Twist and Shout!

[Roger Fisher]

She's twisting and making me shout!

C Maple stock on current project has twisted from wrist back 3/8 inch or slightly more.  Her
heel  twist is to the cheek side and stock is rough shaped from wrist back. Lock is in and of course so is the barrel and tang.  Sett triggers in close to bottom line of forestock and toe line.  I doubt if I can work out enough of said twist by placement of the buttplate - going a bit narrower with the plate toe etc although that is the plan.   Damnable internal stresses in the tree is getting the blame.

Now then, Has anyone out there faced and solved the same problem?  I have thoughts of soaking the $#*! out of her from rear of wrist on back, clamping and twisting the thingee back in to line. Thoughts - warnings - methods - MEDS

I'm having so much fun with this b         that I can't hardly stand it.  She'll lay over the weekend and I'm heading north to a snowshoot!

[Jerry V Lape]

If all else fails, check with one of the fellows that bend shotgun stocks to fit the guns to shooters.  I have had a couple bent, they can move wood an amazing amount and it stays put when done.  Even better, the process does no damage to the finish.  It is accomplished by heating with heat lamps and hot oil, in a jig that lets them incrementally increase pressure to move the wood in the direction needed.  As an example, I had a shotgun butt raised 3/4 of an inch.  Couldn't find the guy's email address right off, but if you are interested I know I can get it for you. 

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

If all else fails, check with one of the fellows that bend shotgun stocks to fit the guns to shooters.  I have had a couple bent, they can move wood an amazing amount and it stays put when done.  Even better, the process does no damage to the finish.  It is accomplished by heating with heat lamps and hot oil, in a jig that lets them incrementally increase pressure to move the wood in the direction needed.  As an example, I had a shotgun butt raised 3/4 of an inch.  Couldn't find the guy's email address right off, but if you are interested I know I can get it for you. 

What jerry said....

[billd]

http://www.woodcockhill.com/

These guys are good. In NE PA. I dont know what it costs.
bill

[Acer Saccharum]

The wood has to be heated enough to become plastic(bendable). You can use steam if there is no finish on the wood, or hot oil if there is finish on the wood.


Taylor did a tutorial on bending stocks with hot oil.


Evil thought: since you can get the wood hotter with oil, why not put some finish on the wood, then heat it with oil? When it cools, scrub the stock down to size, taking the temporary finish with it. Drawbacks?

[Eric Krewson]

Propeller twist is the easiest wood anomaly to correct. Never done a gun stock but have untwisted dozens of bow staves.

I use a heat gun, pipe wrench and a 5 gallon bucket to hold weight. You want to make sure your lower butt stock is supported so it doesn't sag during the process. I put a piece of very course grit sanding belt between the pipe wrench and the wood. This way the pipe wrench will hold fast and the cloth backed belt won't let it mar the wood.

Pretty simple, heat the area you want to untwist with about 50# of weight in the bucket, I use bags of lead shot. Keep your heat gun moving so you won't scorch the wood.   Push down on the pipe wrench while you are heating, when you get the wood hot enough you will be able to feel the pipe wrench move.

Move your wood a little past where you want it and let the weight in the bucket hold it there while the wood cools off.  Sometimes you have to undo a little of what you did, sometimes you have to take a little more twist out .

[jwh1947]

Thanks, Eric, for something actually useful.  I once relocated to its correct position a forend of a Kentucky that looked like spagehetti from the rear pipe out.  Used heat, steam and rakija, and it worked.  But I really have been given some new ideas from your picture to rig up stuff here to do it more easily next time.  Thanks, Wayne

[jimc2]

As I mentioned before your wood is ferhexed make peace with the bad spirits. Where did you get that wood???

[Roger Fisher]

As I mentioned before your wood is ferhexed make peace with the bad spirits. Where did you get that wood???

I'm beginning to think your right! This gal is a real dunnervetter!

Plank came from Forest Inn - the kiln not the barroom!   A good 3 or 4 yrs ago!

[Acer Saccharum]

I have some maple that bends like a banana when cut. Ever see one of the big maples where the whole trunk is a spiral? I think that wood would be particularly stressed.

[Eric Krewson]

Rigging up a wood clamp of sorts to put on the butt instead of a pipe wrench would probably be better.

[Robby]

Eric, I have used the very same set up in my shop many times, sometimes with a clamp, sometimes with a monkey wrench, sometimes as shown. Sometimes for bows, sometimes for gun stocks. The one constant is that it always works. Good one!
Robby