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All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General > Wood Chop Shop (Working with wood)

Good wood to use for stock carving practice?

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gokidd:
Hi, all.
What kind of wood is recommended for learning basic stock carving skills?
Most likely using hand tools plus a band saw and maybe a routing table.


Thanks!
Bob

Frank in Fairfield:
Bob,
Go to the masters:

Mike McKeown (Airgun Show guy)
Michael@airgunstocks.com

and:

Frank
fsa@charter.com

Mike does CNC work and Frank does old school hand carving..

Danradko:
While i havnt made a stock (yet) i do lots of custom woodworking in my profession and for practice you want anything cheap. If it is around the density even better. If you have to deal with knots for burl; practice alot more. A good way is hit the scrap bin and glue a couple pieces together, for burl turn some sideways so you know how to deal with changes in grain direction. Each piece of wood is different start slow and get a feel. Be sure to get some practice on the router for inletting before actually cutting. If no scrap bin id look for some free pallets. Ive actually found an amazing one before that was made of scrap mahogany and burl ply i salvaged from a boat builder. But dont expect to be so lucky. Although beleive it or not homedepot near me often has a decent selection of figured maple. It would take a couple pieces glued together for a whole stock but would make nice accents.

Home depot figured and dyed maple:

gokidd:
Thanks, Dan.
WOW, Home Depot find? Sheesh. Nice.

I was practicing with a Forstner bit on a piece of structural 2 x 4.
HOLY COW, that stuff is hard.

B

Danradko:
For forstner bits a good drill press/vice setup is best. but jigs are your friend. Doing a custom project ill spend a good deal of time on jigs. For a forstner bit simply drill a good flat board with the bit and then line the hole in the board where you want the hole in the actual project and clamp it to it. This prevents the bit from walking just make sure you keep the drill pumb and level and youll have a nice straight hole where you need it

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