Author Topic: FORESTOCK MOLDINGS (Read 11798 times)

hortonstn · « **on:** June 15, 2013, 06:05:15 PM »

when in friendship last week i purchased a neet little tool to cut forestock moldings
now i need an idea of verious designs to shape the cutters
any one have any piks
thanks
paul

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #1 on:** June 15, 2013, 06:35:34 PM »

Best place to look is in the ALR 'Virtual Library" http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?board=21.0

All original rifles, pick a maker/area/school that you like and take a look at the moldings used by the original builders.
Dennis

Blacktail · « **Reply #2 on:** June 16, 2013, 08:13:51 PM »

This tool sounds interesting, what is it?

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #3 on:** June 16, 2013, 11:45:13 PM »

Here's a "scratch stock" I made. Is your's like this?

Do a search on "scratch stock" with the quotes marks, there are some more posts with pictures of cutters.

And here's how I finished off the front end of the moulding...

-Ron

smylee grouch · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2013, 02:15:21 AM »

Nice work Ron, on the gun and tool. How many styles or shapes do you use of the stock scrape?

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2013, 04:02:43 AM »

I've never been smart enough to make one of those tools......

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #6 on:** June 17, 2013, 04:16:35 AM »

Quote from: Mike Brooks on June 17, 2013, 04:02:43 AM

I've never been smart enough to make one of those tools......

Hahahahahaaaa......

Oh, dear Mike, you're just mentally deprived, that's all.

flehto · « **Reply #7 on:** June 22, 2013, 05:02:03 PM »

I use a tool that rides in the RR groove to cut in the straight line of the molding and then everything else is freehand. Should have made that "scratch tool" years ago, but never did. One question....how does it cut over very curly wood? Nice molding.....Fred

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #8 on:** June 22, 2013, 07:12:52 PM »

Quote from: smylee grouch on June 17, 2013, 02:15:21 AM

Nice work Ron, on the gun and tool. How many styles or shapes do you use of the stock scrape?

I've made 3 or 4 different cutter bits. They're not hard to made. File in a reverse of the molding you want then burnish the edge like you would a scraper. Make some practice cuts on scrap. The bit needs to be a little smaller than you want the finished molding to be.

-Ron

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2013, 07:25:36 PM »

Quote from: flehto on June 22, 2013, 05:02:03 PM

I use a tool that rides in the RR groove to cut in the straight line of the molding and then everything else is freehand. Should have made that "scratch tool" years ago, but never did. One question....how does it cut over very curly wood? Nice molding.....Fred

This tool rides on the 2 edges of the ramrod groove and the side of the fore-stock, so the grooves stay lined up with those 2 surfaces.

Once you get a feel for what the tool and the wood wants, it cuts pretty well, even on curly wood. It helps to lean the tool toward the direction I am pulling the tool. If you put too much pressure on the cut, it will chatter and sometimes you will hit a curl that just won't cooperate. When that happens I'll smooth that spot with a gouge of matching radius or a small round file, then go back to the scratch-stock.

-Ron

Kermit · « **Reply #10 on:** June 23, 2013, 12:23:02 AM »

After you file the profile you want, smooth up both flat surfaces on some fine wet/dry paper or a stone. You may not need to burnish a hook, and just set to scraping. The steel cutter can be set fine in the beginning and slowly advanced to take more until you like what you see.

Frank · « **Reply #11 on:** June 23, 2013, 07:16:26 PM »

Quote from: flehto on June 22, 2013, 05:02:03 PM

I use a tool that rides in the RR groove to cut in the straight line of the molding and then everything else is freehand. Should have made that "scratch tool" years ago, but never did. One question....how does it cut over very curly wood? Nice molding.....Fred

Could you please post a picture of your scratch tool. Thanks

sqrldog · « **Reply #12 on:** June 23, 2013, 08:44:19 PM »

Paul
John Bivins shows side profiles of three forestock mouldings used on North Carolina rifles.These profiles are shown in Longrifles of North Carolina page 32. These profiles may be of some use in making your moulding cutter. As a matter of interest who did you buy your moulding scraper from while in Friendship. Tim

hortonstn · « **Reply #13 on:** June 24, 2013, 03:15:46 AM »

dennis pridley

Mark Elliott · « **Reply #14 on:** June 24, 2013, 04:32:58 AM »

I made myself one of those scratch stocks based on one in one of the JHAT books. I cut the blades from a Sanvik scraper blank (about 1/16" thick). I file the forearm profile on one end and the butt stock profile on the other. That way each blade is for a particular rifle design and you just switch it around for the forearm or butt stock. You have to use these with care or you can very quickly ruin your moulding. You have to keep them perfectly aligned as you pull them along. They won't keep themselves aligned as much as you might think they will.

PPatch · « **Reply #15 on:** June 24, 2013, 05:51:12 AM »

Quote from: Mark Elliott on June 24, 2013, 04:32:58 AM

You have to use these with care or you can very quickly ruin your moulding. You have to keep them perfectly aligned as you pull them along. They won't keep themselves aligned as much as you might think they will.

So true Mark. I made one to do my moldings and got into the beginnings of a mess about half way down one side. I stopped using it and went to other means. I still have to somehow work around the gouges on the top side of the bead the tool was making, it was cutting too deep long there and making a double line because of my inept handling of it. I suppose one should have practiced more with it before applying it to a rifle.

dp

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #16 on:** June 24, 2013, 05:00:56 PM »

I lay out the line with a pencil, and cut it with a parting tool. This line is the guideline for the rest of the moulding, above and below the line.

I relieve up to the line with a gouge, chip, chip, chip, all the way down the stock, cutting across the grain. Then, if the moulding is hollowed, I chip, chip, chip with a gouge for the hollow. Always across the grain, as curly does not cut predictable for me with the grain.

I follow up with a file or rasp along the length to flatten out the bumps, and show up the low spots.

Then the scrapers come out. My forestock moulding always have a little wave to them.

Scrapers are used to sculpt, round and blend. A small beading file was made to form the rounded bead.

KentSmith · « **Reply #17 on:** June 24, 2013, 07:50:19 PM »

Tom I like your work

Mark Elliott · « **Reply #18 on:** June 25, 2013, 05:59:16 AM »

Tom, you certainly are a perfectionist. I am afraid my eyes and hands just don't work well enough to do your level of work.

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #19 on:** June 25, 2013, 06:03:28 AM »

Things are never perfect. They just have to look good.

satwel · « **Reply #20 on:** June 25, 2013, 02:01:28 PM »

If you can find a copy of the Journal of Historical Armsmaking Technology, Volume II, June, 1987 there is a chapter on making and using scratch stocks. On page 88 there are a couple of profiles for forestock molding irons.

Larry Luck · « **Reply #21 on:** June 27, 2013, 03:37:20 AM »

Here are a few photos posted by Chris Laubach around 2006

Nicely made tool.

Larry Luck

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Author Topic: FORESTOCK MOLDINGS (Read 11798 times)

Blacktail