Working with crooked blank

[jm190]

Hi All,
   I'm trying to figure out how to proceed with building from a crooked blank that also varies in thickness from side to side. I did find the crooked blank/hickory Bucks thread but I'm not sure it answered my questions and the pics are no longer available.  I've squared(relatively) all four sides of the breech/lock panel/ forearm area of the stock. My initial drawing shows me where the breech and lock panel should be but I think drawing anything else on the blank now would be sketchy as while that area is square the thickness varies by over 1/4" through that area. I think you can see all this in the attached picture. The barrel is placed in a best guess position just to show the challenge.
   I'm thinking that I should inlet the barrel and then, keeping everything square as possible, true up the rest of the blank before drawing my plan on the blank. My concern is that truing up the stock before inletting the barrel will 1) relieve tension that will allow the blank to go off kilter even more and 2) make it even harder to inlet the barrel and to draw a good plan on the blank.
   I welcome any thoughts and advice on how to proceed including what I might be missing, don't know what I'm talking about and that I might be over thinking this. Many thanks in advance.

John

[sdilts]

I have worked with some really crooked blanks and have always inletted the barrel first. The barrel becomes the reference point. From there you can start whittling away the wood, using the barrel to square it up.

[Bob Gerard]

I thought the barrel is always inlet first?

[Daryl]

My thought too, Bob. Pretty sure that's what Taylor always did.

[rich pierce]

I’ve worked with crooked ones before. As long as there’s no twist and you can get both sides and top and bottom square, you should be fine. I’m sure you’ve measured off your “center line” for everything. Once I get the barrel in I narrow the blank beside the barrel and go from there as with any build from a blank.

[jm190]

Thanks for your input; confirms I'm headed in the right direction. I had not drawn any lines yet as I was waiting to hear what you skilled builders had for suggestions. There is a large knot and associated cracks on the lower half of the blank that needs further consideration for barrel location before I start cutting; trying to keep barrel and ram rod channel above them.  It's rainy here today so it's a good day to sit, think and figure lines and complete drawings. Thanks again!

John

[Ky-Flinter]

I was able to restore the pictures in that old Crooked blank Bucks thread but I don’t know how long they will last as the photos are stored on Photobucket.

Ron

[jm190]

I was able to restore the pictures in that old Crooked blank Bucks thread but I don’t know how long they will last as the photos are stored on Photobucket.

Ron

Thank you, Ron!

[HSmithTX]

Looks like a little cast off will help get the barrel centered in the wood that is available.  Looks like plenty of wood there to do it. 

[BJH]

Centerlines. Use a chalk line to establish. Work you way around the stock blank. Fudge as needed to suit your desired butplate location. Then inlet your barrel. BJH

[jm190]

Looks like a little cast off will help get the barrel centered in the wood that is available.  Looks like plenty of wood there to do it. 

Definitely! The wrist area is a fat 2" wide and it flares out towards the butt and the lock panel area to a fat 2-1/4". The butt plate I chose is 1-7/8" so I have wiggle room.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Sometimes a stock blank has a warp or two.  But as has been mentioned, establish a centre line completely around the blank and lay out your barrel inlet to gain the best wood for the butt.  Most of the forestock is cut away, so it doesn't matter if the wood deviates from centre there.  Here's an example...

[DanL]

Bend the barrel.

[jm190]

Bend the barrel.

I could shoot around trees!