AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: flehto on February 13, 2020, 07:30:42 PM

Title: Weird Wood
Post by: flehto on February 13, 2020, 07:30:42 PM
Shaped a plain maple blank to 80% done and w/ the bbl and lock inletted, was rasping the lock side  along the tang   when an 1/8" thick layer of wood popped up....it was slightly attached to the wrist. Promptly glued it and after 2 days started to rasp the same surface again, but this time a layer 1/4" thick popped up. I glued this and 2 days later started on the sideplate side of the tang and a layer 1/8" thick popped up and was glued.  Waited 3 days and started to rasp this same area and the same story....a layer 1/4" popped up.....the same thickness as the lock side. Pressed a chisel into  the wood adjacent to the breech and another layer below the lowest  glued seam popped up.

Not  willing to gamble w/ this stock because I might find other areas that had layers that popped up, the stock was used as kindling in my wood burner. I had forgotten who the supplier was and in all the following yrs of  building LRs , this was never repeated.  The LR that this stock was intended for was a Bucks County but seeing I didn't take orders and didn't depend on building for my livlihood, my schedule was of no consequence.

Anyone else ever encounter weird wood? Below is shown my so called  " backlog" at that time.

   
(https://i.ibb.co/XjNjNf0/P1010003.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TYpYpDj)
Title: Re: Weird Wood
Post by: rich pierce on February 13, 2020, 08:21:33 PM
I am guessing a tree felled by wind that took a lot of strain before toppling over. Called the “shakes” I believe.
Title: Re: Weird Wood
Post by: Jim Kibler on February 13, 2020, 08:32:33 PM
Ring shakes or sometimes reffered to as wind shakes.  I believe it's a misconception that wind causes this defect.  I think the modern understanding is that it is caused by a bacteria.

Jim
Title: Re: Weird Wood
Post by: t.caster on February 13, 2020, 08:38:07 PM
Never had that happen! I'll bet it was good firewood though! Haha
Title: Re: Weird Wood
Post by: 45-110 on February 13, 2020, 10:14:11 PM
I band sawed out a walnut rifle stock last year that was well seasoned and waxed. The next morning revealed separations in the butt, thought about gluing it but did not. Day 2 showed an even larger separation curling up. Luckily the supplier did an exchange for me. I could see no alarming issues before the sawing, just had hidden internal stress I guess.
kw