planks vs pre-carves

[Jim Curlee]

I've been reading this site for some time now.
I get the impression that most of the smokers made nowadays, are stocked with pre-carved stocks.
Doesn't anybody build from planks anymore?
Jim

[Gaeckle]

I do.

[Blacksmoke]

So do I and have been for 37yrs. !       I want as much of my own craftsmanship in the guns that I make as possible.  It is not always about productivity or money.   It is about my legacy and my ability.
Hugh Toenjes

[Tom Currie]

Have only built 6, all  from planks. I think it forces you to do more research and work to understand what we call architecture. As far as the "stocking" goes , it's all you, start to finish.

[ol vern]

I build as a hobby allways use a plank. It's a cost thing got way more time than money.

[Dave Dolliver]

My experience is that once you have the research done, it's EASIER to work on a plank than a pre-carve.  Especially if you need to achieve certain pull, cast-off, and drop, dimensions.  It's easier to hold the rectangular piece in the vise; easier to drill pin holes in a flat surface than a sloping one.  The one thing I'm eager to ship out is inletting of a swamped barrel.  Yes, I've done it by hand but I don't care to do it if I can have Dave Rase do it for me on his machine.
Once I can get one of my students to make one from a plank they realize what I'm claiming above and prefer to work from a plank from then on.

Dave Dolliver

[caliber45]

Working on #20; all planks. Cheaper that way, and leaves more room for innovation. -- paulallen, tucson az

[JCKelly]

I'm a control freak.

Hate being constrained by someone else's idea of architecture, barrel & lock dimensions, &c.

A few planks remain from the 5/6 of a maple tree I bought in '73 (Larry Mrock got the other 1/6). Suspect they've gotten heavier over the years, though.

D'y'all know that the KRA for $20 will send you a nice disc full of rifle & pistol photos, good for copying hardware (you DON'T buy patchboxes ready-made, do you?) & carving. Look for"  Kentucky Rifle Photographs Volume I; Issue I, 2005.

[Dave B]

I have built 98% from planks. I think its a lot more fun to shape them out. I hate doing the finishing so it explains the collection of unfinished guns. If that Dave Rase wouldn't do such a nice job on barrel inletting I would slow down on starting projects.  I just set a side another couple blanks with barrels for him to inlet.

[wetzel]

I just finished my first build from a plank.  Previous to that I had built 4 guns all from precarves.  I just ordered me some parts for a southern mountain gun and the stock I chose is a plank of wood.  Some observations from building this last gun were that I could build the gun around the heart of the gun (the barrel and Lock) where a precarve I have to make everything fit the stock.  It seemed much easier to me this way.  Another thing for me was my length of pull is about 13 inches and on a precarve that makes the butt end seem kinda small, on this plank I was able to make the buttstock the size I wanted.

[B.Habermehl]

The nice thing about working from the blank is you don't have to deal with the other guys mistakes that you may face in doing a precarve. Also fitting but plates is a joy in comparison to fitting one on a pre carve. Plus when you are working from the slab you are not fighting with hard ware that is a scooch too big-small etc. The only draw back with using a blank is the extra elbow grease in shapeing.

[rich pierce]

We're probably a different bunch on this forum compared to most other ML forums.  I think that overwhelmingly the majority of longrifles made are from precarves and kits and parts sets, but here, probably half or less, maybe quite a bit less are from precarves.

[northmn]

I stll search my woods for a tree that I can have cut into a plank.  I built one out of a tree I cut myself (as I burn firewood no big deal) and worked into a plank with wedges and a chainsaw.  Very glad my brother in law has a saw mill now.   I am surprised at the responses as I thought more used precarves.  Most of them have already said it for me.  The satisfaction in seeing a stock evolve from a piece of wood.  Must be what a sculptor feels.  Even though I build rather plain guns, I feel that plank building can offer me a satisfaction that can equal a carved engraved precarve creation. 

DP

[Mike Brooks]

Probably 70% from a blank. The kits I  builkd are either my own, or chambers.

[California Kid]

When I started there weren't really any pre-carves on the market so I started with a blank. From what I have read about them they can be more trouble than they are worth.
 Rich Pierce calls it right about that other forum. Different breed over there. Jerry H. used to call it the bead and feather forum!

[Tommy Bruce]

I've only done 5.  3 from pre carved, 2 from a blank.  I'm working on a pre carved for my son and have a Mike Brooks fowler stock to do and then I'm planning on working from blanks only.  Right now it's a time issue for me.  I have a full time job, going to school on line and have an active 11 year old boy so time at the bench is rare at the moment. 

[Don Getz]

It all depends on the pre-shaped stock.   If you start with a good one it saves a lot of time.   Most of you don't know this
but most of John Bivins guns were made from pre-shaped stocks.   Of the 88 guns I have built, most of them have been
from pre-shaped stocks.   We made the stock patterns, so that does make a difference.   However, I will agree with you
in one sense......If I were forced to use some of the pre-shaped stocks sold in the industry, I would probably do a lot more
from a plank..............Don

[Captchee]

  mostly all from planks .
 im lucky enough that i can chose my planks  and thus do my own layout of the blank  

[frenchman]

 I build for myself , all planks , swamp barrel inletted by Dave Rase . No 3 is a straight barrel and i will inlet myself

[porchdog48]

  Just got back my first precarved and inletted stock. Sent in a $200 cherry blank which was inletted for the wrong lock. Back to blanks.

[g rummell]

I've been building since the 80's and all I use are blanks unless a customer wants
a gun turned around in a short period of time but I tend to steer away from that.

[Robby]

Blanks.
Robby

[Acer Saccharum]

I cut my stocks out of trees. 

Seriously, I prefer to have my way with the stock, and  find the idea of being confined to a pre-carve just gives me the willies. I am sure I would think otherwise if I had to do this for a living.

Don Getz has hit an efficient middle ground by developing his own pattern, and then he knows what he's working with.

Tom

[Osprey]

Acer, I'm not sure I like the image of you having your way with a stock.   

I'm only on #9, but I've done both.  Seem to have gravitated to the Fred Miller/Dave Keck barell/rr inlet and rough out pattern.  Gets toward where I need to be but saves lots of time.  I don't like pre-inlet locks or butt plates, but do keep an eye out for deals.  Always seem to find something that's got a barrel inlet with a rough shape, sometimes far cheaper than even a blank, and making something out of it is a challenge itself.

[Stophel]

I don't have a problem with precarves per se, it's just that for the type of stuff I do, I just haven't run into too many that were worth a $#@*.  They usually are FAR more trouble than they're worth.  Trying to fix someone else's mistakes (I have enough problem with my own!). 

Sometimes, though, I see one that ain't that bad.