Carvermaster

[P.Bigham]

Anyone have any experience with carvermaster duplicators out of NewMexico? Would this work for barrel in letting? Ive been doing them by hand, but just had right arm rotator cup surgery. Looking for other options than sending them out.  Thanks Paul Bigham. 

[Chowmi]

I'm not familiar with them, but David Rase here on the forum does a great job, and he is a gun-maker so has the judgement to deal with any unforeseen issues.  If carver master doesn't normally do rifle stocks then maybe they would make some decisions that you don't like??  Don't know, but just thinking it through.

Cheers,
Norm

[Glenn Hurley Jr.]

Another gunsmith that does a great job of inletting barrels and drilling ramrod holes ( and building rifles!) is Mark Wheland of Williamsburg, PA.  Don Getz directed me towards Mark just as I was finishing inletting a swamped barrel into a stock.  Don said he only ever did one by hand and he said it would be his last.  After completing one by hand then having Mark do one for me, I will never lose Mark’s phone number. 

[P.Bigham]

Thanks for reply’s I was interested in purchasing a dulpicarver to inlet my own barrels. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Carvermaster.  I know David and others do a exceptional job. I think Dave Rase uses a Terrco K star if I remember correctly.  But they no longer make them. 

[Chowmi]

Thanks for reply’s I was interested in purchasing a dulpicarver to inlet my own barrels. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Carvermaster.  I know David and others do a exceptional job. I think Dave Rase uses a Terrco K star if I remember correctly.  But they no longer make them.

Sorry, I misunderstood the question.  I thought maybe they were a duplicating service!

Norm

[David Rase]

Paul,
I am glad I read this post.  I did not know that Terrco discontinued the K-Star.  I immediately gaave them a call and ordered aspare drive belt.  All the other wear parts look pretty standard.  I have not had to replace anything on this machine except for cutters, it has been a stellar machine.  With some modifications I think you could use the Carvemaster prop carver and maybe the model 1.  I had to modify my Terrco machine when I originally purchased it 20+ years ago, man how time flies, and I updated the modifications a couple of years ago.  If you want to talk sometime,  I would be more than willing to share whatever information you would like to extract from my little pea brain.
David

[P.Bigham]

Thanks David I sent you a PM.  I would appreciate any advice you would give me   Thanks Paul. 

[T*O*F]

I had a Terrco for many years and finally sold it.  It was specially built to handle items up to 8 feet long.  I had it on a steel frame of angle iron that I had made up locally.  It needs to be solid.  It seems to me that it's overkill to spend that much money if all you are going to do is inlet barrels.  You could spend that money and have someone else do your inletting.

1.  They take up a lot of shop space.  In addition to the size of the duplicator, you need a couple of feet around it for set up and carving.  Mine took up 1/4 of my available shop space.  Like a ping pong table when not in use, it tends to be a storage space for stuff you place there.  Then you have to spend time whenever you want to use it.
2.  It's a duplicator!!  You need patterns to be able to cut anything.  That means one for each different barrel you cut.  Normally you make a bondo cast of the barrel.  Then you have to store them too.
3.  They ain't fast.  Getting everything set up each time takes time, as does the cutting itself.
4.  They are messy and will cover your shop with dust and shavings.
5.  Good control is essential.  If your bad arm is your master arm, you might have problems.  That arm will also get fatigued while carving.  One simple bounce of the stylus will hog out a bad spot that might not be repairable.
6.  There is a diameter restriction.  You will need clearance for the whole blank from the barrel channel to the heel of the blank.
7.  Unless you plan to make a business from it, it will become an albatross around your neck.

Just a few things to consider.  How many stocks can you pay David to do before you reach the $1500 the machine and its accessories cost?  Will you build that many guns during your remaining life span?

[rich pierce]

I’m guessing here that shipping a blank and barrel, getting it inlet, and shipping it back runs about $150?

I inlet my own by hand cause I’m cheap and it’s good exercise. No gym fee.

[oldtravler61]

  Rich I'm with you...that's the whole reason I got into gun building in the first place... But if the fellow wants that machine so be it...If he does ten barrels. Then his investment is payed off. I have spent way more than that on crazy hobbies..some
dang near killed me...but it was fun...Oldtravler

[rich pierce]

Paul, I’m sure you could get plenty of work from local builders. Hint, hint!

[alacran]

You can inlet barrels whether straight or swamped with a router using patterning bits. You have to make templates, but you also have to do that with other set ups. If you  are only planning to do one or two a year, it is an inexpensive way to do it.
Have a good friend in Tucson who uses a Carvermaster for making stocks for modern guns. He told me he chewed up a lot of wood learning how to use it. He also tells me there is still a lot of hand work left after he duplicates a stock.

[Curtis]

I’m guessing here that shipping a blank and barrel, getting it inlet, and shipping it back runs about $150?

I inlet my own by hand cause I’m cheap and it’s good exercise. No gym fee.

I'm right there with you, Rich!   

Curtis

[David Rase]

I’m guessing here that shipping a blank and barrel, getting it inlet, and shipping it back runs about $150?

I inlet my own by hand cause I’m cheap and it’s good exercise. No gym fee.

I'm right there with you, Rich!   

Curtis

Yep, Shipping runs about $55.00 to $65.00 each way and then $85.00 to $95.00 for the inlet.  I was hoping shipping would slow thigs downso I could concentrate on building rifles but I still runabout 8 inlets a year. 
David

[smallpatch]

Money well spent!
If your time is worth nothing, do it yourself.
As for myself, NO ONE does a better job than Mr Rase. I’ll save that time for the stuff I like to do.  Now If I could just get Dave to inlet the buttplate and entry pipe, I could really slam these things together.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Money well spent!
If your time is worth nothing, do it yourself.
As for myself, NO ONE does a better job than Mr Rase. I’ll save that time for the stuff I like to do.  Now If I could just get Dave to inlet the buttplate and entry pipe, I could really slam these things together.

I totally agree . I've done them by hand, with a router, a table saw and found the best way is to send them to Dave. I think one of my least favorite jobs are inletting barrels and drilling the ram rod hole. Once you turn a $400 + stock into fire wood you will love sending off your next barrel/ram rod job to someone who has the equipment and ability to do it right .