Author Topic: Curly red oak (Read 2962 times)

Gary Rad · « **on:** December 02, 2020, 04:21:15 AM »

Hello, I was wondering if anyone has built a gun using curly red oak. If anyone has can you please post some pictures. I am trying to decide what type of wood to use for my next build. Any pictures would be great.
Thanks, Gary

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #1 on:** December 02, 2020, 05:57:05 AM »

As easy as red oak splits I would never think of even trying it.
Dennis

smylee grouch · « **Reply #2 on:** December 02, 2020, 06:26:12 AM »

Oak would not be my choice for a gun stock but it makes good firewood.

Daryl · « **Reply #3 on:** December 02, 2020, 10:16:34 AM »

I made a bow for my daughter out of red oak, maybe 20-some years ago. It worked fine
but the grain structure was perfect for a bow. I would not even consider it for a gun stock.
The early wood-grain is very weak, compared to the late grain growth. Weak grain, that is
weak gluing across the early and late growth, makes for a very weak basic structure and
will causes splits if there is stress across it the grain.
I'm with Dennis & smylee grouch on this.

577SXS · « **Reply #4 on:** December 02, 2020, 03:06:38 PM »

I would think it would be very heavy as well. Too many better woods to make a stock from.

elk killer · « **Reply #5 on:** December 02, 2020, 03:29:05 PM »

John Bergmann made a rifle out of oak, I discussed it with him, he said NEVER again, found it to be tough to work with and very splintery, turned out nice but he told me it just wasnt worth the effort, and no it wasnt for me.

alacran · « **Reply #6 on:** December 02, 2020, 04:18:39 PM »

If I ever were to make a gun out of oak, it would not be Red Oak.
A few years ago there was a rifle at Gunmakers Hall at Friendship that was made out of curly White Oak. It was very attractive and very well made. That being said I am not into self flagellation.

Bob Roller · « **Reply #7 on:** December 02, 2020, 06:11:05 PM »

Fifty or so years ago I saw a white oak Bedford County rifle made by Leonard Meadow
in E.M.Farris's Gun Shop in Portsmouth Ohio,Len told me that was a lapse into mental
illness that will NOT be repeated.
Bob Roller

ScottH · « **Reply #8 on:** December 02, 2020, 09:30:03 PM »

If you want something that would have similar grain and character to red oak, think about getting a piece of curly ash.
Several nice guns have been posted on here that had ash stocks some with really nice curl.

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #9 on:** December 02, 2020, 09:55:05 PM »

One of the things about red oak that bothers me a little is the porosity. I have taken a piece of 3/4" square stock, about 10" long, and stuck one end down in a glass of water, then blown into the dry end - bubbles will appear in the water. Can't do that with most other oaks.

Dry live oak might be an interesting stock. Most has some pretty nice grain in it. Heavy, tho, so you may want to use it for an over-the-log rifle.

T*O*F · « **Reply #10 on:** December 02, 2020, 10:22:01 PM »

A couple of decades back Dunlap was offering curly red oak. TVM and several others built guns using it. I heard no complaints and they were fine looking guns. I never listen to opinions given by those who have never done it. It's wood and wood has different working characteristics, even within the same species. If you've got the skills, do it. If not, don't.

Levy · « **Reply #11 on:** December 02, 2020, 10:23:15 PM »

I'm working on an iron mounted Mountain Rifle right now. I honestly don't know what kind of oak it is. I found several large planks in the woods years ago while hunting that had been discarded by the logging crew. They had cut the planks to put in bad spots in the road with a portable mill. Fred Miller cut the barrel channel and the ramrod hole for me. With the tannins in the wood and the iron in the stain, I expect it to turn out very dark. I still have some shaping to do in the fore end. It'll be a .32 squirrel rifle. I intended to make a bare bones rifle, but then I added a butt plate and am thinking about some type of nose cap. I've read the Spanish used a fair amount of oak for stocks. James Levy

Gary Rad · « **Reply #12 on:** December 03, 2020, 03:14:29 AM »

Dunlap has curly red oak that is where I got the idea. My last gun was made with curly ash, it is very nice wood. I just want something different. Any other suggestions on different another type of wood I could use. I have one gun in walnut, one curly maple, and one in curly ash.

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #13 on:** December 03, 2020, 06:53:02 AM »

Quote from: Gary Rad on December 03, 2020, 03:14:29 AM

Dunlap has curly red oak that is where I got the idea. My last gun was made with curly ash, it is very nice wood. I just want something different. Any other suggestions on different another type of wood I could use. I have one gun in walnut, one curly maple, and one in curly ash.

I have one with pear, made several out of cherry, how about apple.
Dennis

Scota4570 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 03, 2020, 07:14:43 AM »

"Dunlap has curly red oak that is where I got the idea. My last gun was made with curly ash, it is very nice wood. I just want something different. Any other suggestions on different another type of wood I could use. I have one gun in walnut, one curly maple, and one in curly ash".

Birch.....

LilysDad · « **Reply #15 on:** December 03, 2020, 04:22:54 PM »

I don't disagree with anyone's assessment of oak, however didn't the British use oak in some military muskets?

borderdogs · « **Reply #16 on:** December 03, 2020, 05:07:20 PM »

The Americans used White Oak and Live Oak in warship building during the Revolution and later when Congress authorized the first 6 US Navy frigates in the late 1790's. I have never heard the British using oak in their muskets if they did I would sure like to see the reference. Someday when I finish the projects I am working on now I would like to build a rifle out of walnut or cherry. Cherry is one of my favorite woods to work with.

Dennis, how did pear work out? Where did you get a piece big enough to use for a stock?
Rob

Pukka Bundook · « **Reply #17 on:** December 03, 2020, 05:19:43 PM »

Lily's Dad,
Not aware of any British muskets stocked in oak. Walnut for the lions share, with a very few beech. All EIC muskets stocked in walnut, other than those re-stocked in India by any of the Princely States...
Most oak 'walks' as well. In other words, moves with humidity. Not best for a gunstock.

G_T · « **Reply #18 on:** December 04, 2020, 06:48:02 PM »

One can make a water barrel out of various oak, or a whiskey barrel... but not from red oak. Red oak is super porous, like a pile of straws. Stick one end of an 8" stick into polyurethane for instance and within a few seconds it is coming out the other end. I suppose if you use enough Permalyn perhaps it will strengthen and fill the wood. I'm not interested though! Not my style!

I have a piece of curly pear on hand for a southern project when I get around to it. This hasn't been a good year for getting anything done.

Whatever you use, if it isn't one of the common choices save scraps to play around with finishing and to see how it works with the tools you are used to.

Gerald

jerrywh · « **Reply #19 on:** December 04, 2020, 10:05:52 PM »

Besides that it's too heavy.

alacran · « **Reply #20 on:** December 05, 2020, 01:52:54 PM »

Red Oak is lighter than hard maple. It is heavier than walnut or cherry. Weight is not the reason to spurn this wood, workability is.

Stophel · « **Reply #21 on:** December 06, 2020, 06:36:13 AM »

Whenever I see some old gun in photos that is said to be stocked in "oak", I can usually see right away, even in the photos, that is it NOT oak, but rather ash or elm.

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Author Topic: Curly red oak (Read 2962 times)

Gary Rad

Gary Rad