Stock Molding Scraper

[CavSoldier3ACR]

All,  I was watching a video on stock carving done by Wallace Gussler some years back and he was demonstrating the use of a scraper to shape the molding along the fore-stock above ramrod channel.  He does not explain how to make the molding scraper.  Does anyone have any good suggestions on how to custom make one?

[davec2]

Cav,

I made this scratch stock from two pieces of 1/4 inch thick plexiglass.  One side is tapped for the 1/4-20 bolts and the other side has clearance holes for the bolts.  The cutting blades can be ground from 3/32 inch tool steel or even an old power hack saw blade.  The blade can be clamped between the two plexiglass side plates at various angles to change the profile some, even with a given blade.  It takes a bit of practice to use this tool without messing up the stock, but I have done several stocks successfully with it.



The following is a copy of some related information I posted a while back.....it may be of use to you......

Anyway, a while back, one of the members here (sorry I can't remember who) posted a link to a British fellow who had a woodworking tip on how to make a quick, inexpensive "beading tool".  I clicked on these two links:





Now I have made and tried a great variety of tools to aid in getting nice straight beads / moldings along ram rod channels etc.  Some photos:

Scratch stock :



Home made molding plane:





A beading scraper that rides a brass rod placed in the ram rod channel:



Individual form scrapers:



And I have used Acer's method of drawing a nice straight pencil line, following that with a veiner, and then straightening with a file, etc.  They all work and all have their utility but all of them rely on getting the first line nice and straight.  So when I saw the above links I thought, wow, that might be an easy way to get that first straight groove in place easily.  So I made this very complicated tool:



And then ran it up and down the ram rod channel lips on the little rifle.....like this.....



I used it first as a marking gage with just the smooth edge of the screw indenting a line in the maple.  Then I turned it so that the screw slot actually cut wood.  I have to tell you, that was the quickest, easiest, most sure fire way I have put a very straight groove in the forstock without fighting the grain or the natural wobble of the other tools / methods I tried.  Just thought I would report in on this while I re-start work on the little rifle.

[rich pierce]

Great work on those tools!  Love the one incorporating a "ramrod".

[Frank]

Thanks, Acer's tool is simple and it works.

[Tim Crosby]

 Good stuff Dave, Thanks for posting.

  Tim

[oldtravler61]

  Dave just made one. Your right it is highly technical....lol. Slick as can be an quick..! Thanks a bunch...! Mike

[conquerordie]

I've made one of those Paul Sellers beading tools for my current build. Going to have a double line moulding along the barrel, and another one made for a single line along the rammer channel. Buck worth of screws and scrap wood from the build.
Greg

[CavSoldier3ACR]

Gentlemen, I am truly grateful for your responses with great ideas and links.  I am a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army on assignment to the embassy military staff in Guatemala until the end of the summer.  I have time on my hands that I usually do not at home so I am planning to build a couple of rifles while I am here.  Unfortunately I do not have the luxury of my tools at home and am limited to the hand tools I could pack in my luggage for the trip.  I have ordered the bare minimum I need to start my projects and I am having a local craftsman build me a small work bench that will fit in my hotel room.  I may reach out to the forum as I build a child size smooth-bore for my ten year old son.  He has recently fallen in love with muzzle loaders and I wish to encourage his interests.