twisted blank?

[mupperm]

I have a maple blank,  that is twisted, and I  paid very little for it...    I am wanting to do my first build, from a blank,   if I  mess it up, I'm not out anything was my thinking.  but now I wondering what other kind of challenges await me besides it being my first build?
Should I save it for a build down the road, or just roll with it and see how it comes out

[rickw]

It depends on how much twist there is and how it is twisted. The thickness matters, too.
I would straighten and flatten one side. That will show you if you have enough thickness left to lay out your stock. Then I would leave it alone for a week or so. If it stayed flat and straight, I'd use it. If it twisted any more, I'd make something else out of it.
I just cut a trade gun stock out of a twisted piece of walnut using the procedures I described above. So far, it's staying fairly flat, and I'm in the process of laying it out and inletting it.
Good luck with it! I hope you can use it.
Rick W

[David R. Pennington]

Is the blank dry? How long has it been cut? Depending on where the blank was cut from the log in relation to annular rings may account for some of the twist, the wood moves more in some dimensions than others as it dries. Strike a chalk line on the top edge and plane the top straight and flat. Use wind sticks to make sure you have a level plane. Wind sticks are just two small strips of wood exactly the same dimensions. Place them at different locations along the top surface and sight along the top of them. Keep planing off high spots until the wind sticks line up no matter where they are placed. Now plane the lock side of the stock flat and at right angles to top surface. Now with the twist planed out you can lay out the rifle stock.

[Paddlefoot]

Keep in mind that if there are stresses built up in that blank you may cut the barrel channel and find that it wants to twist some more. I got a blank from a very reputable vendor and had the blank twist like crazy once I started shaping it. I wet the barrel channel pretty thoroughly and clamped the barrel back in place and let it dry a few days. It's not completed yet but I think it's going to be fine.

[Scota4570]

Blank? Like a big square piece of lumber?  Or, a partially shaped stock?  If it is a chunk of wood, that is what surface planers are for.  Once both sides are parallel, use a jointer to true up the top and bottom.  A cabinet shop should be able to help.  IF it is a rough stock, that the others said. 

[mupperm]

Its partially shaped,  i've had it since  may of last yr. 

[b bogart]

Hey Mike, lets meet up and let me have a look at it. I'm no expert, but I have dealt with my share of difficulties ( some self inflicted). You know I' m just around the corner from you, so to speak.

[Hungry Horse]

If the blank is still in the square, it likely more twisting will occur when you start slimming it down. I would not recommend this as a first build. After you have some success on other projects tackle this one. JMO.

 Hungry Horse

[DFHicks]

Wind sticks _ I'd never heard of this neat idea.  There's no limit to the good information that shows up on this forum.  I never tire of reading it. 
Greg

[WadePatton]

Wind sticks _ I'd never heard of this neat idea.  There's no limit to the good information that shows up on this forum.  I never tire of reading it. 
Greg

Winding sticks is how any furniture maker (who uses hand tools) squares up every board in order to begin the layouts.  I learned to make and use them when making my workbench. 

Paul Sellers showed me the way. Here he is with sticks:

squaring stock:
making winding sticks:

NOTE that once you understand them, they can be as simple/ugly as you can stand.  Yes I've used 2x4's with paint/tape for contrast. 

[Turtle]

 I wouldn't recommend a twisted blank for your first build either. Besides the possibility it will continue on it's errant ways and ruins your first born, the twisted grain will make chiseling mortises difficult. I would save it for a future build. I built a gun from a customers twisted blank once warning him it might continue movement. It didn't and proved to have a real nice unique grain pattern.
                                       Turtle

[Robby]

I would go for it.
robby

[Stoner creek]

If you start out wrong it's tough to catch up. Make kindling or knife handles out of that blank. If you don't like it at the start you will never like it. Wood is cheaper than your time.

[mupperm]

Hey Mike, lets meet up and let me have a look at it. I'm no expert, but I have dealt with my share of difficulties ( some self inflicted). You know I' m just around the corner from you, so to speak.

are you still working @ the Depot? 

[T*O*F]

Wood is cheaper than your time.

I disagree.  The old saying goes, "If you think education is expensive, consider the price of ignorance."  Hobby building is a leisure time activity and its time is not measured in dollars.  The "lessons learned" in using this stick of wood are more valuable in the long run and will pay future dividends.  The ability to work within certain constraints must be acquired, which even includes the occasional failure.

An even easier solution is to cut the forestock down and build a halfstock from it.  Much easier to correct a short twist than a long one.

[b bogart]

Yep, come out and see me

[mupperm]

Wood is cheaper than your time.

I disagree.  The old saying goes, "If you think education is expensive, consider the price of ignorance."  Hobby building is a leisure time activity and its time is not measured in dollars.  The "lessons learned" in using this stick of wood are more valuable in the long run and will pay future dividends.  The ability to work within certain constraints must be acquired, which even includes the occasional failure.

An even easier solution is to cut the forestock down and build a halfstock from it.  Much easier to correct a short twist than a long one.

the half stock idea did cross my mind, " I would like to build a Vincent someday".  or maybe a .45 cal. Hawkin.

[jerrywh]

 If it is not a real good piece of wood I would just trash it. If it is a real nice figured and solid hard piece I would just twist it back to shape. Heat it up and twist it back.

[David R. Pennington]

I am pretty hard headed. I would probably try and use it. If it doesn't work you will at least have gained experience. Once the barrel inlet is complete, replace the barrel in the stock each time you leave the shop.

[TMerkley]

The more wood that you remove as you work it, will continue to release tension or strength depending on how the grain is.  It's like trying to hit a moving target.  I had that happen on my first build.  I worked it from the tree. I would get the barrel to fit and then it would shift on me.  I would clamp the barrel and it would remain until I worked some more and took more wood off.  Then it would shift.  I finally got it thin enough to be flexible and put the pins and wedges in.  Then it would work.  It then dried in place the rest of the way.  If your stock is kiln dried, it may not shift as much.

[WadePatton]

The more wood that you remove as you work it, will continue to release tension or strength depending on how the grain is.  It's like trying to hit a moving target.  I had that happen on my first build.  I worked it from the tree...If your stock is kiln dried, it may not shift as much.

Air dried is better, but not what is most plentiful (speaking of all wood, not just stockwood suppliers-inquire with them).  The longer the plank has been a plank, the better.  It's all about stability.  Forcing wood to dry with kilns _is_ the modern way, but doesn't make it best or preferred.  A three-inch board needs three years to dry naturally, and will be even more stable in 10 years.  The wood never stops moving entirely, it just settles down a good bit.

The options are better when buying blanks/planks.

[P.W.Berkuta]

I have a maple blank,  that is twisted, and I  paid very little for it...    I am wanting to do my first build, from a blank,   if I  mess it up, I'm not out anything was my thinking.  but now I wondering what other kind of challenges await me besides it being my first build?
Should I save it for a build down the road, or just roll with it and see how it comes out

The first thing I recommend is to determin how bad the twist is - if it is REAL bad then skip it and buy a better one especially if this is your first build from a blank. If the twist is minor - say under 1/4" over the length of the stock and the blank is thick enough then you can plane it flat or run one face through a jointer then a surface planer for the other face then square up the side where the barrel will go. If your blank is not square to begin with you WILL be fighting it all the way and most likely end up with a VERY poor fitting & looking rifle.

[mupperm]

I have very little invested in it, "25.00"  it's in the basement and has been for about 6 months.   ill more than likely have Bruce look it over and see what we can come up with .

[Eric Krewson]

Green wood in my basement settles out at 16% moisture content over time, wood that I put in the basement that is already dry goes up to 16% as well, basements aren't good places to store wood.

I have a good moisture meter and have run a ton of osage through the process. I now keep some wood in what I call the "on deck circle", stored in my shop for a few years before I make anything out of it. I still have a lot of wood under my house in the crawlspace but move it to the on deck circle years before I make bows out of it.

[Paddlefoot]

Going back to the OP you mentioned that you had little money in the blank. I assume that it's because it is a plain piece of wood. I would suggest that you find a good blank to do your build with and use the twisted one for forms and other shop needs. Good plain maple has lots of uses.