Gun Stock Engraving Question

[Wolf Nitsch]

WOW. What a great site. I got into this site a couple days ago and have learned more since that time than I have in the last year of laser engraving(yep new with laser engraving as well). I hope I can help others out as well, but today I need the help. I'm finding my computer skills continue to keep hindering my laser projects and this gun stock is no different. Anyone else have the computer standing in the way????:D:confused:

I'm trying to checker a rifle stock for a friend just above the trigger guard, the ususal type of checkering you find there on most rifles. Anyway I have drawn the borderlines but now I need to fill it in with a diamond or triangle pattern. There is no where in the corel draw directions that seem to adress how to fill the border diagram which has your basic V notch and then curves from just above the trigger guard toward the back of the stock . Can anyone help me with this.

I also have another friend who would like pistol grips done with a barbed wire border but I'm becoming afraid to tackle that project after coming into this rifle stock problem. Anyway thanks in advance for any help on this and please use basic computer language with any replies as you can tell computers are not always my friend. Thanks.

Wolf

[Stephen Beckham]

Wolf,

The way I did it was to draw vector lines to form a BIG square of diamonds - larger than any shape I'd want to cut. Then when I need to do a gun, I free hand or somehow make a shape of the desired location - say kidney shaped to go on the pistol grip. Using the LENS tool, I lay the kidney shape over my vector grid of diamonds, use the TRANSPARENCY tool, click both frozen and remove face and APPLY.

Now when you pick up the kidney shape, it will have the diamonds as part of it. I then vector cut the stock. I like the vector mode better than raster because no matter what kind of wood the stock is made out of, you'll get a darken line from it. The key is to lay your diamond lines out every other line going the opposite direction. It will cut down on the laser time flip-flopping versus going back to a similar start point each time.

Another advantage of the vector on stocks is that it's usually hard to get a stock to lay still since they're rounded. The raster mode will rock it more than the straight line vector cuts...

Is that clear as mud? IF not - let me know and I'll look up my vector line template when I go back to the office and upload it...

[Mike Null]

Once you draw your outline go to the fill tool flyout, select ps fill, select cross hatching, play with changing the line weight and frequency until you find what you want. It is adjustable.

I think there may be a barbed wire border in Roy Brewer's tutorials on his Engraving Concepts web site.

[Wolf Nitsch]

Steve and Mike,

Thanks for the information. I will give each a try. I have been restling with this for a while now so I can't tell you how much I appreciate both you helping. Will let you know within the next couple of days if I made progress.

Wolf

[Kevin L. Waldron]

Universal laser has done a lot of gun files if you can talk someone at Universal into giving them to you.

Once the pattern is established you simple need to powerclip into the shape that you want the engraving pattern to go into. It's really simple once you have done several and most of the shapes don't change that much from gun to gun.

The other thing that I have found difficult is to make jigs to hold the stocks in a parrell line with the laser head while on the rotary. Acrylic or other plastic works well for jigs but still best to work with test junk stocks first.

Pistols grips are pretty simple we have made a small sand box for placing in the laser. The sand makes it easy to adjust height and placement with out having to use a rotary or making a custom jig if you have the spot red diode.

Kevin Waldron

[Bruce Volden]

I will add to this topic. I always "proof" the engraving and placement using
blue painters tape. I have a 35W I run @ hi speed lo power over the tape, if all is good send a slower more power file and burn thru the tape. There are lotsa neat things you can do with gunstocks that bring good money!!

Bruce

[Dee Gallo]

Universal laser has done a lot of gun files if you can talk someone at Universal into giving them to you.

Once the pattern is established you simple need to powerclip into the shape that you want the engraving pattern to go into. It's really simple once you have done several and most of the shapes don't change that much from gun to gun.

The other thing that I have found difficult is to make jigs to hold the stocks in a parrell line with the laser head while on the rotary. Acrylic or other plastic works well for jigs but still best to work with test junk stocks first.

Pistols grips are pretty simple we have made a small sand box for placing in the laser. The sand makes it easy to adjust height and placement with out having to use a rotary or making a custom jig if you have the spot red diode.

Kevin Waldron

OOOOH! I love the sandbox idea - thanks!

[Mike Mackenzie]

Wolf,

Do a search for 3D engraving I explained how to create this type of pattern using Corel.

Here is a picture of one we just did.

[Wolf Nitsch]

Great idea. Thank you.

Wolf

[Wolf Nitsch]

So many great ideas. Thank you everyone. I think we are making progress on this. Hopefully I can post some excellent pictures like we have seen on this post.

[Aleta Allen]

Does anyone know a good source for buying blank stocks? I have a couple people wanting some, but I never found a good place to get them.

I also like the sand idea! Thanks!

Thanks,:)

Aleta

[Kevin L. Waldron]

For gun stocks try http://www.rifle-stocks.com/

Sorry this works just tried it.

Kevin

[AL Ursich]

No go.:D

AL

[Kevin L. Waldron]

Edited earlier post web site is now correct.

Kevin

[David Darnell]

Just a thought- this is coming from a guy who doesn't own a laser (yet).

You might consider doing a presentation type of stock in a wood that will allow you to truly showcase the capabilitys of your laser. Just off the top of my head I'd assume something along the lines of Maple, or a lighter shade of Walnut. Then I'd see if you couldn't "show it off" to any local gunsmiths and either work out a deal with them to do the stocks, or have them recommend you for custom jobs

[James Fowler]

Aleta

You can also order them from Cabela's, Bass Pro, and Gander Mountain.

V/R

Jamie

[James Fowler]

Wolf

Here are a couple of files from Peck Sidara at Epilog.

V/R

Jamie