A Note on Wood

[Cosmoline]

I finished a smooth rifle kit a month or so ago using low-grade walnut to save money. Well the walnut was porous and split when you looked at it wrong. Serves me right for trying to go cheap. I chalked it up to experience and put down $200 on a high-grade curly maple stock. It arrived yesterday and I've been working with it today. What a difference! Not only is the wood more beautiful it's much stronger and has a tighter grain.

The moral--don't go cheap on the wood for kits and parts projects.

 

[Ratdog68]

Gotta agree with ya on that one !! Nuttin' makes ya more angry than a lousy piece of wood to work with. Enjoy the new one.

 

[Das Jaeger]

How about some pictures

of the new one ?
$200 for that stock , mmmm , must be darn nice .
You may be able to make Chit into Shinola , but you cannot turn a pigs ear into a silk purse has been my experience .

Jaeger

 

[Cosmoline]

It will be a bit. I'm taking it real slow with this one and my new rule is no more working when my eyes get blurry. That's when bad things start to happen. Chipped wood, chisels through fingers. That sort of thing.

I also did some engraving on the barrel. Not perfect, but much better than I expected.