Drat, darn, dang it, etc.

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doubleh

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I was finishing up the fore end I built for my new to me Encore. I was at the third coat of finish and had just blown it off with high pressure air when I managed to drop it on the concrete floor. It hit on the left ear that covers the frame and snapped it off. Due to the figuered wood I lost a very small chip of wood. I managed to epoxy it back together but due to the shape I couldn't clamp it tight enough to completely erase the glue line. The final coat of finish is dry and I am ready to assemble the rifle. The break is not that noticeable to anyone that isn't aware of it but it sticks out like a sore thumb to me and always will. Every time I look at the gun I am going to see that repair. :(
 
Been there, or someplace very much like there.

I had some problems keeping the thin web of wood at the topmost contact point with the receiver intact on both my Martini and Savage forends. My 'solution' was to do what the French did on Lebel forends and radius that fragile corner off as neatly as possible.

LebelRifle.jpg MartiniRadius.jpg
 
Been there, or someplace very much like there.

I had some problems keeping the thin web of wood at the topmost contact with the receiver intact on both my Martini and Savage forends. My 'solution' was to do what the French did on Lebel forends and just radius that fragile corner off as neatly as possible.

View attachment 1067956 View attachment 1067957

I have shot contenders for many years. The stock are identical except in size and hole spacing. Never have broke a contender stock to date. Of course I haven't dropped one on a concrete floor either. :cuss: :DThe blame is entirely on me and my fumble fingers. I am not going to get rid of that "ear" either. The rifle would look really odd without it.

The build won't be done today as I just checked and the rings are almost as far away now as when ordered two weeks ago. The vendor took a week to get them to the post office and now the post office is giving them a sight seeing trip around the country. An ebay vendor just lost a customer over this.
 
I feel your pain on that. I broke a trigger guard ear off of an AR receiver a few years ago. I couldn't look at it, so I put it away and got a new one to finish that build. Just recently managed to get over my internal condemnation enough to pull it back out and fix it to use on a budget build. I fixed it up and, like your fix, most likely no one would notice unless they looked really closely. It will work just fine. Time heals all wounds hopefully, good luck on the rest of your build!
 
I like to keep my craftsmanship mistakes around to remind myself of the learning process and to never make that mistake again.

One of my first leatherworking projects was a checkbook cover from a kit. I tooled the leather perpendicular to the correct direction. The checkbook would only fit one way so I have lived with it for 15 years so far. I do t have a desire to make another.
 
Sorry about your mishap.

My son once dropped a full faired motorcycle of mine, just some scratches. Had it repainted in the same color, but to me, and only me, it didn't match. Every time I took the bike out, it bothered me. Finally figured I rode the bike for enjoyment, and I wasn't enjoying it. Good bye...
 
Take it hunting. Get the stock roughed up a bit through honest work. Think of it as a battle scar.

On the other hand, I have a superbly accurate T/C Icon that is just too pretty to take hunting...
 
I doubt I will ever go out and hunt with it. I have weighed all the parts except the scope rings and it is gong to tip the scale at slightly over 12 pounds. Bench at the shooting range and a portable on for longer distance out on BLM land is how it will be used.
 
I love working with wood. Just refinished a 20y/o table that held a 100gl fish tank. It seemed the table was best suited for firewood. When we were in business there were times when a fellow would lose a game of pool and take it out on his cue. OK, short story, how about a pic? If I have an idea for you, well it would at least be free.
 
Take it hunting. Get the stock roughed up a bit through honest work. Think of it as a battle scar.

This... after a few other dings on my beautiful stocks.. I quit worrying.

Basically .. it matches me. A little banged up, but still does the job.
 
I was finishing up the fore end I built for my new to me Encore. I was at the third coat of finish and had just blown it off with high pressure air when I managed to drop it on the concrete floor. It hit on the left ear that covers the frame and snapped it off. Due to the figuered wood I lost a very small chip of wood. I managed to epoxy it back together but due to the shape I couldn't clamp it tight enough to completely erase the glue line. The final coat of finish is dry and I am ready to assemble the rifle. The break is not that noticeable to anyone that isn't aware of it but it sticks out like a sore thumb to me and always will. Every time I look at the gun I am going to see that repair. :(

im sorry to hear about your misfortune, yes it does suck when that happens*



*pics please I’d love to see the finished product I doubt I’ll even notice if something is not quite to your standards :)



P.S. Now that you’ve put a ding on it you don’t have to worry about that first one!
 
This... after a few other dings on my beautiful stocks.. I quit worrying.
Understand. I'd still like to see it. Guess I've always enjoyed fixing stuff that seemed to give others a bit of a fit. In the way back of time, I was a critical care nurse. I'd be called to various floors or even on my days off to start IV's on patients that were considered impossible.
 
Years ago, I had just refinished the butt stock on a '92 Winchester. As I was tightening the tang screw, the screwdriver slipped and put a large gash in the wrist. Vented all the four-letters words out of my inventory. I now am super vigilant with tangs screws.
 
I know what you mean. I was 12 years old when I first heard the "F" word .

We were fishing in a John boat with my grandfather, and my 10 year old cousin managed to hook my grandfather through his nipple with a treble hook. From the front of the boat we heard the "F" word combined with something about mother.

I had no clue what it meant and later asked my dad what that word meant. He just said, "well son, it means your grandfather had a fish hook through his nipple..."
 
When I finish a project I always feel I should do more or could have done better. Then, when I see it some time later, I don't see near the issues. I made a gavel and pad for a judge friend of mine. He told me, "It seems a bit large?" I told him that I've seen judges angered and hammer the crap our of their gavel. It was a few years later that I visited him in his court room, NO! It was as a friend! He had my gavel and pad on his bench. I didn't recognize my own work. I had no idea what I was seeing when made. Then for grins I got a 4x4 and made him a four foot gavel for his office chambers. Miss him since we retired here in Tennessee.
 
I know what you mean. I was 12 years old when I first heard the "F" word .

We were fishing in a John boat with my grandfather, and my 10 year old cousin managed to hook my grandfather through his nipple with a treble hook. From the front of the boat we heard the "F" word combined with something about mother.

I had no clue what it meant and later asked my dad what that word meant. He just said, "well son, it means your grandfather had a fish hook through his nipple..."
Jeebus! :what:

Man that must’ve hurt!

If that had been my Grandpa George getting hooked, the Pope would need a bath in hand sanitizer to clean his conscience up. As the Great-great, Great Grandson and Grandson of Scottish lead miners with a first-generation American father, blue language used liberally to make speech colorful is pretty much ingrained into the chromosomes. :eek:

Stay safe.
 
The break is not that noticeable to anyone that isn't aware of it but it sticks out like a sore thumb to me and always will.

I feel for you. At times I have that same problem, I did it, I know it’s there and no one else will admit to seeing the flaw but still is an underlying disappointment.

Whisky can at least help you sleep at night.
 
I was finishing up the fore end I built for my new to me Encore. I was at the third coat of finish and had just blown it off with high pressure air when I managed to drop it on the concrete floor. It hit on the left ear that covers the frame and snapped it off. Due to the figuered wood I lost a very small chip of wood. I managed to epoxy it back together but due to the shape I couldn't clamp it tight enough to completely erase the glue line. The final coat of finish is dry and I am ready to assemble the rifle. The break is not that noticeable to anyone that isn't aware of it but it sticks out like a sore thumb to me and always will. Every time I look at the gun I am going to see that repair. :(
Oh man, I haven't even read the replies but I'm sure there are well meaning consolations of "it adds character" and the like but as much as I'd want to let it go and live with it, I'd either be shopping for another or would be going dizzite in all manor of cursing. That really sucks man, sorry to hear it. But, at least now it has character ;):D
 
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