe just give a kid an after school job cleaning up the mess!
-- if the hand is not working it is not a pure hand
Kent Shepherd
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2693 posts in 1483 days
#6 posted 1432 days ago
Cool—- I am always fasinated to see how things are done
Thanks
-- She thought I hung the moon--now she just thinks I did it wrong
tomakazi
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#7 posted 1432 days ago
Wow great job. Like Jim, I would also be interested in the brand name of the duplicator. Thanks
Tom
-- I didn't go to college, I was too busy learning stuff - Ted Nugent
Dan Hux
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527 posts in 1571 days
#8 posted 1432 days ago
great thumb-hole stock..I have a sweet bull barrel 25-06 that would look great on one of those stocks..great job..
-- Dan Hux,,,,Raleigh, NC http://whitdaniel.com
HalDougherty
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1820 posts in 1434 days
#9 posted 1432 days ago
The duplicator is made by Dakota Arms in Sturgis, SD. Here’s a link to their website:
http://dakotaarms.com/quikstore.html
Just click on “Duplicating Machines”
-- Hal, Tennessee http://www.first285.com
BTKS
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1916 posts in 1661 days
#10 posted 1432 days ago
Wow, I would love to ditch my synthetic stocks for something like this but the time and cost are a real consideration. Ammo is going so high, I barely shoot in comparison to what I used to. Even reloading components are hard to find and expensive when you do. Keep up the good work and remember, aim small, miss small. BTKS
-- "Man's ingenuity has outrun his intelligence" (Joseph Wood Krutch)
jockmike2
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#11 posted 1431 days ago
Gorgeous rifle stocks. Looks like they fit like a glove.
-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -
BlueStingrayBoots
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#12 posted 1384 days ago
Wow! That looks very fun. Thanks
Swede
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#13 posted 1215 days ago
Very nice looking stocks you have made.
May I ask what Type/Brand of Glue are you using?
-- Swede -- time to make some sawdust
EMVarona
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#14 posted 710 days ago
Awesome! Real professional!
-- Ed "Real happiness is one that you share."
stefang
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#15 posted 529 days ago
Interesting machine and a fine result. I hope you find a good dust solution.
-- Mike, American in Norway
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