Author Topic: a couple of furniture questions (Read 980 times)

LabRat2k3 · « **on:** March 17, 2010, 02:06:16 PM »

Hello all I'm a noob here so please bear with me. I just got a naked Handi-rifle off a friend of mine, and I have a couple of questions about dressing it. I scrounged up a forend but no forend screw. I know I can order one from Brownells but I have a hard time paying $9.50 shipped for a screw that I can most likely pickup local at a hardware store for less than a buck. While I do live in a rural area i still don't think they would like me strolling in with my rifle to see what fits. So can some one please tell me what size, thread and pitch screw I would need to find. Secondly I bought a Nutmeg laminate thumbhole stock from Boyds and test fit it to my new toy.

I had to wonder if any of you have contoured your stock to have a smoother transition from wood to to metal. It just seems like a lot of extra wood

Would tapering this back to give a better fit weaken the mounting point of the stock enough to make a differance. Thanks for your help, and I'm sure that I will have more questions to come.

gendoc · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2010, 02:16:35 PM »

for specs on the hardware see the FAQ'S
alot of these guys here know there woodworking.
i'm sure you will hear some things very soon.

LabRat2k3 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2010, 02:25:18 PM »

Thank you. I should have knowen to do a search first. Found the screw size in just a few seconds, 1/4"-20x1/2". I'll try to do better next time

.

Lon371 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2010, 02:48:19 PM »

LabRat2k3
First off welcome.
Secondly FAQ section is your friend

Trust me, I have read there a lot.

To your question of trimming around the reciever, yes you can. It will not hurt a thing. Just mark it and trim slowly, to much removed will make it uglyy. As far as

Quote

I had to wonder if any of you have contoured your stock to have a smoother transition from wood to to metal.

YUP, We have done some minor to serious modifications. Thats what makes them special. Check the picture thread in the FAQ http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,97911.msg1098249435.html#msg1098249435

Now go buy some more handis!

Lonny

aromakr · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2010, 03:02:33 PM »

The forend screw is a standard 1/4"/20. Ace hardware will have them in either Phillips or allen head.
Bob

MSP Ret · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2010, 03:22:58 PM »

In many hardware stores they have the proper bolt in either bright steel or stainless steel, a flathead phillips. The bright steel can rust so perhaps the stainless might be better. If you want a blued screw you will have to order one special and pay the high extra shipping, many of us dislike that as much as you do. Best of luck. Also I suggest you do not try to get a perfect match between the stock and the reciever until you get quite a bit of expierence with stock work, it is VERY easy to remove too much wood and ruin the stock. Start be taking off about half whatever the extra amount of wood is. With the stock mounted securely to the reciever scribe around the stock with a sharp pointed tool of some sort, similar to an ice pick, then remove the stock and remove the extra wood, ONLY to the line, not INTO the line, but only up to the line. Remount and check, once you get close, STOP for now. It will be better than a factory fit and a great way to start. Go SLOW, take off little amounts at a time, and enjoy it....<><....

gcrank1 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 17, 2010, 03:42:11 PM »

+1 that! Always leave the wood a little 'proud' of the metal and you will be happier. One of the easiest ways to spot refinished classic firearms is that the wood is flush, or worse.

Spanky · « **Reply #7 on:** March 17, 2010, 04:36:56 PM »

Put a nice BLO finish on it and shoot it.

Spanky

spikehorn · « **Reply #8 on:** March 17, 2010, 04:40:42 PM »

labrat2k3 PM me your mailing address and I'll send you a few forend screws. I had to buy 1 a month or so ago and the only place that had them was fastenal and I had to buy a bag of 100.

And +1 on Spanky's suggestion

gcrank1 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 17, 2010, 04:43:46 PM »

Wow! A bag of 100....my local Fastenal sells one or however many, and I am just a walk in guy (no prior relationship). Call the manager, that aint right.

spikehorn · « **Reply #10 on:** March 17, 2010, 05:27:16 PM »

Quote from: gcrank1 on March 17, 2010, 04:43:46 PM

Wow! A bag of 100....my local Fastenal sells one or however many, and I am just a walk in guy (no prior relationship). Call the manager, that aint right.

Only cost $4.86 and I'll never have to hunt another one down probably as long as I live

LabRat2k3 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 17, 2010, 07:44:13 PM »

Holy overstock.com Batman! A bag of 100, but I'm glad you got them because I could use a couple. Thanks for all the good advice. I'm just going to try and smooth out the transition from metal to wood a little, the big step up that it has now just ruins the look of a nice stock for me. I agree on the taking it slow and leaving the wood a little proud, it sure is hard to get that laminate to grow back if you go too far. This is my first Handi-rifle but I'm already planning my next one and a couple other projects for this one. This one has quickly gotten away from my original plan for it. I was wanting to build a syntetic stocked, youth barreled .243, with open sights for a handy, short, and durable truck gun. I told a friend of mine who ownes several Handi's about my plan and he said that he had a .308 which used to be a survivor model but he had taken the stock off of it, and I could have it if I wanted. Well when I went looking for stocks I found that Boyd had some in stock so I went Lam instead of syntetic, and now I'm thinking that it may turn out too nice to be my knock around truck gun. So I guess I'll just keep my eyes open this summer for a good deal on a .243, it's almost time for the flea markets to open back up anyhow

.

jedman · « **Reply #12 on:** March 18, 2010, 04:23:52 AM »

This was a factory Ultra stock. I recotoured the pistol grip and removed the checkering.
I don't care for all the extra wood overhang and the thick clubby feel of the thick grip area. Jed

LabRat2k3 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 18, 2010, 04:48:19 AM »

Yes that is the look I'm going for. It makes it look finished, attention to detail is what sets a nice gun apart.

LabRat2k3 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 03, 2010, 04:46:37 PM »

I finally got around to working on my stock. I had debated finishing with BLO, but I've never used it before and didn't want to mess anything up so I just did a clear polyurethane. I did contour the stock to have a better transition and I think it turned out ok, I'm happy with it. I haven't finished the forend yet because I wanted to see how dark the stock turned out so I could pick the right stain to try and get them to match as closely as possible. Thanks for everyone's help on this, especially spikehorn who hooked me up with a few forend screws.

Before finishing

After finish

Initial Fit

Contoured

Spanky · « **Reply #15 on:** April 03, 2010, 05:13:22 PM »

Nice job Rat... it looks great.

Spanky

spikehorn · « **Reply #16 on:** April 03, 2010, 06:38:23 PM »

That looks awesome! Can't wait to see totally finished product.

Kal52 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 04, 2010, 06:30:24 AM »

looking really nice there! good job!