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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Cutting a stock for an SKS (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 1/1/2010 10:54:56 AM EDT
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(Moving much of this from GD and will continue to post updates here...)
Decided to try and cut my own stock. Anyone ever try this? Any advice? Yes, I know it is for an SKS, but seems pretty straight forward cutting the action. The rest of the stock will look nothing like the original. The wood I had laying around the shop, so it'll be fun to experiment with it. 
Basing the back half of the stock roughly on a Savage 110 (borrowed from a buddy). This is what will assist me in figuring out where to start cutting the action in. 
Figured out where to start the action 
Now, before I start cutting, time to sharpen the chisels! 
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Quoted: I'm discovering the benefits of machining tools. Usually don't need this much precision, but I'm finding I'm just not happy with the chisels. http://www.99tarbox.com/images/shooting/stock9.JPG milling on a drill press... ballsy  |
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Quoted:
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I'm discovering the benefits of machining tools. Usually don't need this much precision, but I'm finding I'm just not happy with the chisels. http://www.99tarbox.com/images/shooting/stock9.JPG milling on a drill press... ballsy
He will be ok with wood. |
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Quoted:
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I'm discovering the benefits of machining tools. Usually don't need this much precision, but I'm finding I'm just not happy with the chisels. http://www.99tarbox.com/images/shooting/stock9.JPG milling on a drill press... ballsy
Guerrilla machining at its finest ! 
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Nice...........I look forward to the pics as you progress.
My experience with wood is simple gun racks , shelves and honey-doo projects. As far as gun related , the only thing I've done is a grip for my first AK build ( I loved it but it looked a little out of place ) I really enjoy working with wood , almost as much as I enjoy metal crafting ..........but lack of space and equipment (like many here) is my biggest hold-back. 
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| Space I could commandeer. I could steal both sides of our garage. Cash flow. Now that's the real problem! :) I don't do either as a profession, so no reason I could give to SWMBO to justify the expense. Of course, with both metal and wood working tools, I'd still run outa room in a hurry. |
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Quoted: Mmmmm 11/16 barrel bedding tool. Tasty http://www.brownells.com/userdocs/products/l_364700900_1.jpg wht the... |
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Mmmmm 11/16 barrel bedding tool. Tasty http://www.brownells.com/userdocs/products/l_364700900_1.jpg I have a set of these, in two sizes. They are awesome and will really make your job easier. Highly recommended. Getting the barrel channel right without them would be hard as hell. They leave an amazingly smooth finish |
I have to say, inletting black is, well, black...and gets everywhere! Man, am I tired. In the woods this morning freezing my ass off, then into the shop the rest of the day. Time for a break. Oh! The right tool for the job is a timesaver! That barrel inlet tool is a dream!
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I use a small acid brush to put the inlet black on. The stuff goes a long way and I've never had to dip back into the bottle after my first light coat of the stuff. I didn't brush it I dabbed it on with a little twist.
There were a couple of guys at school that would have black hand prints everywhere at the end of the day, shirt, face, door, etc. And if you felt like messing with somebody you would put some on his vise handle. 
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It's looking good. Make sure you completely cover the receiver and barrel with inlet black, try to go straight up and down when you put it in (hard to do with the SKS design) and remove every spot that has black on it every time, if you rock it it can lead to gaps, and keep your chisels sharp. When I went to school the stock making instructor wouldn't even talk to you about wood until you spent 2-3 DAYS sharpening your chisels, and you were expected to keep them sharp as you go. I would spend 5 minutes getting my chisels ready everyday, sometimes it didn't take that long because I really only used 2 or 3 chisels most of the time.
Shaping is the really fun part, I wish I could shape stocks all day everyday. |
I've already got a few gaps unfortunately. A) Curly wood doesn't cut well and likes to dive, no matter how sharp the chisels are (I do keep em sharp  ) and B) I've made a few mistakes. That's OK. I'm learning and it isn't anything that will affect anything other than my pride (I hope!). Of course, with the SKS you have to rock the action into the stock with the mid-barrel as the pivot. Sucks, but no way around it. Thank you for the comments and if you see anything I'm doing wrong, please let me know. The problem with self learning is you don't have the experiance over your shoulder saying "What in the hell do you think you are doing!!!!!"
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No, you are doing good, I was just giving general advice and encouragement. Those were things that I personally had trouble doing right. I definately appreciate your comments, especially since you've done this before. I do need to add more black. Got most of it covered, but not all. That crap gets on everything! The wife doesn't much like the stuff...already got on one of my good sweaters. Had to hear the "why are you wearing nice clothes in the shop" speeches again... |
Got the main inletting done. Walnut doesn't allow as exact match as I would like, especially on tight areas. It certainly doesn't take as nice a cut as hard maple. I plan on glass bedding in a couple of spots, so that will strengthen the wood and make it more of an exact match. Now I have to inlet the trigger assembly.
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Got the trigger assembly just about in. I'll get pics in a bit. Things I've learned about cutting a stock.
1) Inletting ain't easy. 2) This stock will win no awards. I might qualify for a Wiley E Coyote gunsmithing certificate, but I doubt it. 3) Inletting ain’t easy…did I mention that? 4) No matter how bad a job I do, it is 100% better than the Chinese stock 5) Inletting ain’t easy, especially on the trigger…no, wait…everything. |
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Got the trigger assembly just about in. I'll get pics in a bit. Things I've learned about cutting a stock. 1) Inletting ain't easy. 2) This stock will win no awards. I might qualify for a Wiley E Coyote gunsmithing certificate, but I doubt it. 3) Inletting ain’t easy…did I mention that? 4) No matter how bad a job I do, it is 100% better than the Chinese stock 5) Inletting ain’t easy, especially on the trigger…no, wait…everything. Inletting is not easy, I don't know if you mentioned that yet or not. It takes patience. The shaping is the really fun part. |
The action is preliminarily let. Once I get the stock shaped and I get close to the finish stage I’ll touch up and bed the action with glass. It is VERY tight, but doesn’t interfere with the workings at all. I do not need a spring to get the trigger assembly out it is set in so tight. That sucker isn’t moving anywhere. I do not like the design of the SKS in that you have to cut the channel the complete length of the action. I tried several things to keep a bridge of wood across the span, but none worked out. When you get to the full length of the channel, it is really hard to clamp the stock in the milling setup I have and still be on solid wood. Guess that’s why they have the metal bolt that spans the distance. Don’t think I’ll need it as the wood is a bit thicker than the original, and I plan to keep it that way.
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Adding a Arizona Ironwood forearm detail before I start shaping. Got that added tonight, so the shaping begins tomorrow. That Ironwood is a VERY solid hunk of wood! It is quite oily as well. It looks like it already has finish on it, and that is with a light sanding. This will be a nice detail to the front of the firearm. I'm planning on inletting a brass strip between the two woods once I get the shaping in.
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looking good.. you can sub in printers ink for doing touch transfers.. and it needs to be a light coat almost dry brush it on.. and remember if you make a booboo you can cover it with a bit of accuragel with brown die added.. and go slow when inletting/shapping.. |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Cutting a stock for an SKS (Page 1 of 3)
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