Wood, board thickness, for blanks

[Scota4570]

I am going to buy some maple boards to make stocks.  I find it less frustrating to work from a plank than many precarved stocks.

It looks like 2" will work for the current project.  IF I wanted to buy some hard maple to have on hand what thickness is needed for long rifles?  Yes, it depends on the project, cast off, and cheekpiece.  But, just generally speaking?  I hate to pay for big chunks of wood only to remove most of it. 

I was thinking of "10 quarter" or "12 quarter" and 12" up and down.  Lengths would be some for 1/2 stocks and some for full-stocks. 

[jerrywh]

 If your going to build first class rifles one of the biggest mistakes you can make is trying to save on wood.  In my opinion 2 1/4" is the very narrowest you should keep on hand and 2 1/2" is a lot better.  Remember you will run into flaws. Stocks can be bent but it is easier if you don't need to. 

[Mike Brooks]

I'd drive to a saw mill and buy rough cut planks 2 3/4" to 3" thick by however wide and long they are in the yard. You can cut your blanks out with a chainsaw.
 Or, do as I do and buy a log off the yard and have it sawn 2 3/4" to 3".

[Dan Fruth]

The least expensive portion of a rifle is the materials. I was told long long ago, "Never skimp on wood, you will regret it" I saw planks 3" and put them on stick for drying...Better to pick from thick boards, than have to fight to get a stock from a skinny piece.

[Scota4570]

Thanks,

I'm pretty limited out here.  There are no places to pick rough sawn boards or logs.  My best bet is to find plained dimensional lumber and pay up for it.  It looks like I will have to take a day off work and drive 300 miles to even evaluate a lead on a possible source.

My current project is 1 3/4" at the widest point.  Why would I start with a 3" plank?  That is alot of material to remove by hand.  Seems like 2" would give pleanty of room.  I am paying by the board foot.   

[Mike Brooks]

Thanks,

I'm pretty limited out here.  There are no places to pick rough sawn boards or logs.  My best bet is to find plained dimensional lumber and pay up for it.  It looks like I will have to take a day off work and drive 300 miles to even evaluate a lead on a possible source.

My current project is 1 3/4" at the widest point.  Why would I start with a 3" plank?  That is alot of material to remove by hand.  Seems like 2" would give pleanty of room.  I am paying by the board foot.   

Honestly, I wouldn't waste my money on "store boards". Just order some good stock blanks from our gunstock blank suppliers, you won't be disappointed.

[bgf]

You can probably squeak by with 2" for halfstock and late fullstock, but it will be a limitation in terms of earlier rifles or even later ones with castoff.  With planed dimensional lumber, however, you are paying for a lot of finish work that you don't need.

The vendors are quite reasonable​ especially on halfstock length blanks, in my experience.  Is Friendship an option?  You can pick up a lot of blanks there and save on shipping.  Even better if you call and have them bring what you want.  Likewise, people here with blanks often go to shows, and they don't often mind meeting you there.

[Dan Fruth]

I recently built a gun for a customer who wanted me to use his wood. I guess it was somehow special to him for some reason. The plank was badly checked and just a tad over 2" When I was finished there were surface checks in the finished rifle. He was OK with that, but from now on I won't do that. With a thick blank you can pick from within the thickness for the best grain flow, and just trim off the excess. The guys who sell stock blanks have some great wood that has been handeled correctly, and you won't need to take a day off work, just give them a call and the wood will show up at your door!

[jerrywh]

 I am use to buying planks that have been run through the planer.  \For that I recommend 2 1/2". for rough cut I agree with Mike Brooks.    It's easy to cut some off.

[Scota4570]

I am on the California Central coast.  Out here people who build and do are extremely scarce.  There are no lumber yards as most of you envision them.  All of the places I knew are now gone.   I saw some slabs of walnut priced at $2000 locally.  Maybe it is for a dot-com millionaire to make a trendy mantle? 

I found one possible stash of wood about 3 hours from my house.  I have to take the whole day to drive there just to see.  Since I have a job, I have to take a day off work.   A local wood monger explained that most of the wood is being shipped overseas.  Finished goods are shipped back. 

I am soured on working from somebody's carving.  I spend more time adjusting for problems than the precarve ever saves me.  The last rifle I made from a board  came out great.  The construction proceeded without any hang ups.  The product was flawless. 

As for mail order precarves, I am buying a pig in a poke.  I am tired of getting burned on that.   Square blanks? wood is heavy and expensive to ship,  Like $30 each precarve blank a board would be much more??   

I am not  sure how to proceed. 

[Dan Fruth]

Call Dunlap wood stocks. They sell stock blanks. These are typically 2 1/2 - 2 5/8 thick and with plenty of room to lay out most profiles. You will be getting a great piece of wood. They can even send you some pics for your approval. I have never needed to do that, I just ask for a nice piece of sugar maple, quarter sawn and a price range, and I am never dissappointed. When I have sawn blanks from a plank, I end up with the same size that I get from Wayne, but I don't have the variety he has. Shipping won't be as bad as you think, just give them a call.

http://www.dunlapwoodcrafts.com/Gunstocks.php

[deepcreekdale]

Agree with everything Dan says. Wayne and Daniel at Dunlaps are tops and will work with you to get you what you want. For some odd reason, they say it is more economical and easier for them to ship three blanks at a time so I always order three. Shipping ( I live in Florida) is not that expensive. Probably cheaper than a 6 hour round trip.

[n stephenson]

Scota 4570 , Leave California immediately!!!! Come to Tennessee !!!  Ill give you a couple of blanks for a housewarming present!!    Hey! it`s an option!!    Seriously, your best bet is like everyone says , the wood suppliers we have are really good at what they do .

[Scota4570]

I found a place, $6.80 /BF, so like $300 a stock.  I'll call Dunlap. 

In the last 30 years California has morphed into a 3rd world country.  I will leave California.  I will retire shortly.  I'm not sure where I'll go.  For now the northwest looks like a good place.   I have family in Oklahoma.  The weather and bugs are pretty rough.  I dcannot tollerate heat.  Coastal California has spoiled me regarding weather.  The only good thing hers is the weather, and it is pretty darn good.  California has been over run by undesireable people and is being run by far left criminal politicians.    My famly has been in the same town for 150 years,  sad but, it is time to go.  For now, I must stay for my elderly ill parents and to finish out my time at my job. 

[Mike Brooks]

$300 is an incredible amount for a maple stock unless it has exceptional curl.

[Scota4570]

Just ordered three from Dunlap.  Done.......

[eddillon]

I found a place, $6.80 /BF, so like $300 a stock.  I'll call Dunlap. 

In the last 30 years California has morphed into a 3rd world country.  I will leave California.  I will retire shortly.  I'm not sure where I'll go.  For now the northwest looks like a good place.   I have family in Oklahoma.  The weather and bugs are pretty rough.  I dcannot tollerate heat.  Coastal California has spoiled me regarding weather.  The only good thing hers is the weather, and it is pretty darn good.  California has been over run by undesireable people and is being run by far left criminal politicians.   

Truer words weren ever spoken.  I'm sure this is a subject for "Over the back fence".  Sad to see so many good folks bailing out of here.

[WadePatton]

Thanks,

I'm pretty limited out here.  There are no places to pick rough sawn boards or logs.  My best bet is to find plained dimensional lumber and pay up for it.  It looks like I will have to take a day off work and drive 300 miles to even evaluate a lead on a possible source.

My current project is 1 3/4" at the widest point.  Why would I start with a 3" plank?  That is alot of material to remove by hand.  Seems like 2" would give pleanty of room.  I am paying by the board foot.   

Honestly, I wouldn't waste my money on "store boards". Just order some good stock blanks from our gunstock blank suppliers, you won't be disappointed.

Completely agree here.  Unless you're getting blowdowns or otherwise free logs, it's just easier to get good blanks from established suppliers-which are ready-to-go today not 3 years from now. 

I got maples on the ground and no good place to store boards or move logs really.  So they rot as I get my shack together. Time will come though.

Just ordered three from Dunlap.  Done.......

Allrighty then.  Well-played.   

[Dan Fruth]

I acquired a huge walnut log that was a blow down...uprooted...and got some friends, a trailer behind my diesel, and loaded the log...Sawed it into 3" boards....Put it on stick and painted the ends.....3 years later moved it inside and back on sticks...! year later sawed out stock blanks and painted the ends again.....Then began to use the wood........Great wood that worked like butter.

   The point is I enjoyed the experience and the satisfaction of getting a stock from a tree, but WOW...Talk about a boat load of work! I now realize I am not able to do everything surrounding gun building and still turn out guns and focus on building alone. I now buy wood already for the bench and focus on building the best piece I am capable of producing. That is just me......But I confess if a super curly log was available I would do the same thing again.......BUT it would need to be big enough and the right quality to warrent such expenditure of funds and effort......Dan

[P.W.Berkuta]

I found a place, $6.80 /BF, so like $300 a stock.  I'll call Dunlap. 

In the last 30 years California has morphed into a 3rd world country.  I will leave California.  I will retire shortly.  I'm not sure where I'll go.  For now the northwest looks like a good place.   I have family in Oklahoma.  The weather and bugs are pretty rough.  I dcannot tollerate heat.  Coastal California has spoiled me regarding weather.  The only good thing hers is the weather, and it is pretty darn good.  California has been over run by undesireable people and is being run by far left criminal politicians.    My famly has been in the same town for 150 years,  sad but, it is time to go.  For now, I must stay for my elderly ill parents and to finish out my time at my job.

I was transferred to CA from NJ in 1998 by my employer who paid all my moving cost. I live in San Benito county. I bought my wood with me which I acquired from a NJ saw mill and a Easton PA farm. I also purchased some from Dunlap - all nice wood. CA has none of that thickness or figure - you have to order what you want on line to get anywhere near what you are looking for. I'm retired and would LOVE to move back east but my EX left me with a huge debt that I have to pay off first along with saving enough money to move all my "stuff".
 


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[Scota4570]

The three Dunlap blanks arrived.  His $50 1/2 stock blanks are very nice.  Pleanty of figure to make interesting stocks. 

[Hungry Horse]

Did you try Calico hardwoods in Windsor California. I bought stock wood from them in the past and had good results. Their walnut is pretty spendy, but they have a lot of other wood available.

  Hungry Horse

[Mattox Forge]

I bought a beautiful english walnut for a 30 inch barrel jeager from here.
http://www.nzwalnut.co.nz

Even with the shipping it was about $100 cheaper than the best I could find in the US. Of course I wanted english walnut.

He's a really nice guy to work with.

Mike

[Scota4570]

Did you try Calico hardwoods in Windsor California. I bought stock wood from them in the past and had good results. Their walnut is pretty spendy, but they have a lot of other wood available.

  Hungry Horse

Calico seems to mostly stock blanks for modern guns.  I have a dozen of those.  They do not allow for enough drop for ML stock.  I will stop by if I am in Santa Rosa.  IF nothing else I like looking at nice wood.  The Dunlap wood will hold me for a little while.