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Robert Wilson
04-18-2009, 9:21 AM
Hi Everyone,
Looking for advise. I would like to get into building custom gun stocks and was thinking of utilizing a CNC Router for production. I really do not know that much about them. Looking for recomendations on companies or do it your self kits that have machines that would be able to shape the stock and cut the various clearance slots needed in gun stocks. I am just getting started looking into this technology, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

Mike Null
04-18-2009, 10:23 AM
Bob

There are a number of threads relative to your question. I suggest doing a Google search for cnc machines and ShopBot in particular.

Angus Hines
04-18-2009, 11:19 AM
Spend some time reading here:


And perusing this:

http://www.shopbottools.com/

And Also here:

http://camaster.com/index.php

ANd Here:

http://camheads.org/

Robert Wilson
04-18-2009, 9:37 PM
Thanks for the sites and advice. Time for a little homework!

Steve knight
04-18-2009, 10:55 PM
a gun stock really needs a rotary axis. doing it as a 4 sided 3d cut i think would be a a real pain.

james mcgrew
04-19-2009, 6:26 AM
gunstock most are machined on 2 sides similar to the pinewood car in the attached thread, i have a friend doing this i will get some pic's. i am a real fan of index lathing and yes it can be done with 4rth axis which both the machines have,



jim

Dennis Brooker
04-20-2009, 11:03 AM
Robert - I was a professional engraver for over 20 years (before I got smart and got into computers, yeah I'm old) so I can offer some insight - If you're planning on doing this for some extra money then do what you can with what you can afford, learn and enjoy the process - BUT if you want to play with the big boys be prepared to spend some serious time and money and be prepared to put up with some people that deal in .000" tolerences and pieces of wood that may cost upwards of $1000.00 and much more for just a blank and that's on the very conservative side - I'm not trying to rain on your parade just trying to warn that there might be some troublesome weather ahead - I hope you take my comments with the good intentions that they are made - Dennis Brooker

FYI - You would need an FFL in order to have other peoples firearms in your possession.

Steve knight
04-20-2009, 12:52 PM
gunstock most are machined on 2 sides similar to the pinewood car in the attached thread, i have a friend doing this i will get some pic's. i am a real fan of index lathing and yes it can be done with 4rth axis which both the machines have,



jim

I would think to hollow out the place for the gun would be a real pain without a 4th axis.

james mcgrew
04-20-2009, 1:04 PM
steve most of what i have seen were pistol handles, nice insert type stuff, i am ordering 4rth axis on new the new machine as when i ordered the second one i was not ready for 4rth axis yet, still looking for the right software. jim

Steve knight
04-20-2009, 1:11 PM
steve most of what i have seen were pistol handles, nice insert type stuff, i am ordering 4rth axis on new the new machine as when i ordered the second one i was not ready for 4rth axis yet, still looking for the right software. jim

now i get you. I was thinking rifle. I can't imagine the hassle to do it flat.

Conrad Fiore
04-20-2009, 7:11 PM
Gunstocks are made on a duplicating maching using a pattern for the template. After a pattern is made, either custom or stock, the finished item is produced in the final wood.

Gary Hair
04-20-2009, 8:20 PM
Gunstocks are made on a duplicating maching using a pattern for the template. After a pattern is made, either custom or stock, the finished item is produced in the final wood.

That would make sense, make the pattern out of a less expensive piece of wood then make the "real thing" when you are sure everything is as it should be.

Gary

Angus Hines
04-20-2009, 9:19 PM
HDPF = Home Depot Pink Foam..... It's your friend.


That would make sense, make the pattern out of a less expensive piece of wood then make the "real thing" when you are sure everything is as it should be.

Gary

Conrad Fiore
04-21-2009, 11:37 AM
Here is a good link to see how a gun stock duplicator works.
http://www.wood-carver.com/moregunstock.html

With custom stocks, the idea is that you fit the template to the shooter using a rasp to remove material and Bondo to build up other areas. Once the template fits the shooter perfectly, the final stock can be cut in the expensive wood.

james mcgrew
04-21-2009, 5:13 PM
and on the other hand!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rlR6lsb_0g

Guy Mathews
04-21-2009, 6:56 PM
Basically it comes down to this. Yes, you can make gun stocks on a CNC. You can do it with only 3 axes or you can do it with a 4 axis machine. A tool changer that is capable of compensating for all bit offsets and getting everything just right will make the job a hell of lot easier.

The quality of the gun stock is going to be in direct relation to the quality of the the 3D model you are generating G-code from. If you are doing custom fit gun stocks as was mentioned a few post ago, then each custom fit stock is going to have to be digitized and reprogrammed.

Known factors such as barrel and trigger housing can be imported into the 3D model and used over and over again once they are established and proofed.

All tools that are used for cutting operations will have to be carefully monitored for bitware and resharpened bits will have to be taken into consideration when you cut pre-existing g-code.

There are about 100 other things that come into play before you cut your first gun stock on a CNC machine. Too many to mention.

Can it be done? Most definately. If you are making the same stock for the same model gun on a production run, CNC is the way to go.

If you are thinking about opening up a custom business where you make individual stocks to suit a clients gun, look at a duplicator like one from Gemini in the previous post.

CNC is not a magic do all at the push of a button. The human element is missing. That element has to be added into the program by a person that is familiar with CNC and the materials they cut. For example, I cut lots of custom furniture parts in various species of wood. I would be totally lost in a machine shop because metal cuts at different speeds then wood and different cutters are used.

If you are familiar with making guns stocks the old fashioned way, then a duplicator is for you. If you want to make hundreds of the same stock in a production run, then by all means CNC is the only way to go.

In my humble opinion, Conrad Fiore hit the nail on the head with his post.

Just my 2 cents...