trouble with fore stock

[yip]

  not being able to keep my fore stock line by sitting in wheelchair, just how important are these line to being straight? gone to try to sand te stock a little to try to straighten some wish me luck.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Be sure to block your sandpaper with a flat straight piece of wood.  I glue my abrasive to a 12" x 2" x 3/4" length of walnut to ensure that my stock along the channel, and along the rod groove are straight and flat.  A shorter length is needed on the sides to follow the swamp of the barrel.

[flehto]

When I sand the forestock, the bbl is installed. I use a small sanding block and just "eyeball" for straightness . Somehow it all happens.....Fred

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

When "eyeballing" the stock for straightness, hold the gun up to a light source and squint down the length of the piece to see any spots that need attention.

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

One technique I use is to blacken the edge of a metal rule using a black marker.  Then rub the rule back & forth along the forestock, moving the rule the longways.  The black will rub off on the higher areas and give you a clear indication where to file.  This will be able to show the high spots that are quite more difficult to see by eyeball.  Does this make sense to you?
Jim

[bob in the woods]

Guys,

One technique I use is to blacken the edge of a metal rule using a black marker.  Then rub the rule back & forth along the forestock, moving the rule the longways.  The black will rub off on the higher areas and give you a clear indication where to file.  This will be able to show the high spots that are quite more difficult to see by eyeball.  Does this make sense to you?
Jim

Yes...been doing that for years 

[yip]

  guess i screwed up, i used a single cut checkering tool and thought it was the answer but i guess it is what it is!

[mikeyfirelock]

Don’t worry about it, just get it as good as it will get and keep on going.

[Mike Brooks]

I think he's cutting a lower forestock molding . If so ,take a look at my tutorial, I think I cover forestock moldings there.

[flehto]

A tool that I copied from one of the "how to" books is used to cut a line for a forestock molding and have used it on all my builds. The attached round rod rides in the RR groove and the modified set screw cuts the line. The bracket that holds the cutting  set screw has to be moved to the other end to cut the other side. Once the lines are cut on both sides of the forestock,  a small gouge is used to concave the molding followed by sandpaper wrapped around a rod. A 3/4" straight chisel cuts to the line cut to make the molding stand out  in  relief. This tool is adjustable for different widths of moldings and their locations. This tool is made for a 3/8" groove....Fred

[bluenoser]

I copied the same tool many years ago and have been very happy with the way it performs.  It is in Buchelles "Recreating the American Longrifle on pages 92 - 94.  Adaptors can do different profiles.

[flehto]

Thanks for the update.....Fred

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

The way I cut a straight line for the beginning of a forestock molding (or TRY to cut it straight).  I lay out the first line with pencil using a combination of a long straight edge and dividers - easy so far.  Next, I cut a shallow groove very carefully along the pencil line using a hand held V-gouge.  Even with my best effort, there will be a bit of variation in the straightness of the line.  To finish and straighten the cut I use a small 3-corner file.  I carefully position one corner of the file in the shallow groove, then work the file along the length of the groove.  The file will bring the groove to final depth and, at the same time, straighten out the slight variations in the original V-gouge cut line.

If a second parallel line is in the forestock molding, I use a coarse cut skip-line checkering tool.

Jim

[elkhorne]

Yip,
For keeping the forestock even and uniform, Jim Turpin uses a  auto body sanding block, Harbor Freight sells them for about $12-15. Use whatever sandpaper grit is needed for the job you need to do.
elkhorne