Posted: 10/30/2009 5:56:17 AM EDT
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Looking for a piece of curly or striped white oak for a gun stock. Any body know of any local specialty saw mills.
I'm up here near traverse city and there are a few around but I don't know that much about buying gunstock blanks. Is there something special to know about buying gunstock blanks? I have a big ass white oak down in my front yard that I cut down this last spring for next years fire wood. How do you find curly or striped oak? |
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Not sure about the particulars of gun stock blanks, I know though that oak isn't that popular for stocks because it's hard to fill the grain and get a smooth finish. At least that's how it was explained to me. If you're okay with that, I don't see a problem with oak.
It's a shame it ain't a month ago, I just cut up a piece of long dead cherry for firewood. Had some interesting grain in it, and the price woulda been right. How long a piece you looking for? Is it a "fun" project, or you looking for perfection?.....If you get my meaning..... The two I hear of most around here are "Sawmill Bill" in Interlochen and Lake Ann Hardwoods. A guy at work really likes Lake Ann Hardwoods for fence poles I guess, and others recommended them too. Never dealt with Sawmill Bill but I've never heard anything bad. My woodtick neighbor Travis used to deal with them. Good luck |
dixie gun works sells stock blanks, i believe a shop that deals in blackpowder ( not inlines,flintlocks and percussion)might have access to stock blanks(ye old black powder shoppe) heck i just found some on EBAY! my dad and I had a cherry tree sawed up in 98 that blew down in a big storm. had a couple pieces cut for gunstocks. very pretty wood. just waiting for time. unfortunately he's not around any more to see it get finished
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Where about in MI are you? There's one in Toledo. Begins with a K.
Kencraft http://www.kencraftcompany.com/ |
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Quoted:
Not sure about the particulars of gun stock blanks, I know though that oak isn't that popular for stocks because it's hard to fill the grain and get a smooth finish. At least that's how it was explained to me. If you're okay with that, I don't see a problem with oak. It's a shame it ain't a month ago, I just cut up a piece of long dead cherry for firewood. Had some interesting grain in it, and the price woulda been right. How long a piece you looking for? Is it a "fun" project, or you looking for perfection?.....If you get my meaning..... The two I hear of most around here are "Sawmill Bill" in Interlochen and Lake Ann Hardwoods. A guy at work really likes Lake Ann Hardwoods for fence poles I guess, and others recommended them too. Never dealt with Sawmill Bill but I've never heard anything bad. My woodtick neighbor Travis used to deal with them. Good luck You can get grain fillers. Check out stu-mac.com, it's a guitar supply store. |
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Quoted:
Where about in MI are you? There's one in Toledo. Begins with a K. Kencraft http://www.kencraftcompany.com/ I'm up here near Traverse City, out in the suburbs of Interlochen. I found a feller down in Karlin but he kind of said the same thing about making a gunstock out of oak. Not normally done. The wood is HARD and hard to cut the fine inletting needed with out lots of chipping. I'm rethinking. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Where about in MI are you? There's one in Toledo. Begins with a K. Kencraft http://www.kencraftcompany.com/ I'm up here near Traverse City, out in the sub urbs of Interlochen. I found a feller down in Karlin but he kind of said the same thing about making a gunstock out of oak. Not normally done. The wood is HARD and hard to cut the fine inletting needed with out lots of chipping. I'm rethinking. What about mahogany or maple? What you should do is get mahogany and something like zebra wood or purple heart and glue a couple of layers together, then carve out the stock. Laminate is stronger (you glue the grains perpendicular to each other) and looks nice. You can also get flamed maple at Kencraft. Purple heart: (ETA - it fades to a bit more of a red with time. This is a good one to laminate) 
Zebra wood: 
Flamed maple 
Birdseye maple 
My favorite - Koa 
See the back of this guitar neck: 
If you laminate with thin pieces, you get this after you form the curves of the stock: 
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