GunLab (KnownHost) » wood working

Saving a log from the fire pit.

Chuck — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 08:00:17 +0000

A while back I was a construction site where they were removing a number of trees. One of them in particular was a large and fairly straight Mesquite tree. The guys were going to cut it up for fire wood and that just kind of pushed the wrong buttons for me. After a little chatting with the superintend I convince him to let me have it.

This is the log and a few of the limbs.

After some clean up this is what I was left with.

The scrap was turn into mulch.

A quick trip to the saw mill left me with some beautiful slabs.

It is all back home.

and stored for an upcoming project.

It will be stored for a year to air dry out the sun and rain and then it will be kiln dried to the proper moisture content. I cut these slabs at 2 1/2 inches for stocks and to be able to re-saw for a few other projects.

A short video of the process.

Another project from Axel, the Pimp pistol

Chuck — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 08:00:54 +0000

CZ82 slim (pimp) grip exercise

While waiting for obtaining an inexpensive used Glock (geez – price tag, my only complaint about Glocks) for my first real gun project here, I was thinking about thinner grigs for the CZ82.

Well, on my last trip to J&G sales (see my previous post) I somehow couldn’t resist and get me one of their CZ82 special offers as well. It was a “multiple handgun sale” anyway (report to ATF), so what.

They are actually very interesting guns . Chuck from gun lab here – initially pointed out to them.

The way they lock down the trigger guard for disassembly is far better than on the Walther PP(K), Makarov etc. guns. The trigger pull on several guns I tried before selecting mine, felt better than on any Walther, Makarov or FEG variant I’ve tried so far.

But somehow they appeared too big and chunky for what they are. And main factor here are the grip panels which are fatter/bulkier than technically necessary. They fit my mid-size hands perfectly but for a concealed carry gun or smaller hands they aren’t the best choice.

So as an intermediate project it started like this.

PIC A + B

Meant to be done “on the quick” with just some left over material that was laying around. But like many side projects it became more time-consumings as initially intended. And getting impatient I just used some JB Weld to fill some gaps here and there…

Well, at least put some masking tape one the frame before. Cause that JB stuff sticks like crazy to the metal and the result looks like this.

PIC C

So I had to pry out the left grip panel (never leave the magazine in) and partially redo it.

For removing the JB weld remains you can best use (aside from heat) vinegar. You have to let it soak in and best remove it with your fingernail (piece of hard wood etc. would work as well), didn’t affect the paint/enamel on the gun. But you gotta pay for your mistakes one way or the other.

PIC D

But the result was worth it IMO. And esp. for a 99 cent paint from Home Depot.

PIC E + F

And isn’t it great if you have a well assorted reference collection within reach to pull some guns for comparison?!

PIC G

The total width (grips) for:

CZ82: 32.7 – 33.3mm

Walther PPK: 24.5mm

Makarov: 27.6mm

RK 59: 29.35mm

P-64: 26.6mm

CZ82 slim grip: 25.4mm / 1in

So only the Walther PPK is 0.9mm / 0.0354in slimmer than those CZ82 white grips.

Which now makes the double-stack (12rd) CZ82 not bigger/bulkier than a single stack (8rd)Makarov.

PIC H

And the white color – considered as “pimp style” by some folks here? Well, there was no inexpensive pearlescent paint available …

Never argue with a saws all

Chuck — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 08:00:13 +0000

Not everything always goes as planed. While taking the cabinets down at the school I needed to use a saws all to cut the particle board from the top and bottom of the cabinets. The way the cabinets were installed was to hang then on a rail then screw them to the wall and each other. Once they were hung they then glued and screwed the top and bottom boards on. The only way to remove the cabinets was to saw them apart at every cabinet. I managed to get through 3 of the class rooms with out a problem, but 1/2 way through the 4 class room there was a hard backing that did not exist in the other rooms. When I hit it the saws all jumped back in my hand and got me.

Eleven stitches later on my finger and cut the bone. The school nurse about had a heart attack when I asked for a band aid. Drove to the emergency room, about 1/2 hour or so, and got stitches. Then went back and took the rest of the cabinets down then went to work and did 12 hours.

The moral of the story.

Don’t use a saws all when you are real tired.

Working on the VG1-5 stock

Chuck — Mon, 02 Jan 2017 08:00:32 +0000

With the router table completed, for the most part, we started working on the stocks for the VG1-5 rifle. This video takes the stock from a rough sawed pattern to the finished dimensional stock.

To complete this task we used two different router bits. The first bit

being a bearing guided bit that rides on the pattern that was made in the shop, by Axel,

and the second one is a bearing guided bit that runs across the stock.

This is a video of the process to make the stock.

With this step completed the next set of holes will be drilled on the drill press and then the stocks will be fitted to the individual rifles.

The usual weekend update

Chuck — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 08:00:39 +0000

Another weekend has come and gone. I just do not know where the time goes anymore. The weekend ends seem to take forever to get here and in a flash they are gone.

There were two main projects that I needed to complete this weekend. The first is re-work and finish up the router table. The second was to finish the siding and roof of the fab shop addition.

This post will deal with the router table.

I started out with the table looking like this.

There is only a miter track and a piece of scrap lumber for a fence. In addition there is no dust collector system on the router table.

Installing the dust collector parts.

Now for the new fence.

With the new Table fence and tee slot/miter slot added

Just a quick video of everything.

Part 1 on making the stocks for the VG1-5

Chuck — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 08:00:47 +0000

This last weekend I started making the stocks for the VG1-5. This is a multi step process in which the basic board is measured, have the edge squared, re-sawed, planed,and generally set up to then make the stock.

This is the video for part one.

So I am starting with this.

And end up with the blanks ready to cut into stock blanks.

Happy Thanksgiving from Gun Lab

Chuck — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 08:00:53 +0000

Here at gun Lab a terrific day was had. My wife cooked an outstanding meal using her new and almost completed kitchen. There was ham,turkey,stuffing,potatoes,and all the necessary fixings to go with them. Friends and family were her to enjoy the meal.

As for myself The day off was perfect. I was able to get the fluting press working, I have completed the first few ops on making the stocks for the VG1-5 using my new router table and the chamber issue with the Vg1-5 barrel was solved. A really good day.

I hope all of you enjoyed the day as much as I did.

More work on the Router table

Chuck — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 08:00:20 +0000

Another weekend has come and gone. They always seem to go to fast and I never seem to get enough completed before Sunday night arrives.

Getting closer to finishing the router table project and on the making the stocks for the VG1-5. I did manage to get the the router lifting table installed.

Using a pattern that was affixed to the table top with double sided tape.

Then a couple of passes was made with a plunge router to cut out the starting opening. With the basic hole cut it was time to use a jig saw to cut out the rest of the hole. The final result is that it is now mounted.

Getting closer to completion.

More on the Router table

Chuck — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 08:00:08 +0000

Another busy weekend here at Gun Lab. I did manage to get some time to work on the router table. The work that was accomplished was on the table top for the router table.

The first thing was cut the slots for the biscuits. This was accomplished in both the table top and the oak moulding. The tool that was use was a Porter-Cable.

It made quick work of it.

Then the biscuits were glued in and everything was clamped together.

After drying the next step was to add the veneer. This task did not go as smoothly as it should have.

Starting with a full sheet it was cut with scissors over sized. Then coating both the veneer and the table top with contact cement it was carefully placed in position, or not.

This is the results of the first try.

The second try got it down.

After it was installed the edges were trimmed off using a trimming router bit.

You can see the ball bearing on the top of the tool. This allows it to ride against the oak edging while cutting away the veneer and not cut into the table.

After the veneer was set then came cutting the slots. Using a series of router bits we were able to gut the guide slots and the backing guide slots.Plunge router with a 1″ bit for cutting the guide slots

All in all it turn out not half bad.

Next weekend I will be installing the router lifting mechanism.

It was a good weekend and I got to try and do new tools and methods. First time with a plunge router. First time doing veneer. First time using biscuits.

Part 2 of the weekend work fest

Chuck — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 08:00:07 +0000

While Axel worked on the pattern for the stock more was accomplished on the router table.

All the drawers have been finished and the top has been glued together, marked out and the moulding cut and fitted. I would have finished the moulding up gut my disk sander

gave it up.

With no new pads we had to wait until Monday to buy some new pads.

I wanted 100 grit but all Harbor Freight had was 120.

Got two of them from the wood working store. 100 grit.

I really want to finish this project so I can get on to making the stocks.