Author Topic: Theoben Rapid Mk2 (Read 13975 times))

YEMX · « **Reply #80 on:** September 18, 2019, 10:39:15 AM »

If I ever get the urge, I may make a mold of this stock to make copies of it. THOSE will be lighter than this one... As I can just roto-cast and fill with dense expanding foam... But all the work would be done by that point. It would be easy-peasy to just make copies. But that's a project that would be waaaay in the future. I probably wouldn't do it with this particular stock either, as this build isn't particularly popular... I'll definitely do that with other stocks though, for sure. I've got some nice stock designs in mind to use as patterns for airgun versions...

This project probably just got pushed back to January as the probable completion date- the floor in my kitchen turned out to be far worse (around the sink/dishwasher area) than I originally thought. Will have to replace the subfloor before proceeding with the remodel. Definitely adds a touch of expense I wasn't counting on. Oh well- such is life.

I'm still going to plug away at the stock of course. When I say "completion date", I mean fully complete. Really, the only major purchase right now is the CF wrapping kit... I have everything else I need to finish the stock... Well, I could always use more time, of course...

YEMX · « **Reply #81 on:** September 18, 2019, 02:19:59 PM »

Not too much work today. I filled in that gaping hole forward of the fill port hole- I mistakenly called it the gauge hole. No, that's where the fill port is, not the gauge

Been working w/Mrod's too much!

I smoothed out some of the areas I filled in previously around the butt of the stock, where I ground the screw heads flush. I kinda went ham hands and nicked up the plastic around the screws, and had to fill them in. I also "finished up" the preliminary filling, and started opening up the holes for the fill port and stock screws... Those holes are nerve wracking. I really don't want to mess them up at this point... That's why the trigger hole isn't opened up yet- I want to take it nice and slow. Plus, I haven't figured out what I want to do for the trigger guard... I'm getting there.

YEMX · « **Reply #82 on:** September 18, 2019, 07:36:28 PM »

I knocked up a trigger guard... Not sure how I feel about it though. I wanted to make sure I had more than enough room for the trigger and safety. The Theoben trigger guards are always so big, I was thinking of keeping in the same theme...

Maybe I'll make it less wide? It's nearly double the thickness of the airsoft version I copied. I also want to make sure it's plenty strong... I've got to sand it some more and tweak the shape a bit. It's still a little frumpy. I'm not putting it on until I'm completely happy with it, and I have that trigger well opened up in the stock. Speaking of, I'll probably do that tomorrow.

Motorhead · « **Reply #83 on:** September 18, 2019, 09:20:12 PM »

Contour sander at work I see

YEMX · « **Reply #84 on:** September 18, 2019, 10:30:02 PM »

Quote from: Motorhead on September 18, 2019, 09:20:12 PM

Contour sander at work I see

I wish!! The trigger guard was done with a dremel and a belt sander... Most of the wood removal was with a band saw.

I'm also going to have to re-do it

I made a mistake in both sizing the trigger guard, and how/where I'm going to place it... Because of course

Anyhoo, it's not so bad, pretty much all that's left to do before the CF wrap is the trigger guard and some final filling in/shaping. Then I can do a guide coat of paint to see where the trouble spots are. It should only take another few days. Oh man, Happy days!!! This stock will be done well before December!! *knock on wood*

YEMX · « **Reply #85 on:** September 18, 2019, 11:37:03 PM »

Never mind about redoing the trigger guard... It was a lot of work to make. I just cut it down to size and used it. The epoxy is drying now. Tomorrow I'm going to start finishing up with the blending.

Stikkershokk · « **Reply #86 on:** September 19, 2019, 11:36:17 AM »

For the trigger guard I was gong to recommend getting a piece of aluminum barstock.

Never mind!

YEMX · « **Reply #87 on:** September 19, 2019, 01:01:13 PM »

Quote from: Stikkershokk on September 19, 2019, 11:36:17 AM

For the trigger guard I was gong to recommend getting a piece of aluminum barstock.

Never mind!

I was thinking the same thing- or some steel strap, like the Elan has. But since it's going to be integral to the stock, there's no need to... Of course, I could just cut off the trigger guard, and have it as a separate piece like a normal person.

I may decide to go that route after all- It'll make the CF wrap easier to do for sure... And the trigger guard will be metal, like the elan... *sigh* Decisions, decisions!

Even after re-hashing the trigger guard a bit, I still don't know how I feel about it... I might still go the metal strap route... I'm going to ruminate on this $:-\$

I did some more blending as well, I'll probably wait until later to work on the top side areas...

Stikkershokk · « **Reply #88 on:** September 19, 2019, 01:42:10 PM »

It looks a little bulky, but i would be more concerned about it not surviving a drop.

YEMX · « **Reply #89 on:** September 19, 2019, 02:11:08 PM »

Quote from: Stikkershokk on September 19, 2019, 01:42:10 PM

It looks a little bulky, but i would be more concerned about it not surviving a drop.

If I keep it, the entire thing is being wrapped in actual CF- i.e. Epoxy and carbon fiber. Sako makes ultralight stocks with a foam inner core and a CF outer layer. I don't feel there would be any issues with this surviving a drop after being wrapped. However, I may still decide to hack it off- I'm really liking the idea of a simple strap of metal as a trigger guard...

Motorhead · « **Reply #90 on:** September 19, 2019, 04:55:32 PM »

Looks fine ... Frankenstein was good looking in an odd sort of way.

YEMX · « **Reply #91 on:** September 19, 2019, 05:51:08 PM »

It was bugging me... So I did a thing:

Yep, it's steel. Yep, it's kinda ugly. Nope, I'm not changing it again. I'm going to try to refine the shape a bit; obviously I have to drill the holes and round the ends... Now the CF wrapping will be easier. I was wracking my brain trying to think of ways to wrap the inside of the trigger guard area and have it look good, but every scenario was terrible. Realistically, the only way to correctly wrap the stock would be to cut off the trigger guard and make a simple "Elan"/Mk 1 type of trigger guard- a simple bent steel strap... So I did.

Motorhead · « **Reply #92 on:** September 19, 2019, 06:59:08 PM »

That is more IRONMAN now ... so you digressed, I get that

YEMX · « **Reply #93 on:** September 19, 2019, 11:03:10 PM »

I couldn't wait. I did some more work... I'm happy with it. All there is now is pretty it up, smooth everything out and CF wrap the thing...

Yeah, it's rough and industrial looking, and other than smoothing all the edges and some blending work, that's how it's going to look. Still happy- This is the first time this receiver's been in a (mostly) completed stock since I acquired it from Chip Smith back in '14. It took another 2+ years to get it assembled and tuned, and here we are today... FINALLY. This is the closest to being "done" that this rifle has been since I've owned it.

Stikkershokk · « **Reply #94 on:** September 20, 2019, 07:00:32 PM »

Nicely done. Wrapping it separately will, I think, look better, more easily.

YEMX · « **Reply #95 on:** September 21, 2019, 02:15:54 AM »

Quote from: Stikkershokk on September 20, 2019, 07:00:32 PM

Nicely done. Wrapping it separately will, I think, look better, more easily.

Why thank you! TBH, I think having the trigger guard like this is the only way to correctly wrap the stock completely. Again- I'm not keeping the CF bare and polished, I am going to paint over it. I'm only doing the CF wrap to increase the strength of the stock and to encapsulate all the different materials into a homogeneous piece. I will of course take pics of the stock before painting, for those that like the CF look... I for one am not particularly fond of the look. I do have a high appreciation for CF as a material though.

YEMX · « **Reply #96 on:** October 02, 2019, 01:48:43 PM »

I haven't forgotten about this project- I'm still slowly plugging away at it. I'll have to wait until November or December to get the CF wrap kit... Meanwhile, I'm using some JB Weld as a seam filler/blending material. I need something relatively inexpensive and that can be mixed in smaller quantities than epoxy fairing compound. I hope it works out. So far, it seems to be doing the job admirably. I can't use Bondo (polyester resin) because the epoxy from the CF kit won't stick to it well. Polyester resin will stick to epoxy well, but not so much the other way around.

Right now, I'm just blending away, doing refinement where I need to. I want to make sure the stock is ready to go when I get the CF wrap kit.

YEMX · « **Reply #97 on:** February 12, 2020, 01:38:56 PM »

Well... I still haven't bought the CF wrap kit

But this post still needs an update! It's been at least 120 days!

Sometimes I wish I could just not do real life stuff, and just bury myself in hobbies. Someday. Anyhoo, I digress- UPDATE TIME!

Not much of an update, unfortunately. I'm still doing clean up here and there on the stock, and I made another change. I decided to re-work the trigger guard again. For whatever reason, I really like the swoopy Mk2 stock- But I really like the hard lines and angles of a tactical stock too. Ugh, why am I like this?!

It's not a very good picture, but I hope y'all can see the direction I want to go...

Of course I mess up the gauge hole,

so I had to fill it in, and now I'm waiting for the JB weld to dry before re-marking the center line and trying again. I'm definitely going to have to see if A) My bottom fill kit came with a fill-adapter-top-hat-thingy that extends the slip collar on the female fill fitting, and B) If that extender will work with this angle and depth... I may have to re-work the angle (or do a cut out like a Daystate) to get it to work... Not sure yet. I'll keep y'all posted though. This is about the only airgun I have assembled and working, so I really need to finish this stock up, if I want to shoot... I really want to go shooting. I need it right now.

Motorhead · « **Reply #98 on:** February 12, 2020, 02:35:17 PM »

I like it ... NOW FINISH IT !!!

Lol,
Scotty

YEMX · « **Reply #99 on:** February 12, 2020, 03:32:35 PM »

Quote from: Motorhead on February 12, 2020, 02:35:17 PM

I like it ... NOW FINISH IT !!!

Lol,
Scotty

I'm working on it!!

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Theoben Rapid Mk2

Author Topic: Theoben Rapid Mk2 (Read 13975 times))