Bug intrusion in wrist area

[oldtravler61]

After planning a stock out. Noticed a bug intrusion smack dab in the middle of the wrist area. This stock has extremely good curl. Hate to junk it. Any suggestions?  Thank you very much for any suggestions ahead of time.

[tallbear]

You could repair it and cover the repair similar to this one I did a while back.

Mitch

[davec2]

If you are looking for a repair that does not show, and it the trigger guard is in the right place with respect to the flaw, you might try this method.  From one of my older posts:

Here is another method that I have used a few times to fix a potentially weak wrist area.  This is from an old post:   

 http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=30985.0

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Back in May (when I last had time to work on this rifle), Cailber45 mentioned the grain direction through the wrist as a potential problem.  Every time I looked at the unfinished rifle as I passed by the bench, the grain run out started to bother me.  So rather than wait until the wrist broke one day and then try to fix it, I thought I would be pro-active and fix it before it broke.

I routed out a deep groove 3/8 inch wide and 1.25 inches tall through the entire wrist area excavating the existing inletting for the trigger, trigger plate, and rear of the trigger guard.



I then cut a straight grain splint out of a scrap of the same stock blank and cut some narrow grooves in it to allow me to squeeze the epoxy out around the splint and get it fully seated in its groove.



One last full check fit before the epoxy was mixed.



Splint epoxied in place....



After a day of curing, the trigger, trigger plate and rear of the trigger guard were re-inletted back where they came from.



If the stock breaks at the wrist after this, I'll make a new stock.

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I used the same technique on a Ferguson rifle I built as well.  Here is the link:   http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=6184.0   The fix is on page 1

[Ric27]

where in the wrist is the bugger damage and what is the dimension of it?

[FlintFan]

Excellent solution to the problem, and well executed.  The only possible suggestion I would have to strengthen it even more is to use a block made from straight grain hickory, which is much stronger than the surrounding maple.  If you fit a thin strip of maple to cover the hickory it will finish out the same as using a solid maple block.  

[Daryl]

I piece of hickory might have been even better for just such a repair, Dave. When I saw the picture of the wood, that is what I thought it was.

[oldtravler61]

 Thank you everyone. The intrusion is right in the middle of the wrist. 11/2 long by 1/2 inches wide. It is on the outside of the stock. Check piece side. Not sure yet how deep it is.

[Ric27]

Thank you everyone. The intrusion is right in the middle of the wrist. 11/2 long by 1/2 inches wide. It is on the outside of the stock. Check piece side. Not sure yet how deep it is.

That sounds like it will need to be plugged with wood that will take a stain to match the surrounding wood. The depth isn't as important in that you relieve just enough to set in the plug. You said there was significant curl in that area. I have seen repairs where the stripe was painted in. It works and a spot of about a half an inch square might not be to hard to do. if you have any scrap wood that would match the curl it would be better. But who ever has that peace There are some techniques to do this kind of work that you would have to learn before you try it on you rifle.

ric

[Boompa]

  Could you run a 3/8" drill from the lower part of where the breech plug contacts the stock, down through the wrist area 10-12", then glue a hickory dowel,(ramrod), in place?

[davec2]

FlintFan & Daryl,

I agree, a hickory splint would have been better.  But I didn't have any and I was tired of fooling with the grain through the wrist.  (I'll go you one better, I actually had a bar of 6Al4V titanium that I could have used .......but I thought that was a little overkill.)

 If this one breaks, I'll make a new stock but it's already a $#*! of a lot stronger than most maple stocks with the grain running the proper direction.  As the saying goes, "Better is the enemy of good enough."

[Marcruger]

Dave,  I really have enjoyed that tutorial you did a ways back.  It almost seems like a good idea to do that with any slim dainty-wristed longrifle. 
I once asked F.C Hall, owner of Rickenbacker guitars, about the strength of a glued-on guitar neck versus one continuous piece.  He said, "You know, I wonder the same thing.  We broke a couple of guitars to see.  They broke through the wood, and never where the glue joint was."
That inlet and glued reinforcement you created will be the last thing to let go!
Best wishes,   Marc

[davec2]

I may have to do this again on another stock and I will use hickory the next time.  However, when I made the walnut splint, I made two from the same piece of wood.  The first one I put one end in a large bench vise and put a large crescent wrench on the other.  With a 12 inch handle, I couldn't break the splint.  I did break it with a 24 inch wrench.  I figured if I put that much torque on the wrist somehow, the rifle was already damaged beyond repair.  I will try the same trick with hickory and see how that fairs.