using hand planes in gun building

[Not English]

I inlet my barrel with a milling machine, but otherwise everything else is either a plane, drawknife, or tomahawk for really rough shaping. For forestocks it's a drawknife followed by a small low angle plane to get the final shape. The butt is usually rough shaped with a tomahawk or drawknife, followed by a low angle plane and pattern makers rasps for cleaning up the rough work. The only caveat when hogging out a lot of wood is that you REALLY need to pay attention to grain direction.

[rich pierce]

Here’s my super ugly, low budget, extremely efficient scrub plane. I started with a beater coffin plane with an ultra thick blade and ground the radius myself. 

[davec2]

I have and use all sorts of tools...hand tools, power tools, commercial tools, home made tools.  I have way more tools than I really need because I like to try all sorts of techniques I learn from others (many of them here on ALR) and I go out and get the same tools others use.  Some of these experiments work out for me and others don't, but I never get rid of a tool, even if I don't use it very often.  It might come in handy later for something.

All that being said, the tool I absolutely love and use the most for stock shaping is a little junky tool that came in a set of Xacto knives I bought as a boy almost 50 years ago.  It is a very cheaply made, die cast frame, miniature spoke shave.



I also, of course, use a much larger Stanley spoke shave and all the rasps, files, scrapers, planes, gouges, etc., mentioned by all the others here, but I use this little spoke shave more than anything else, hands down.  It fits in tight places, takes off wood as fast or as slow as I like, and leaves a very nice surface.  And, if the blade is sharpened correctly, it will cut with, across, or against the grain with equal ease.  Since I don't like cheaply made tools, I have often contemplated making a much nicer version just this size out of steel or brass or ? but have never gotten around to it.  This crazy little thing just works great and there is no sense messing with success.

[davec2]

After reading more about scrub planes, I was going to ask if anyone here knew of a smaller or miniature version that might be available.  Then I realized that I have one of these as well:

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/miniature-tools/spokeshaves/71211-veritas-miniature-spokeshave?item=05P8401

I think I'm just going to regrind the blade with a slight convex radius and use it as a "scrub spoke shave".

[Daryl]

Ohhhh BOY - just look at the cool little stuff.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/miniature-tools/101508-veritas-miniature-tool-sets

[Nordnecker]

I do a lot of planing by hand. I have a English made 60 1/2 that is my go-to tool for many tasks. I use a no. 5 for a lot of things. I have a no. 40 scrub and it’s a terrific tool- when needed. I’m a sucker for spokeshaves and use them when I build a long rifle. I use a rasp for most shaping and follow it with a spokeshave, then a scraper because I hate sanding.
There is one plane I have that is useful for barrel in letting. I think it’s a no. 90. It will cut a shaving off the side of the barrel channel. It has 2 skewed blades and an adjustable fence. It cut both left and right depending on which way you push it. Sorry for the poor description.

[borderdogs]

I like the idea of using hand tools to build and shape a gun. I have to admit that some of the few builds I have done a lot of the work has been done for me using part sets. I have used block planes and a violin plane and spoke shaves but in somewhat limited fashion. I use my bandsaw to cut the profile and shape not sure I would use a handsaw. I tuned my bandsaw a while ago and it cuts well and straight. I use rasps a lot right now but I like the finish hand build look hand planes and spoke shaves put on the stock. I liked watching Mark Silver shape his stock on the video and I am going to try it with this halfstock plank build that I have coming up.

I have a couple of wood coffin planes and I thought I might convert one into a scrub plane but found an old #40 that I cleaned up and it works pretty well though I never used it on a stock.

I can't go on the Lee Valley or Lie Nielsen sites without seeing something I want to buy and shaping a stock with planes will target my next purchase, thanks fellas for posting the link!  I find it very interesting that there are so many using hand planes in their builds and I appreciate all the comments.
Thanks,
Rob

[David Rase]

Made this pile of shavings this morning using the tools in the photo.  Rough shaped the buttstock from a blank in about 3 hours.  I think there is a gun in there somewhere.
David

[borderdogs]

I like it Dave! I have an old Stanley bullnose plane like the green on your bench and I have the Lie Nielsen rabbet plane but not that squirrel tail one and the router plane I have is the large closed throat  Lie Nielsen router plane. Maybe I have the tools to follow what you did on my stock. Before I start I will post pictured of the stock here and try to post pictures as I go through the stock shaping.
Rob

[Curtis]

I commonly use a lot of rehab-ed wooden planes- scrub planes, coffin planes, etc.  I use an old Staney router plane for initial barrel inletting.  My tool of preference for stock shaping is the spoke-shave, starting with a large one and ending with a mall one.  I still use rasps and other tools when appropriate but prefer an edged tool such as a plane or spokeshave.   The deciding factor is always what the grain of the wood dictates.

Curtis

[RJD-VT]

Curtis, do you still use the big gouge to “hog-out” before you get to the planes?
What is the size and sweep of that gouge?
Thanks—Bob D

[Curtis]

Curtis, do you still use the big gouge to “hog-out” before you get to the planes?
What is the size and sweep of that gouge?
Thanks—Bob D

Sorry Bob, somehow missed your post!  Yes, I still often use a gouge to remove large bulks of wood across the grain, most usually on the butt, but also anywhere needed..  My favorite for this is a 9-20 gouge by Pfeil.  Razor sharp!!!

Curtis

[dogcatcher]

I have only made one stock for a muzzleloader. Nothing was period correct, nor was intended to be.  I had a Spanish import 50 with a broken stock.  I used a piece of maple, I had my plan and I used power tools when I could.  Most of the shaping was done witha French wheel sander.  If that is confusing, search Google for "smoking pipe makers French wheel sander".  Those little pipes are basically shaped with 36 grit sandpaper.  With practice you can make symetricla shapes big, littel or in between.  An art professor I knew used French wheel sander along with a slack sander to create sculptures.  It was about 1980 when he got me started on that stock with the sanders. After a few practice blanks of old pallet wood, I tore into that maple.  Unfortunately in 91 a house fire destroyed it. 

[RJD-VT]

Thanks Curtis. 
I have messed up shoulders and bulk wood removal with pushie-pullie tools causes some misery. I was splitting some kindling a while back with a small hatchet and did so using my forearm and wrist. It caused me no problem and made me think of that gouge you used roughing out your son's Ohio rifle.
One is now on order. 
As far as planes go, I still use my Dads Stanley No. 220 and my Grandfathers Bailey No. 3. Mostly for truing up a blank. I make sure the blade is pulled way back. It easier on my shoulders and takes a smaller bite for less screw-ups.
---Bob D.

[HighUintas]

I'm working on cutting out my first profile from a blank with a handsaw and am wondering what type and size of plane you guys would recommend for squaring up all the surfaces I cut? I don't have a plane and have never used one, so I'm clueless on them! I figured I could use my Nicholson #50 to square up post cutting, but a plane would probably be nicer. I have a woodcraft supply right next to my house, so if they acrry one y'all recommend that would be even better.

[heinz]

An old Stanley Number 5 would be ideal, if you can sharpen it.  I actually do a lot of work with an off brand jack plane for roughing the stock flat.  The blade just needs to be shaving sharp. And you need to watch the grain directions and changes, especially in maple.

[Dennis Glazener]

I use an old Stanley block plane that My Dad used for many years. I enjoy seeing the long curls of wood coming off the squared up forearm. Doesn't take long to work the forearm down to whatever profile I am using on that particular rifle. It does need to be razor sharp especially on very curly maple.
Dennis

[borderdogs]

I have a couple of Jack planes I have an old Stanley #5C and  Lie Nielsen Low Angle plane I use haven't used either on a gun stock yet but plan to on my next rifle build. I also have an old #7 Stanley which I think would be great to use to flatten a stock. Learning how to sharpen them is the key to successfully using them.
Rob 

[Chris in SE PA]

Based on recent chatter, I think most people are using Kibler to shape their stock.
David

Lol.  As a new guy not wishing to offend anyone, yeah. Lot's are using the CNC for shaping. 

[Dwshotwell]

@HighUintas, the Woodcraft up the street will carry Wood River planes, and the #5 Jack Plane is based on the vintage Stanley #5. If you are only going to have one hand plane, a #5 is a good choice (hence the term "jack plane," for #5, it is a middle - size and a jack of all trades, master of none). Good for getting a board into initial shape. If you can find vintage at a reasonable price (they've become collector's items) that can be a great way to go. The upside is a) old tools are cool b) you may save some money. The downside is a) you may have work to do to get it into shape and b) if you've never used a hand plane it can be hard to tell if you've set up your vintage one correctly. Sharp and flat for the blade, flat for the plane's sole are key.

The Wood River planes are considered OK but not great by modern standards but for this sort of work they would definitely be up to the task. Veritas and Lie Nielsen make what are considered better new planes, but probably overkill especially if just starting out.

[HighUintas]

Thanks for the tips! Seeing as I have no knowledge on sharpening a plane blade and have only done chisels at a novice level, I think I'll just have to save up for a good plane for the future. My cut along the top of the barrel channel was pretty true, so it shouldn't take me all that long to rasp to square. I am surprised to see that a Wood River, "ok" plane is around $200! I think I will avoid looking up the price of a Lie neilson for now

[Jim Filipski]

I use this little guy to bring down the side of the stock along the barrel channel.
I believe it is a Stanley 98

[Dwshotwell]

That's a neat old plane. Very cool.

[borderdogs]

The Mark Silver video is a great insight into how someone can use planes to shape a stock and for what its worth I highly recommend it. He uses a lot of different planes some he made and some he modified but I think more common planes can be used effectively. He studied finishes on a lot of original long rifles and realized that many showed the use of planes. Its his video that gave me the idea of using planes rather than just a rasp to shape a stock.
Rob

[HighUintas]

Where is the video available?