# A third Walnut Crotch



## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

This is the third walnut crotch I cut yesterday. The Lord has created alot of beauty for us to enjoy.

Have a Blessed day in Jesus's Love,
Tim


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## darty (Feb 1, 2009)

Tim that is some truly great looking wood. A question if you don't mind. Do you generally find better figure in crotches that are U shaped, or V shaped?


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## woodtick greg (Sep 12, 2011)

outstanding, b e a utifull stuff.:yes:


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

Oh boy, I'd have fun cutting gunstock blanks out of that one.:yes: Gary


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## Ibangwood (Feb 25, 2010)

Jealoussssss


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Darty,
Daren had pointed out in another post that the wider/U-shaped as a rule of thumb seem to have better patterns. the tighter the vees grow the more "trash" in them. I'm still new at this but it's 90% true.....10% anything can happen and is exceptioned. BUT I don't cull any and that's where the 10% find great things hidden. THANKS Daren:thumbsup:

Have a Blessed day in Jesus's Love,
Tim


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Homebody,

Those are cut @ 8 qtr, I've not yet cut @ 10 qtr for gun stocks. I'm getting more familiar with the growths and what lays where. I'm wanting to try a few if I could get some pointers on the size and parts that are desired.....how close or far regarding pithe??? can a stock be cut from the outskirting edge of pithe (not in the stock but was on the wasted part of cut??)

Always learning.

Have a Blessed day in Jesus's love,
Tim


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

I can help you a little bit Tim. 

For a rifle blank that is going to have a cheekpiece, 12/4 is much better and gives you more wiggle room. A 10/4 is kind of standard and will work if you know what you're doing though. 

I cut rifle blanks 35" X 8". Rectangular or tapered down to 3" or 4" toward the forend. The flow of the grain is more critical in a rifle stock than a 2-piece shotgun. The grain should flow upward through the grip, then as straight as possible toward the forend. You can see on your crotch where I put the red lines for a shotgun stock how I have the grain rising through the grip area. Straight grain under the rifles barrel makes for more stability and accuracy.

For a shotgun stock you need an 18" X 8" for a double barrel shotgun and a 16" X 8" for a gun like a Model 12 pump gun. A 10/4 slab is fine for a shotgun stock.

You can get away with slightly smaller dimensions than I listed above but I like having a little extra to work with. A 35" X 7" or a 18" X 7" is fine. A 35" X 6" would be pushing it for me.

You really don't want any pith or sapwood anywhere if you can help it. That pith has messed me up more than once.

I cut templates out of 3/16" clear plastic with the above dimensions. Then I lay the plastic on the slab and move it around until I find the best spot.

Lots more to it but I'm getting windy. I could write a book on this!

Hope this helps a bit. Maybe I should start a gunstock milling thread? Gary


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

I would like to see the gustock milling thread started.

Have a Blessed day in Jesus's Love,
Tim


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## PSDkevin (Dec 18, 2010)

+1 on the gun stock page


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## JohnK007 (Nov 14, 2009)

HomeBody said:


> Hope this helps a bit. Maybe I should start a gunstock milling thread? Gary


Yes you should Gary! :yes:


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## Jfore (Dec 26, 2010)

Awesome!


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

Just got back online after they accidently dug up my phone line.:thumbdown:

I'll be glad to start a thread on milling for gunstocks. Let me get my thoughts together, make an outline, and get some pics together first. I'm no expert but happy to share what I know. Gary


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