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Old 11-14-2012, 11:41 AM   #1
Yiannis
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Tapering and rounding a stock

Hi everyone!

I am already really grateful to all the people who have been posting their gun builds and explaining in detail the whole process. I personally have zero (I mean zero) experience when it comes to working with wood. However, reading all these posts the last few years has motivated me to give it a try and build my own guns. I always believed that building a gun would make me feel a more "complete" spearo.

So, I have two blanks ready to turn into guns. Yes, I have already used the search tool, and yes I have spend numerous hours reading previous posts. However, I still have a basic (and probably stupid) question.

After I am done with all the basic cuts, should I taper the stock first and then round the edges, or round them first, then taper and sand it?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Yiannis
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Old 11-14-2012, 11:51 AM   #2
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Re: Tapering and rounding a stock

Make sure ALL of the cuts have been made, including the holes necessary for pins (Track, trigger mech, band slots/ holes, lanyard hole, line release slot). Then taper the blank, then roundovers, then sand. Otherwise, the tapering will remove some of the roundover and you will have to do it again.
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Old 11-14-2012, 03:07 PM   #3
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Re: Tapering and rounding a stock

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Originally Posted by Wood Guy View Post
Make sure ALL of the cuts have been made, including the holes necessary for pins (Track, trigger mech, band slots/ holes, lanyard hole, line release slot). Then taper the blank, then roundovers, then sand. Otherwise, the tapering will remove some of the roundover and you will have to do it again.
Thanks, that is what I thought I should do, I just wanted to make sure.

I am also thinking of routing channels for the bands on the top with a roundnose or cove bit. Again, first taper the sides and then create the canals or the opposite?

Last edited by Yiannis; 11-14-2012 at 03:49 PM.
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Old 11-14-2012, 07:01 PM   #4
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Re: Tapering and rounding a stock

I would do the channels before you do the taper. That way the side of the blank is still parallel with the track, and when you route the channels they will also be parallel with the track. If you cut the channels after you taper, they will be parallel with the tapered sides and will move away from the track as you move toward the mech, which is not what you want.
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Old 11-14-2012, 09:52 PM   #5
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Re: Tapering and rounding a stock

Wood Guy is spot on. The thing I'd recommend is that you either make a practice blank from pine or something to work before doing the real thing, or do everything you can to simplify this first build.

You will not do it correctly the first time, so try do something simple. I'm not good at following my own advice, though.
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Old 11-14-2012, 10:20 PM   #6
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Re: Tapering and rounding a stock

When you start doing your round overs on the router, or any bit with a guide bearing, do a dry run with the router off. If the guide bearing goes over a hole, flip the gun on the other edge so that it doesn't. I've kick myself in the ass a few times cause if this.

Take your time with the cuts. Rush and it's almost guaranteed that you'll f something up. At least I do. I've never done a practice blank, but it's a good idea.
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Old 11-15-2012, 02:28 PM   #7
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Re: Tapering and rounding a stock

Do not forget there is also an option of using a spoke shave to round out your gun. It is not a power tool it is very controlable and produces great results.
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Old 11-16-2012, 10:23 AM   #8
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Re: Tapering and rounding a stock

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Originally Posted by Fis_Hunter View Post
Do not forget there is also an option of using a spoke shave to round out your gun. It is not a power tool it is very controlable and produces great results.
As I said, I have zero carpentry skills. To me it seems more difficult to work with hand tools. At least with the routers, sanders, and saws it feels like having to solve a mathematical problem.

After all, I am a physicist not an artist!
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Old 11-16-2012, 01:53 PM   #9
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Re: Tapering and rounding a stock

Carefull with a spoke shave, draw knife, or block plane. Even when razor sharp if you pull against the grain the wrong way, you will end up starting a large running splinter chunk.

If you got holes that the roller bearing absolutly needs to roll over you can insert a wood dowel. Profile the ends of the dowel to the contour of the wood stock.

If you can't/ don't want to make a practice blank, just make incremental cuts with the router and increase the depth of the cut each time. If the router skips or grabs the grain you can elimenate that defect with successive passes.
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