pistol grip and stock blanks

[kwells2006]

well, I've got some walnut trees im about to slay and cut into blanks. does anyone do their own grips/stocks anymore? whats a good price for a pistol grip blank and a stock blank?

[GRIMJIM]

I recently started making pistol grips. I can't really help on a price for walnut though. I bought a 12 inch piece of ebony and it was 24 bucks.

[kwells2006]

what im thinking is knot wood or burl wood might make nice grips

[GRIMJIM]

A nice piece of walnut burl would look good.

I have a store by me that sells exotic species, I'll give them a call and see what they want for a 3x12 peice of walnut or if they have burl.

[GRIMJIM]

Here's a link if you want to look.

http://www.owlhardwood.com/

[DeckH]

kwells,  If you cut up your walnut you need to kiln dry it, wax the ends, or let it dry for several years.  You can build a drying box .  I'm certain you can find drying box build directions via Google.  deckh

[LONGTOM]

Air died walnut will take about 7 to 10 years to dry completely, depending on thickness, if kept inside of a building.
If you can get it up next to a metal roof it will be ready to use in about 3 years.
I have some that I cut off the farm about 8 years ago rough cut for stocks.
Most of these were taken from the stump end and show lots of crouch and waves.
I have both long wood and some two piece blanks.
Just can't decide what guns to put them on.
One of my old Win 94s, my 1886 Highwall, heck might even do a custom BC.
The long wood I am saving for a special project.
A Win model 70 in 45-70 with a 26" barrel. 


LONGTOM

[Dirt Bag]

Kwells;
     Take a look in www.oldtreegunblanks.com ..... You'll get an idea of what a good blank looks like and what they bring and also the most important part....... The layout. Been tinkering around with stocks for quite a while.... far from being any kind of athourity or expert.... Hell, not even close, but can tell you that the grain flow and layout is way more important than the figure.  Walnut blanks are like anything else..... You gets what you pays for.
                                                           Good luck;
                                                                                D.B.
P.S.   Long barrelled 45/70 Model 70!!!   Now that IS original. Excellent!

[Dirt Bag]

Just one guy's opinion, but here's what a rifle blank ought to look like... wish I could afford this one.

  The layout up through the pistol grip is awsome.... Get a barrelled action into this blank and it will look like it grew that way.
   The gratification and satisfaction in stock making is for us, more than in any other kind of wood working ... and we have tried it all. And when you love guns AND woodworking.... so much the better.
                                                                                 Best;
                                                                                         D.B.
Always been a sucker for fine walnut......always will.

[Graybeard]

If you do not properly dry it you will ruin it and it will have little to no value. Leave in it rather large slabs while drying.

[mirage1988]

If you do not properly dry it you will ruin it and it will have little to no value. Leave in it rather large slabs while drying.

Air drying will not dry it completely, wood needs to be kiln dried to collapse the pores so it doesn't soak up moisture like a sponge. Air dried wood is nowhere near stable enough for a gunstock.