Basics of WOOD;

[Ravenwolf]

Hello, I wanted to ask, what the basics of getting a stock blank is all about? I plan on going to a few mid-atlantic events Dixons, Fort Frederick, etc. I want to have a game plan about what I should look for in the wood choices. Best to you and yours. Ravenwolf;

[okieboy]

 When possible, I like to take a full size pattern to lay on the wood (picture me at Track of the Wolf with 12 stock blanks on the floor and a plywood pattern) as most blanks aren't sufficient for 48" barrels. Going to an event like you are talking about, I would take a paper pattern rolled up in a little tube. if you are not making a very long gun even a pattern of the butt to in front of the lock would be handy to see grain and figure would lie under your pattern. Having a pattern available also means that you may be able to take a smaller piece of wood (less expensive) with confidence that it will work.

[P.W.Berkuta]

If this is your first build from a blank or even you third I would ask a reputable wood supplier for a hard plain maple stock that will not cost you an arm & leg. You want to perfect your skill with shaping the stock not fighting the grain. Once you get the confidence to work the wood then get that $400 fancy stock and make firewood out of it  . Good luck!!

[billd]

There's usually a seminar at Dixon's on how to pick a blank.

[Long John]

Raven,

Here is what I know.

Being an old @$#%, I don't have enough time left to fool around with plan wood.  I buy the prettiest stick I can find from a reputable vendor.

The notion that slab sawn wood is stronger than quarter sawn wood is false.  The US Forest Products Lab did extensive research on that topic and found that slab sawn and quarter sawn are of eqivalent strength.  Note that the building codes do NOT stipulate different beam spans for slab sawn versus quarter sawn members.  Now you know why!

There is a profound difference between "grain" and "figure".  Grain is the direction of the wood fibers.  Figure is the visual image of what you see and is the combined effect of the annual growth rings and the interaction of the wood fibers with in-coming light.   You want the grain to be parallel with the wrist of the gun viewed from both the top and side for the strongest stock.   Use a little saliva and a magnifing glass to study the grain.   Wet the stick with a little salivea and look close - you will be able to see the flow of the wood fibers as the moisture soaks into the wood.  With curly maple the direction of the curl is generally perpendicular to the flow of the grain.  So, if you see a stick with the curl perpendicular to the profile of the wrist its a keeper!  I prefer white (hard) maple as it is denser; it cuts and and carves with better precision and detail.

The rules above led me to the blank I used for the rifle below.



Best Regards,

John Cholin

[Acer Saccharum]

Most vendors don't like people licking or spitting on their blanks.

[Ravenwolf]

Thanks, everyone I will use the tips, and check out some wood. Ravenwolf;

[Don Getz]

Wayne Dunlap and  "Tiger Hunt" have been selling stock blanks for many years, their blanks will fit 98% of all the guns
you may want to build.  If this is your first build from a blank, I too would recommend that you do not spend a lot of money on a fabuloous piece of wood.   After all, this will be a gun you are learning on, and I almost guarantee you there
will be mistakes.    Also, check out Jim Kibler's guns, you usually don't see much figure in the wood, figure does not make
the gun.............Don