Checkering Cradle

[Turkeyfeather]

I have a few nice rifles that need checkering. I have a checkering tool kit but don't have a cradle to properly hold the stock. I have tried some rough clamping methods but as many of you know this just don't work.

I know that many smiths have built their own cradles that have worked fine. I know that contacting my friends on Graybeards would be a good place to come. Does anybody have plans of a cradle that has worked well? Let me know what you guys are using.

 :-)

[gunnut69]

I dnb't have a plan for mine but the things fairly simple. I used 1 inch square tube. The base is 'L' shaped with the short leg long enough to allow 9 inches or so to the center of a 1/2 in hole drilled paralell to the long leg. In this hole is a 3/8 inch ring bolt with the ring toward the long leg. Between the ring and the short leg are a nut, a wing nut and a fender washer. The wing nut provides adjustment and the other nut locks it in place.  On the other side of the short leg is a fender washer and 2 nuts, mainly for retention.  The cup for the butt of the stock is a piece of wood mounted to a U-channel. A bolt thru the legs of the U-channel and thru the eyebolt allow it to float as the stock moves. A pice of leather is stapled around the butt cup to retain the butt in use. The other end is an "l" shaped 1 inch square tube form. It is drilled on the bottom leg in a pattern to match holes drilled in the long leg of the base unit. This allows the 'L' to be moved into rough position and held there by the bolts. The upper leg is drilled about the same hieght from the base unit as the butt holder eye bolt hole was. I used the bearing from a plow landslide wheel in this hole. It has a 3 inch long x 1/2 inch diameter pin protruding from a tube (about 1 inch in diameter). The pin is inserted into the hole in the moveable leg and a saw cut from the top to the hole is forced close by a 1/4 inch diameter bolt in a thru hole bored thru the moveable leg above the hole for the plow bearing. A cup made of wood is bored to fit the cylinder section of the bearing and a slot with two transverse bolts is used to clamp the cup to the bearing shank. The cuppped side is turned to face the rear of the base unit. I lined this cupped recess with a bit of scrap leather to protect the forearm tip of the rifle being worked on. In use the stock is mounted, with the coarse adjustment being done with the bolts. The U-bolt wing nut is adjusted to provide a bit of tension. The base unit is then simply clamped in a vise. This allows me to clamp it just where I want it and at whatever angle works best.  It can also be reversed to better get at some of the corners in the pattern..

[Buford]

I saw one made from a piece of pipe and two connecting rods - fully adjustable - stout for sure - 1/2" wrench needed to adjust - he made fixtures for the small end of the rods so the stock would rotate. Drop me a PM and I will try to give you more detail.

[cntryboy1289]

This is a pic of the one I copied from Dunlap's Gun Owners Book.  It uses the connecting rods and a piece of pipe.  I threaded the one connecting rod so I could run a piece of all thread rod through it and then welded on a piece of steel rod to use as the hand crank so I didn't need to use an wrench to tighten it in place.  I made the cups just like the ones shown on the pic by attaching a wooden dowel to the wooden cup that had inner tube material glued to it for protection of the stock.  For the other end, I welded a tab to the all thread and then screwed a block of wood to the tab and then screwed a piece on each side of that to jold the buutstock with a short piece screwed to the three sides to use as a bottom and then glued inner tube to the surfaces to just make sure I didn't scratch the wood.  I got the connecting rods from the junk yard for a couple of bucks and had the pipe one hand, but for another couple of dollars, you can buy a stick at Lowes or HD.

Here's the pic:

http://www.solisearch.net/ims/pic.php?u=182726oEkr&i=250076

Not sure if it is the same one Buford saw or not, hope this helps you out.

[gunnut69]

How do you rotate the stock in the cradle. Is there a bearing surface of do you just rotate the stock in the cups.

[cntryboy1289]

I failed to mention that my front cup can turn freely and the back cup has a piece like what you find on a "C" clamp that allows it to spin as well.  I made mine out of a flat washer and a piece of metal rod that I drilled out to allow it to fit between the tab and the all thread.  The all thread will keep it tight enough to work on, but you can turn it by hand pressure when you need to.

[GWN]

Turkeyfeather,
I have used the cheaper store bought one from Brownells. But I saw a picture of one that used a set of pipe clamps. This looked like a neat idea, because one could use long pipe for rifle stocks, med. pipe for butt stocks and short pipe for forearms or pistol grips. The clamps are available at Woodworkers stores and Lowes and such. Some work would have to be done to adapt clamps for holding stocks. I couldn't tell in the picture exactly what was done. but couldn't be too complicated. I saw this picture on line recently but cannot remember exactly where. I believe it was a smith at Serengeti (sp?) so the picture may be on their websight.
George

[srwshooter]

I  tried a cradle but found big sand bags give me a more solid hold. i made some bags that are big and flat so i can bury the stock any way i need to.

[gunnut69]

The biggest advantage of a cradle is the stock being stabil and still being able to rotate it around it's long axis. I did a couple without a cradle but strongly advise newbies to try one,, you'll like it!

[cntryboy1289]

I tried a couple before I built my cradle, it didn't work out as well for me and it was a good thing they were scrap stocks.  The sand bag my work for you, but there is nothing better than being able to keep your arm straight while moving around the forearm and not being in a bind.