Two piece stock??

[Old Ford2]

Hi guys
I would like some input.
I wish to make a fowling piece with a longer barrel.
The wood of choice is black walnut.
To keep the stock from warping, especially here in Ontario, moisture is a problem, with relative humidity at 90% in summer months.
I would like to laminate ( glue ) two pieces of wood together, reversing the grain.
I do plan on matching the grain as best I can.
Thank you for your thoughts.
Old Ford

[marcusb]

Laminate stability is well proven. I have thought of a similar idea in the past myself. I would suggest titebond 3 for the glue. Very strong and very water resistant.

[Robert Wolfe]

I don't think you need to laminate the stock unless you just want to. The stock will not warp unless you store it with the barrel out.

[billd]

Just a thought, wouldn't a three piece laminate be better?  That way the grain would be the same on the outside.  And your glue joint wouldn't be just the web between the barrel and ramrod.   But then maybe I'm all wet and warped.

Bill

[rich pierce]

I don't think you need to laminate the stock unless you just want to. The stock will not warp unless you store it with the barrel out.

+1

[Kermit]

If all you're doing is laminating two hunks together with the grain running the same direction, you just might  increase the possibility of the wood misbehaving. That's why plywood is made with grain oriented at 90 degrees. I do a lot of laminating and veneering in furniture, and always have a cross-grain core of some sort. Now if you were to laminate a bunch of thin layers all going the same direction as in modern laminated stocks, that's a different ball game. I wouldn't bother. Use one dry and stable piece and seal it well.

[smart dog]

Hi Old Ford,
Don't worry about warping.  I live and build guns in a far more humid place than you do (Southeast Alaska) where we get 160-200 inches of rain annually.  I never have an issue with warping stocks. 

dave

[g rummell]

I don't think you need to laminate the stock unless you just want to. The stock will not warp unless you store it with the barrel out.

+1

+2 She won't warp.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

A friend of mine built a pistol many years ago, and not having wood thick enough, laminated two boards side by side.  The joint runs right down the centre, and except for a spot right behind the tang of the entry pipe, and another behind the breech tang, the seam is covered with metal.  Unless you knew it was there, it does not show.  Clever way to use thinner boards to get a gun stock.

[bgf]

For some reason it sounds like fun, though I agree that it shouldn't be necessary.  Three pieces might be ideal (you could put the two nicest faces out with the grain reversed in the middle) and probably hide the joints with some carving/inlay/etc. where they show.  I've considered something similar to produce a fairly cheap blank to practice barrel inlet and rr hole drilling, and so  on, or on a rifle that would be used purely for matches (where the appearance isn't as important as ability to fit it perfectly and for it to stay stable).  You can always re-stock it if you end up not liking it.  Give it a try and post a report with pictures .

[Acer Saccharum]

Not related to what you're doing, but many of the long Hudson Valley Fowlers have the forestock glued on ahead of the rear entry thimble. Most often I've see a scarf joint, but sometimes it's a conical joint. Saves a tremendous amount of wood.

Tom

[bama]

I built a couple of target rifles designed around an Anshutz style pistol grip stock, one was laminated and one was not. The one that was not laminated was dropped by the owner and it sheared through the wrist area. I had to reinforce it with a steel rod. The laminated stock worked very well and did not look bad at all and no problems in the wrist area of the stock. There was no warpage that I know of and we live in the good old humid southlands of Alabama.

[twistedtree]

I like the idea of putting three pcs together that way the outside ones are going the same way and if you use a curly pc on the inside and not curly on the outside I think that would give it an extra nice look.

[Captchee]

As was said .  You shouldn’t have any real issue with warping  unless you leave the barrel out .
 On the subject of laminates .
Somewhere out in the shop I have an original , late 1800 SXS stock that was laminated  using 3 pieces of  walnut
  The outer 2 pieces  basically ended up just surrounding the locks