John Barraclough's method of holding gunstocks

John B.

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Tira.
The easy way to do this is to have the stock swing vertically.
This way, you sit "side saddle" and don't have to move out of the way as the stock swings.
To do this on the "cheap" here's the way.
Take a clear piece of 2x4 about 10 inches long.
Drill a hole through the flat side the dia. of a 3/4 inch pipe about 3 inches down from the end.
Between this hole and the end drill a hole through the middle of the "2 inch" side, a sliding fit for a 3/8" bolt.
Cut a slot from the top of the flat side above these holes and extend it about an inch below the pipe hole.
Put a pipe floor flange on the 5-6 inch 3/4" pipe nipple. Screw a block of wood to the floor flange.
Screw any small drill press vise to this wood block.
Put the pipe nipple through the hole in the flat siside of the 2x4.
Put a long 3/8" bolt through the other hole with large washers under the head and nut.
Tighten to close the slot on the pipe and adjust for the amount of swing and drag you want.
Put the bottom of the 2x4 into a regular machinists vise on a work bench.
As was suggested before, rig the stock between centers of a long alum. bar clamp.
They are cheap at Harbor Freight. Make some wood ends and cloth pad to hold the stock.
Now you can place the bar in the small drill press vise where you need it to be the center of rotation.
Sitting "side saddle" you can engrave in comfort.
This also works for long shotgun or rifle barrels or walking sticks.
I have a vise I made with proper bearings and drag adjustment to do this same thing.
When I get a little more skilled I will take a picture and post it.
But for now, this is a quick and dirty way to do the same thing.
Hope this is some help.
John B.


I forgot to mention the following.
For a shotgun or rifle barrel or anything like that I have a set of center points for the ends of the bar clamp.
That way, when cutting scroll or anything you can rotate the piece on two axis instead of chasing the design over the "hump."
This is not usually needed for initials in stock shields, however.
John B.
 
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