Stock forming from blanks

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

I've been considering building my own rifle from a blank. Done several from partly preformed stocks, mainly barrel and RR channel and drill and butt somewhat formed.
 
I don't own a band saw, which is probably the most used tool for roughing out the blank, does anyone use a frame saw for roughing out the stock and would that be the way the old timers did it, before band saws.

Frame saws were very common tools before the advent of power equipment. Veneers and many resawing tasks were done with them.
 
Micah

[JCKelly]

Even as a 30-something I was too wimpy to handle my 10-foot long maple planks to band saw.
So I used a very old-fashioned method.
My (antique now, made in USA) B & D Utility Jigsaw, max HP 1/7, 2.4 amp.
Don't think it was meant to cut 3" maple but it got the blank small enough I could carry it down stairs to finish up on my band saw.
There are more powerful contemporary jig saws, 6.5 to 7.0 am, Bosch & DeWalt, available from Home Depot (never mind actual country of origin) that should do the job quite well.

 I believe there is one brand of hand power tools still made in USA, forget which one, is at our very local hardware. Not at any BigBox.

[Jim Kibler]

A large rip saw and a little muscle power works fine for cutting out stock blanks.  I used one before I had a bandsaw.  Most of a stock profile can be cut with straight line segments.  In curved areas (wrist to forestock transition area),  cross grain cuts can be made and the wood can be easily broken out.  Works quite well. 

[rich pierce]

I have no band saw so used a frame saw for the last 2 builds.  It's flat out hard work to keep it straight and I had to cut a little wide and true things up with a plane.  I agree a good rip saw would be better.  I'll have to find a good one or cut some rip teeth on an old crosscut saw.  Pace yourself on sugar maple.

[Stophel]

I need to make myself a good frame saw.  I slapped one together years ago, just as an experiment, using a piece of an old bandsaw blade (which I took off because it started to walk to the left), some sticks of crooked oak, and the pin ends from a hacksaw.  It actually works pretty well (though it does take elbow grease), considering that it cuts crooked....

Eventually, I'll get around to making a proper frame saw.   

[dannybb55]

Usually a saw like that needs some forged bits to tension and hold the blade. I have made some a time or two. Drop me a line.
                                                                                            Danny

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Japanese Ryoba saw.... Does great and you get a little workout whie you are at it!!

[greybeard]

My last build was from a plank. I started to saw out for the barrel chanell and after about 6 inches I recalled bout the chap that was really working up a sweat ripping a board. His neighbor said "Why dont you sharpen your saw?".  " I dont have  time"
    With that thought in mind I dug out my saw vise ,Saw set & tri file . Spent near an hour on that rip saw and reset the teeth. Figure I saved me abouy 75 % of the time I would have spent with the dull saw and werent near as tired when finished.
     Bob
   

[bgf]

If you have a jigsaw, I would try it, especially the newer ones with more power and sturdier blades.