Stock shaping tools

[Tom Dunn]

I need to purchase a few tools to take a gunstock blank, like the one below, and shape into an American Longrifle stock.
The barrel channel will be roughed in, and the ramrod hole drilled, by the stock seller, but thats all.

I'm looking for opinions/suggestions on which tools to buy for shaping the outside of the stock blank.

I've been told that the Nicholson pattern makers rasp in 2nd and smooth cut are pretty much required.
Also a low angle block plane(which I have), a drawknife/spokeshave, and a Shinto rasp have been suggested as well.

One person even recommended a "horseshoe rasp" which I've never heard of?

The stock blank will be either ash or maple, if that matters to your choices.

Thanks!

 

[froglips]

Wow, sounds like you are gonna have some fun!

For shaping, I think a traditional wooden spokeshave is a great way to go. Its got a lower bed angle (much like a low angle block plane). There are also modern versions that use threaded rods instead of spikes to secure the blade. Either way is great.

A drawknife might be a bit overkill unless you have a lot to remove or are looking for more facets than rounded shapes.

For rough work, I'm sold on microplane rasps for rough shaping followed by Auriou or Gramercy rasps in that order.

The Nicholson are machine made and have evenly set and spaced teeth that make smoothing trickier than with the randomness of hand cut rasps.

You didn't mention, but a cabinet/card scraper would also be very helpful.

Don't think the choices of wood are that big a factor.

Hope that helps.

Jim

 

[Mike Davis]

I have a spare spoke shave if you need it.

 

[Tom Dunn]

I appreciate the offer Mike, but frankly, I don't know if I need it or not:icon_scra

Was looking at some on the Woodcraft site, theres flat, round, half round, radius.........

Never used one, know nothing about them....at this point anyway......

 

[Mike Davis]

You need it and I can show you how to use it. Fastest and most controlled way to remove long curly piles of wood shavings.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Tom, since it sounds like this may be your first attempt at making a gun stock, you may want to visit w/ someone w/ some experience. A group of us were recently at Old Salem and the gunsmith there was working on a stock. We talked to him for a long time and he was very informative about the work. It might also give you an idea of some of the special tools needed. Just a thought. :dontknow:

Bill

 

[CarvedTones]

Lots of gunstocks were made with nothing but a hatchet and a knife. Personally, I would probably go with a mallet and gouge to rough shape, a rasp to get to final shape and a scraper to get the final surface. However, you have an offer to get a lesson in shaping with a spokeshave and a spokeshave to use in the bargain. That is another reasonable alternative and because you would get hands on knowledge with it, it is likely to get you the best results.

 

[CaptnA]

Since its your first, you might want to get a similar piece of wood and practice the techniques you will be using - whichever you choose.
Some guys I know got together and made a kit muzzleloader for a friend. Anything we saved in the kit over a finished piece was more than offset by replacing some pieces including the entire stock. One of the guys had replaced a cracked stock and thought he was ready to tackle it....
costly miscalculation - but we did have a blast with the thing