Images on Gun Stock

[Dave Lock]

Hi all,

Just thought I would share these pics with you. Sorry about the quality, I took them on my phone.

I have been doing a few gun stocks as samples for customers to look at, hence the multiple images. I was doing this one this afternoon.

It's a stained and varnished stock and when lased the rastered area is very white.
I used Photgrav for the Fox and the Wolf and set too with various colours of wood stain and a small brush, followed up with some grain sealer and then some finishing oil.

http://lincs-hft-club.co.uk/forum/uploads/IMG2-1247522619.jpg

The Deer and the Tigers head was colour filled with some black paint and the horse was just stained with a dark stain.

http://lincs-hft-club.co.uk/forum/uploads/IMG2-1247522601.jpg


http://lincs-hft-club.co.uk/forum/uploads/IMG2-1247522576.jpg (http://lincs-hft-club.co.uk/forum/uploads/IMG2-1247522576.jpg)

I have done some images on oil finished walnut stocks and didn't need to use any stains. Just some stock oil and they were good to go.

As said, just thought I would share the spoils of my afternoon in the garage.

Regards

Dave.

Edit: I posted this on CNCzone as well.

[Steve Clarkson]

Very nice Dave!

[Dee Gallo]

Nice work, Dave! Have you shown these to any gun owners yet?

:) dee

[Dave Lock]

Thanks Steve, Dee.

I have a small Gun Shop over here and have various examples on display. Like everything else, plenty of lookers but not may takers at the moment.

I've done a few stocks for customers over the last 6-8 months, fox head, running wolf, shooting club logo's & names, that type of stuff. Also some trophies/plaque awards for various clubs and organizations.

I've not had the laser a year yet so it's early days, so I'm spending my spare time building up a portfolio of products in anticipation of any recovery.

I had a stroke of luck a few weeks back. I guy I know through the trade does gun reviews for a monthly shooting magazine. I suggested that the magazine does a feature on something different but still shooting related. He spoke to the editor and he agreed.
Needless to say I had the review done a couple of weeks ago and should be going to press any time now. Hopefully that will lead to some business.

The laser work will never run stand-alone but it's a great supplement to the core business, and it's great fun. It is very quite business wise though.

Regards

Dave.

[Anthony Scira]

Thats some way cool stuff !

If you have customers that are not so bright offer to do it for free just so they will have a reference of what they are supposed to shoot at ! :D

[Frank Corker]

Nice work there Dave, certainly gets a good wow factor from the photos.

[Dave Lock]

Thats some way cool stuff !

If you have customers that are not so bright offer to do it for free just so they will have a reference of what they are supposed to shoot at ! :D

:D:D:D


Nice work there Dave, certainly gets a good wow factor from the photos.


Cheers guys.

[bob perk]

nice "Lock work"

[Steven Wallace]

Dave here is a couple of pics of some work I have done recently.

[Steven Wallace]

My customer insisted on the engraving be done prior to his finish work being completed.

[Frank Corker]

Steve nice work on your gun stocks, I really wish you had taken better photographs of the second one to show us, these are a little on the small size. They do look good though. It's a shame he never let you give at least one thin coat of finish on there because it really does stop the wood hairs burning.

[Steve Clarkson]

Steven,

Very nice! Did you use a 3D driver on that? Love that little scroll pattern.......any chance you'd be willing to share that one?

[Dave Lock]

Hi Steve,

They look really nice.

I particularly like the scroll work.

On the pistol grip area with the stars, how did you deal with the curved surface? It's turned out really nice.

I also think that Stag will look awesome when the stock gets it's final finish.

Nice work.

Dave.

[Steven Wallace]

Frank, Sorry about the size but it was due to SMC posting limitations. I sent you larger pictures to your email. Feel free to comment once you see the larger ones. Thank you.

[Steven Wallace]

Thanks for the positive input. Attached is the file i used. I copied it out of the book "Gunstock Carving by Bill Janney" and then traced it in Corel. Just want to give credit to the originator of the pattern. You'll notice a single hairline pattern included. This is the same size as the scroll work. Use it to align the scroll work on your product by running it as a vector cut with the (epilog) lid open and red dot pointer on. Adjust the product position and repeat until your engraved image is where you want it. Then move the scroll pattern inside the line and move the line outside of the print area. Now you know where the scroll work will end up on your product. If you resize one, resize the other exactly the same. I hope this helps and lets you know how I got both sides to line up properly. If some one needs a different version (this was done on x3) let me know.

[Steven Wallace]

Dave on the stars in grip area I printed it on paper first and cut that out. I used that template to determine the location and how much curve I was going to have to deal with. I was only dealing with a top to bottom difference of about 4mm or 1/8th of an inch. What I did was aligned it to the top or highest point and then slightly raising the bed by bumping the up button 10 times. I don't know exactly what that changes the focus but I try and split the focus between the highest and lowest points. Hope that helps and explains what I did. Thanks for the positive comments. I truly like your work and wish you much success in attracting customers for your business.

[Steven Wallace]

Steve, I forgot to add that I did not comment but I forgot to comment on the use of the 3D setting. I only used the 3D setting for the animal images on the butt end of the stocks.

[Art Bianconi]

Work of such high quality demands better lighting and a better camera if it is to be properly represented.

As a general rule bas relief carving shows best with low ambient light and a slightly stronger side light.

Getting too close reduces the depth of field and risks parts of the work being out of focus, especially if you are shooting at an angle to the work.

I suggest you consider changing the lighting, standing back some and using a zoom lens or cropping the picture in Adobe Photo Shop or Print Shop Pro.

In an age of plastic, when so much is machine made, it's nice to see a well executed, distinctly human touch.

Thanks for sharing them. Seeing your work was a real treat!

Art

[Steve Clarkson]

Steve,

Really? You didn't do the star pattern in 3D? It sure looks like you did......it came out beautifully!

Thanks for posting that scroll pattern.....I really like it.....and now that I know you TRACED it.....I'm even more impressed!

Thanks again!