More going on at Gun Lab

With this post I am happy to note that Axel, a friend of gun lab, is back for a visit and as always we put him back to work. And unlike what most people think of me we did actually allow him some time off to go to the local gun show and stores.

This post is about the continuing work that is being done on the VG1-5.

This weekend was spent working on a number of projects by different people and in different shops.

Axel spent most of his time working on making a stock pattern for the rough cut and the finish router work.

Before I go into great detail on making the stock pattern I have to stress that some people just do not like to change there ways. We have a rather complete machine and wood working shop. So when you see the method that the pattern was make it is all Axel.

It started with a wood blank that was roughed out on the old stock fixture plate.

This a really scary fixture to use with a 3/4 horse power router especially toward the grip of the stock. Even though there is a bearing riding against the fixture

it was still an interesting experience.

Axel took the rough shaped stock and fitted it to our test rifle.

A close up of the fit up.

Then it was off to make a pattern that would make the same thing over and over but still allow for the minor differences that we are going to encounter.

Now this is the point where German stubbornness comes into play. We will just go back to the fact that we do have a couple of nice work shops and in the saw room is a really nice band saw.

Did I mention that this tool works great on cutting Aluminum?

He did it the old fashion way  and when you don’t have much in the line of tools you use what you have and become expert with them. This is what Axel did.

He started by attaching the stock to the aluminum plate with the two stock screws and then a third point on the stock to firmly hold the blank to the plate.

He then marked out the stock out line.

Then he went to the drill press and drilled about a thousand holes,that may be a little exaggerated, but the number is close.

Then he put the stock that he previously fitted to the rifle and and spent quite a bit of time, between guns shows and gun store visits, and files everything away that did not look like the stock.

When it was all said and over this is what it looked like.

So now the new process for making the stock will be to lay out the stock with the aluminum pattern, cut the stock out with the wood shop band saw.

Then using the pattern cut the shape out on the router table using a straight cutter with a ball bearing guide.

After the shape is cut out go back in with a radius cutter to cut the couture.

The final set will be to plug the third hole with a wooden dowel.

Many thanks to Axel for his help this last weekend and we are a step closer to getting done.