Stock blank dimensions?

[kentucky bucky]

Hello,
   I am just wondering what the smallest size would be for a rough sawn stock blank. I know it should be a good 2 1/2 - 3" thick (across) and around 60"+ long but what is the smallest width (depth) that would cover all rifle (butt) styles? I've seen a bunch for sale, but I never tought about measuring them. A friend of mine might have access to some wood from a local saw mill, and I need to tell him the dimensions. Thanks

[Ryan McNabb]

I have bought a lot of planks (not blanks) of maple from sawmills and used to specify 10/4 thickness by 8" wide.  60" will cut out one blank plus lots left over for handles, pistols, etc.,  and a regular 8' length would easily make two long stock blanks.  If you want to make an Ambrose Lawing or a Bedford County rifle, or similar looong drop profile, get a 10" wide plank. 

If it's any help to you or your friend, I came to the conclusion that this is generally a lousy way to buy stock woods.  I got tired of lousy quality wood ("super premium curl" my foot...) and musket grain through the wrist.  It's certainly possible to get great stuff if it's a small mill and they'll let you crawl all over the operation and dictate what you want and how you want it.  Good luck trying this with anything like a large mill.  You'll take an old cold tater and wait and when you see Freddie's or Wayne's stocks at a show you'll drool all over the great stump cuts they have.

[flintriflesmith]

If it is an option you should have the planks sawn as wide as the log will allow. Trimming the bark edges off the planks is simply a waste of wood and often the best curl is in the outer inch or two of the tree.
Just have the mill slice the log lengthwise unless it is too large in diameter for the clearance of their set up. (They will need most likely to cut off one slab and then turn that face down on the carriage before beginning the other cuts.)
Gary

[Acer Saccharum]

Do strip the bark off as soon as you can. The logs will be bug-ridden in no time if left on. Sticker up your planks with DRY white pine. DRY because wet stickers can promote mold. In the first few weeks of drying, move the stickers an inch or two either way. Paint the ends of the planks to slow the drying at the ends. Keep in the shade and out of the wind, partially tarped over to slow the drying. You want to dry your wood slowly. After a few years of slow drying, you can move the wood to a dryer hotter place, like a garage attic.

I think it best to cut the planks into stock blanks as soon as possible. Your wood will better be able to handle drying stresses as small pieces than it can in large planks.

[Ryan McNabb]

This is the other end of the spectrum - if you can customize your operation, if you have your own woodlot, or if you have a custom sawmilling operation doing whatever you tell them to do, you can do very well.  (I'm jealous of that stack of maple, Acer!)

But buying planks of maple from Groff and Groff or Hearne Hardwoods or Curlymaple.com will be more hit-or-miss, and that's what I thought the original poster was referring to.

If you're cutting your own trees remember to take them down as close to the ground as possible.  Ideally there would be no stump left over that you couldn't run a lawnmower over.  REALLY ideally, you'd dig the tree out of the ground and cut the roots.   

[twistedtree]

The best figured woods are under ground

[wetzel]

It would really help to have a cutout template of the rifle you want to build so you can move it around on the blank to ensure the grain is straight through the wrist area.