Those are nice.

Not quite as exotic, but here's a stock made from teak wood...

 

Nice work. I really like the spalted woods, I see that in some of the maple i cut out here in Ore.
Never thought of using it for a gunstock, will have to try that !
Bob

 

Bob if you harvest west coast maple, pm me. I need a consistent source of wood but not all of it spalted.

Mike

ps I will try to find a photo of a spalted maple stock as well. Some of those are spectular!!!

 

turmite you do wonderful work. That stuff is off the charts beautiful!!:bthumb:

 

Love those spalted wood stocks Mike :bthumb: I still want to try spalting wood myself.

Last year I made a blank with zebrawood (African) and black walnut, and sent it to Azguy: http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=438014

I've done a couple with Spanish cedar, red cedar, and carbon fiber too:

If you enjoy cigars, Spanish is the type of cedar usually used to line the boxes.

 

I don't have any pics, but I attempted to make a stock out of the most beautiful pink-grained Tulipwood I have ever seen. The blank had been air dried for 5 years and was just large enough for a slender stock, but after just a bit of planing, I gave up. It machined like fibrous soap and would not hold dimensions well. I doubt one could even get a wood screw to hold in that particular piece of wood.

I also made a very heavy stock out of a stunning piece of cocobolo for a Rem 788 rebarreled to .22 Cheetah. Again, no pics, but it was extremely dense, I would say close to a specific gravity of 1. I don't know why I never took pics of either of those.

I hope to make the Tulipwood into something ornamental someday...after I finish all the other rifle projects I have in the fire

TBR

 

I don't have any pics, but I attempted to make a stock out of the most beautiful pink-grained Tulipwood I have ever seen. The blank had been air dried for 5 years and was just large enough for a slender stock, but after just a bit of planing, I gave up. It machined like fibrous soap and would not hold dimensions well. I doubt one could even get a wood screw to hold in that particular piece of wood.

I also made a very heavy stock out of a stunning piece of cocobolo for a Rem 788 rebarreled to .22 Cheetah. Again, no pics, but it was extremely dense, I would say close to a specific gravity of 1. I don't know why I never took pics of either of those.

I hope to make the Tulipwood into something ornamental someday...after I finish all the other rifle projects I have in the fire

TBR

I made grip panels for my 77/22 synthetic out of tulipwood, I'll see if I can get a picture. I LOVE tulipwood, I buy it everytime they get a batch in my local wood store - they are not useful for much other than grips or panels because of the size but it is probably my all time favorite exotic.

 

TBR....I know all too well about not doing photos. I was trying so hard to run the business and never thought to the future much. Now I would love to have photographs of those unique stocks. I made one for Tom Volquartsen of Bocote, well actually two. One had the beautiful yellow and black marbling all over it and the second was nearly black and very waxy. I too made one from cocobolo and you are so right about the weight.

Evan, I especially like the Spanish Cedar. Have talked to our friend in Tx and I think that is what he will end up going with.

Keep them coming. I got on line last night and searched, and honestly was surprised as to how few exotics or unique stocks I could find. One beautiful example was from curly Mango!

Mike

 

Cocobolo and bocote? Man you guys are ambitious! I personally want to try bubinga next... my local lumberyard keeps some in stock and it looks amazing.

Mike are you talking about Doan Trevor? http://doantrevor.com/ I've seen stuff like mango, spruce, rosewood, and Hawaiian Koa on his site. His stocks look gorgeous.

I did not make this stock but I glued the blank together- it is English walnut with a butternut core. Jim Peightal did the stock work and added the ebony trim.

I've also made a couple blanks with paulownia cores but haven't found a source for that stuff yet.

This one had seven layers of Spanish cedar with eight sheets of carbon fiber. Super light, super strong. After carving with walnut, working on cedar feels like butter with a hot knife.

 

Evan, Yes that was the site and yes he has some great stuff, but much of it looks wayyyyyy too heavy for what we do. What is the weight and thread count of that weave? I used stuff that looked much thinner and a different weave.

I used 2k 2X2 Twill that when pressed with epoxy alone, measured around .022" thick. I used this weave because it draped so good on the stocks.

Mike

ps that reminds me........here is a balsa wood stock overlaid with carbon fiber and painted.

 

If you want to try a full glass or carbon wrap, you might take a look at these sleeves used for rockets.

I'd suggest trying it on a burner, there's a pretty steep learning curve to get it to lay flat on anything but a smooth outside curve.

Bob

 

Hi Bob....I have actually used the sleeves, or tubes is what the place I got them from called them. The problem is stock has square edges, and the pistol grip. The edges would work good enough if I could just figure out how to keep the grip from buckling or puckering. I got close twice but still had to cut the front of the grip free of the carbon and laminate in a piece there.......just not good enough to show to the world! I suppose I could reshape my grip area to make it larger and more round.....hmmm, I will have to try that when I do my next carbon wraps.

Evan, I stand corrected......two layers of the 2k 2X2 measured .022". Single layer was half that of course.

BTW I have figured out how to salvage the Bastogne......I won't tell you about it until you see it as a carved stock......how's that for a teaser??

Mike

 

We could use the exotics for ARA gun stocks, but yes the weight restrictions in IR 50/50 limits the wood choices some. Oh well, at least walnut still works! That is a 6K 2x2 twill and the manufacturer says it is .017" thickness. I've tried a handful of different weaves, some lighter/heavier and have just stuck with the 6K 2x2 for blanks. I molded some trigger guards with it a couple years ago and it worked just fine, haven't (yet) tried putting a carbon skin on a stock but I would probably use lighter weight stuff.

I don't think that paint job is flashy enough... go big or go home!

 

Although too dense for a benchrest competition stock, I made a large picture frame out of some nicely figured bocote with high-contrast mineral streaking. It resembled marblecake English walnut, and I thought it might make a very nice stock as it worked quite nicely, responding well to hand working and machining. I think it is also well suited to steam bending.

TBR

 

My sinus don't like Spanish Cedar so quit after one. In addition to the previously listed woods here is a partial list of some I use for benchrest:
mahogany. silver maple, curly white oak, cherry, butternut, catalpa, paulownia, redwood, dawn redwood, sassafras, bubinga, sycamore, poplar. That should be enough to even get Mike to scratch his head

 

Don I actually scratch my head often, but it is because I can remember where I am or what I am doing!

I have used most on that list except the mahogany, oak, dawn redwood, and poplar. I have used the poplar for patterns when I needed something quick, but have never built an actual stock from it.

If you have them, post some photos. I love pretty wood made into rifle stocks.

Mike

 

Paulowina wood stock

Here is the stock I made from Paulowina.
It is very light color. I stained mine Red Oak.

It is a very soft hardwood. I tried to checker the grip area. Did not do the other side.

 

ok Magical you have to do some close ups of the carving on the fore end. What does the raw stock weigh and then the total rifle. Paulownia is the second lightest wood in the world behind Balsa.

Have you had any problems with the stock denting?

Mike

 

ok Magical you have to do some close ups of the carving on the fore end. What does the raw stock weigh and then the total rifle. Paulownia is the second lightest wood in the world behind Balsa.

Have you had any problems with the stock denting?

Mike

OK, here are photos. One shows scratches and dents. Yes it is soft and will dent fairly easily.

The stock was one pound two ounces when completed. I added one pound of lead for balance. The total rifle weight is now seven pounds seven ounces. Just right for CMP Rimfire Sporter 3 position.

 

This is my third go at replying to this thread as my kids keep using up all the internet before I have hit submit reply. Turmite those stocks are really pretty and a credit to you.
My favourite timber is Australian Red Cedar pretty well always was been since I was a kid. My dad made me a paddle for our canoe out of red cedar for a sixteen mile race when I was 11 years old . This of course was way before carbon fibre was around. Australian Red cedar is very light yet strong but soft.
I bought enough red cedar when I was an apprentice carpenter to build my wife a coffee table. Still have the timber just never got around to building that table.
Australian red cedar has the most beautiful grain and colour is dark red but I think it may be to soft for a rifle stock. The joinery on the old buildings in town is mostly made from this timber.
I will try and find a picture of a stick of it and post it up.
Anyway thats my favourite all time timber maybe because of my dad or because it is truly beautiful but probably both.
Funny story we had to replace the facias and barge boards on a old stable that was part of old Fort Lytton that was built to protect the Brisbane river from the Russians in the Bore war. Dad wanted all the timber kept but it had a half inch hole in it every foot for the old ape gutter brackets. It sat in the timber yard for years till I was pouring a concrete shed floor for a week end job. I grabed it and used it for formwork. I said to dad at tea one night "You know what dad I reckon that timber is Red cedar that was on that fort. He asked why and I told him what I had used it for. I got a though dressing down and dad said as he always did when he was really cranky. "What did a man do to deserve an idiot like you" Now I am older now and I see his point. That formwork will probably go down as the most expensive formwork in history.
Kind regards Ben:bthumb:

 

Well, this is the second time I am posting a reply to this. I don't know what happened to the other one.

Magical, did you use a stippling punch to do the scroll and leaf panels?

Yeah, I also know all too well about how soft the wood is. Here is one of, if not the very first paulownia I did. Had it along with about 10-15 other guns at a photo shoot one night getting the photography done for my web site. When we finished I began to load the guns into the trunk of my car. I save this one till last because I wanted to make sure it was not damaged. You know where this is headed!

Anyway, laid it on top of the pile and closed the trunk. I did not however really pay attention to where it was positioned and that just happened to be under the curved hinge of the trunk. Crushed about a 1/2" square of the wood and finish. Anyway here is what it looked like before damage!


Mike

 

This thread is making my jealous. Some amazing work guys!

One wood I have always been attracted to is buckeye burl. I would love to have a piece large enough for a rifle stock.

 

Hey turmite,
That is a beautiful stock.
I used my dremel to carve the entire pattern. Used different bits for different areas.

 

Magical while I use a dremel a lot, I do not have the skill to tackle something like that. I am always amazed at what the mind and drive the hands to do!!!:bthumb:

Mike

ps thank you for your kudos

 

Well, I'll try this one more time. I'm not sure if these stocks are unique enough to fit this thread but I'll post anyway and let you guys decide.
I harvested both of the trees these came from - a huge old maple that was half rotted and a huge black walnut in a guy's back yard. Each of them were almost 5 feet in diameter.

The Walnut is an Erma .22 training rifle that I rescued and turned into a sporter. My favorite piece of wood so far. The last piece I have from this tree is the sister to this stock blank that I'm saving for a special rifle- possibly for my grandson.
The Maple stocked rifle is my Win. 52B target that I had the barrel bobbed back to 22". Still too heavy to carry all day so this one will be getting a new stock and a sporter barrel soon.

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I did most of the work on both of these stocks, however the Erma stock was rough turned by a duplicator before I did the inletting and final shaping. The Winchester was also very rough turned as I wanted to do a few of my own things to this one and I wanted plenty of wood to work with. Also, Maple quilt tears out easily when working, so I wanted it left large so I could take it down to final shape with care to avoid the tear out that power tools like a duplicator can create.

Both of these are hunted on a fairly regular basis as I use my guns. No safe queens in my house. Both are Tru oil finish. The walnut was rubbed down to a satin finish with rottenstone.

Bob

 

Bob, spectacular is all I can say. Well, other than do you have some really long thick and wide scraps of that wood???

That big leaf quilt is top notch. How many good blanks did you get from both?

Mike

 

Bob, those are both amazing, I could stare at those for hours. I'll bet they look 100x better in person.

 

Awesome work, Bob. Beautiful guns! :t

 

Very nice Bob! :bthumb: