Walnut Stock Spacer

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Walnut Stock Spacer

Post by MarkW » 21 Nov 2020, 9:43 pm

Hi
I need to increase my stock length and am looking to machine a 15mm thick timber spacer between stock and recoil pad to achieve this. I would like to produce this out of American Black Walnut, the same as the stock. I'm not looking to match the stock perfectly as considering the wood variations this would be near on impossible to source but a close match would be fine. In any case using timber does pose an issue or two;
Sourcing American Black Walnut in a suitable thickness. Most suppliers of timber have Walnut sized for flooring and looks nothing like the timber used in my stock; and
Using timber in a wafer thin spacer with the grain running in the short length direction (to match the stock). When tightening the recoil pad screws, I am reasonably certain that the load may crack the spacer. Is there some sort of chemical hardener which could be used to strengthen the spacer.

Thanks for any advice

Mark
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Re: Walnut Stock Spacer

Post by cleger » 22 Nov 2020, 3:04 am

I can't help with sourcing the walnut, but I'd imagine that if you got a little creative, you'd find a piece... maybe from a stock maker, or a specialty wood-working shop.

Walnut is pretty hard and stable. You shouldn't need any "hardener." Assuming the existing stock is straight and true at the butt, I'd simply sand the spacer on a plate (e.g. tape new sandpaper to a kitchen counter top) and then glue the pre-shaped, slightly oversize spacer to the stock with good glue like Titebond. The result will be very strong - about as strong as the rest of the stock.

Consider that the lines of the stock diverge. You'll need a new pad as well; the existing one will be a bit too small after you've added your spacer. The upshot is that you'll be able to do the final shaping of the spacer and pad at once.

Walnut will split like any wood, but if you drill your recoil pad screw holes carefully, you shouldn't have a problem. If the screws are long enough, you could even drill the holes in the spacer slightly oversized for those 15mm, if you're still worried about splitting. Plug the existing holes before affixing the spacer, and drill new ones with a sharp bit of the correct size when fitting your new pad. Recoil pad screws don't really need to be very tight - just "hand tight."

That said, I wouldn't use walnut! :lol:

You're right when you say getting a good match will be difficult. Why not use some black plastic, like the base (I assume) of your pad? The result is likely to be more aesthetic. Or if your stock has an "ebony" forend tip, you could use a piece of ebonised [any species of wood].

Whatever this spacer material is, it looks better to me than would nearly-but-not-quite-matched walnut.
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Re: Walnut Stock Spacer

Post by Larry » 22 Nov 2020, 8:46 am

I tend to agree with cleger that it would look better using a contrasting piece of material rather than trying to match a piece of wood to the existing. I think you will really struggle to get a matching piece that will look like it belongs. I would go the ebony route or even a bit of brass or Stainless steel.
To harden the wood if you do go that way super glue is used for that purpose the cryo type.
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Re: Walnut Stock Spacer

Post by MarkW » 22 Nov 2020, 1:03 pm

Thanks for the advice.

Mark
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