C.R.
Member
I have a couple of inexpensive .22 revolvers and as a fun project I want to make a set of grips for one of them . Does anyone have some good advice ?thanks !
Pistol Grips
- Thread starter C.R.
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LoneGoose
Member
There is a lot involved. I recommend going to Tombstone Gun Grips's website and reading his instructions on how to finish his 90% grips. There's lots of good advice there. Good luck.
If you have the right tools, grips are less complicated than building furniture but still require a degree of competence in woodworking to get right.
Try buying some old beat up grips fitting your firearms from fleabay to use as patterns and to spur ideas. Don't discount using polymer-plastic like substances or natural materials such as bone/antlers to make grips either. You can also do inlays of various sorts. Checkering is an art in and of itself requiring its own special tools to do good work.
Some very skilled woodworkers can visualize and work without patterns but I'm not that good when working on furniture and need my plans and templates.
Try buying some old beat up grips fitting your firearms from fleabay to use as patterns and to spur ideas. Don't discount using polymer-plastic like substances or natural materials such as bone/antlers to make grips either. You can also do inlays of various sorts. Checkering is an art in and of itself requiring its own special tools to do good work.
Some very skilled woodworkers can visualize and work without patterns but I'm not that good when working on furniture and need my plans and templates.
OP
OP
C.R.
Member
I was going to use the existing grips as a model ,I found a hunk of black walnut wood big enough for the grips , thought I would trace around the stock parts,and cut out the blank a little outside the line ,and then sand away the countour till it fits my big paw the only trouble would be if I wanted to make the grips longer they would hang off the frame, that would take a bit of work to make it fit right
Id suggest getting some cheap "craft" wood from a craft store to start with. They are usually balsa...much faster to cut then walnut so you can practice a few times in short order....id also suggest a set of rasps and files, sand paper is great but i always have an easier time with the rasps for roughing and files for any strait lines....i also wrap my sand paper on my files.
LoonWulf has some good advice about good quality rasps --try Woodcrafters.com or their stores if buying new. Rockler's stuff is hit or miss but I believe they have good quality rasps.
BTW, don't forget to use sanding blocks which you can make from scrap instead of just using your fingers as backing for sanding.
I also frequent the used tools sections in fleabay as they have some excellent buys on good quality U.S. Steel made tools rather than the cheap Chinese or Indian stuff at Harbor Freight.
One tool I have never been able to use well, however, is the draw knife. I generally use rasps for rough work and then progressive sanding for the fine stuff.
BTW, don't forget to use sanding blocks which you can make from scrap instead of just using your fingers as backing for sanding.
I also frequent the used tools sections in fleabay as they have some excellent buys on good quality U.S. Steel made tools rather than the cheap Chinese or Indian stuff at Harbor Freight.
One tool I have never been able to use well, however, is the draw knife. I generally use rasps for rough work and then progressive sanding for the fine stuff.
greyling22
Member
fit the grip to the frame before you start doing the outside finishing and shaping. nothing worse than having a beautiful piece of wood ready to go and find out it won't fit for whatever reason.
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