Doing up battered Smelly

Paid $300 for a 1917 BSA Mk III*. Have had some real fun getting it looking fairly right again.

Has had some grinding to the sides of the charger bridge and was missing its safety, and a prominent cheekpiece was installed, normal open rear sight missing. Very comfy on the cheek. Looks like it was used as a target rifle with a rear diopter sight.

Anyway the ugly 'Pterodactyl comb' cheek piece had to go, but as bubba had shaved the comb of the stock flat to mount it, I decided to leave most of it, reconstructing the back of the comb from the cheek pad rear and leaving a hint of sniper cheekpiece up front, IMHO prettier than a standard LE sniper cheek pad.

Cannibalised a shot out sporter for the bits. (Her "heart" is going to another project. So shot out I may need to buy some .32 bullets from shooternz).

Had fun with the wood at the right side of the receiver. What WAS bubba up to??? Anyway, removed the softwood inlay and filled up everything with walnut taken from a branch I trimmed off in the garden last year. Mistake: it's sapwood, not heartwood, so less grainy and harder to colour to look like the rest. Made up iron acetate wood stain from a steel wool pad and a glass of white vinegar together 36 hrs. Works a treat, but had to use some tea and furniture restorer colour pens too. Needs varnish.

Still need to bed the receiver / lugs but have a feeling she'll shoot straight with shooternz's 204-grainers on order.

Attachment 103252

What's the bore like?

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Originally Posted by Max Headroom

What's the bore like?

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Shiny lands and crisp edges, a bit thin nearer the muzzle and very pitted there which became apparent once I used the CU++ copper remover.

I went ahead and re-crowned the barrel with a round headed screw, valve grinding paste and a handheld drill, but what will matter is the test at the range. I'd hate to have to counterbore it.

Must say, whatever wood you have at hand, use that for filling gaps, don't use wood filler as it always looks like... wood filler. And even if you do get it to look good, you still know it's as fake as a Chinese Rolex.

Iron Acetate - white vinegar with a steel wool pad soaked in it for 36 hrs, applies like water, then after 5mins nice chestnut brown - the more penetration the better.
Attachment 103254

Test piece of sapwood walnut:
Attachment 103255

Work on top woods visible here. Rear top wood was split lengthwise (when I took it off!!!), a notch missing towards the rear inlet cut, and a lengthwise sliver missing from the left side (wood filler removed and replaced with sliver of wood, sanded flat).
Attachment 103256

Close up showing the pieces of walnut sapwood put in. I also drilled various holes and inserted bamboo kebab skewers for strength (I was preferring long coarse thread brass screws but Mitre 10 only selling gold colour plated steel ones - none of the expensive stuff any more, fair enough). Procedure of gluing is to wet both fitted pieces lightly with water, then apply Gorilla 3-Hour polyurethane glue to one and work them well together, clamping. Strong stuff, tended to leave overnight and not trust the "3-hour" promise. Sanded flat using a flat hard sanding block to keep truly flat and not round the corners.
Attachment 103257

The stays for the recoil lugs will be next. I wonder if I should try and source some oak, but walnut is pretty hard anyway. Anyway, with the Lee Enfields they are not really recoil lugs as the receiver is connected by the wrist to the shoulder stock - the whole lower forewood arrangement is more of a barrel resonance control thing, boffin magic at its best.

cordite -had a branch tear off our oak tree in tuesday nights storm -if youve got anyone in chch who can pick it up youre welcome to some pieces.

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Originally Posted by kotuku

cordite -had a branch tear off our oak tree in tuesday nights storm -if youve got anyone in chch who can pick it up youre welcome to some pieces.

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Thanks. Would a courier bag do? Just need one 1.5" disc from a thick part to be able to make harder bits from the core of that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cordite

Iron Acetate - white vinegar with a steel wool pad soaked in it for 36 hrs, applies like water, then after 5mins nice chestnut brown - the more penetration the better.
Attachment 103254

Test piece of sapwood walnut:
Attachment 103255

Work on top woods visible here. Rear top wood was split lengthwise (when I took it off!!!), a notch missing towards the rear inlet cut, and a lengthwise sliver missing from the left side (wood filler removed and replaced with sliver of wood, sanded flat).
Attachment 103256

Close up showing the pieces of walnut sapwood put in. I also drilled various holes and inserted bamboo kebab skewers for strength (I was preferring long coarse thread brass screws but Mitre 10 only selling gold colour plated steel ones - none of the expensive stuff any more, fair enough). Procedure of gluing is to wet both fitted pieces lightly with water, then apply Gorilla 3-Hour polyurethane glue to one and work them well together, clamping. Strong stuff, tended to leave overnight and not trust the "3-hour" promise. Sanded flat using a flat hard sanding block to keep truly flat and not round the corners.
Attachment 103257

The stays for the recoil lugs will be next. I wonder if I should try and source some oak, but walnut is pretty hard anyway. Anyway, with the Lee Enfields they are not really recoil lugs as the receiver is connected by the wrist to the shoulder stock - the whole lower forewood arrangement is more of a barrel resonance control thing, boffin magic at its best.

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My Mrs died a leather poof with Iron Acetate

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Originally Posted by Cordite

Thanks. Would a courier bag do? Just need one 1.5" disc from a thick part to be able to make harder bits from the core of that.

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Isn't the stock wood European Beech ??. I have one growing here and would gladly cut you a piece but I don't know how long it would take to season

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Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Isn't the stock wood European Beech ??. I have one growing here and would gladly cut you a piece but I don't know how long it would take to season

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Cheers for that but dont think it is necessary. Anyway I think Kotuku was talking of helping me get wood for the hard wee pads where the draws rest, not for stock in general.

You could well be right about the wood type used for the SMLE stock, I should have researched it as I cant tell by looking. ... But as I had a walnut piece it had to be a walnut stock... Just as when I have a hammer the problem must be a nail. O-:>

Re seasoning, less of an issue with small wood pieces, they dry out only too fast under the rafters in a zinc alume garage. I of course dont mind it splitting from drying too fast as I only need small chips. Would be a nightmare for someone wanting to turn a bowl out of a chunk of wood --they need it to dry extra slow, wrap it ito retard evaporation etc. Deep respect for guys who can make a whole gun stock!

At first glance I thought this was about deep fried billy goat pleased to see that it isn't. However if someone has a recipe and advice on how to get the stink out afterwards feel free to post.

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Originally Posted by Gibo

died a leather poof

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I'm intrigued.

Great music. Have to remember you can use the iron acetate to colour leather slings too. As long as there is tannin in the substance it will work, as that is what interacts with the iron acetate. You can pre-treat something with tea, dry it and then apply the iron acetate for better effect for that reason.

Attachment 103560

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gibo

a leather poof

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Is that a well-tanned faggot?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cordite

Thanks. Would a courier bag do? Just need one 1.5" disc from a thick part to be able to make harder bits from the core of that.

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pm me your details I have it sitting wrapped ready to go.-3pieces just in case .be aware its fesh off the tree.

Cheers @kotuku! Sending me that oak was very dense of you (-:. Great you sawed one a bit longer -- that one is now useful for pegs as well, not just the wee blocks.

Attachment 104103

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Originally Posted by Gibo

My Mrs died a leather poof with Iron Acetate

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Was that old Maca?

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Originally Posted by gundoc

Is that a well-tanned faggot?

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Yep I reckon it’s old Maca. Ha ha ha ha. Now you watch the old bugger get me back.

Attachment 104157

Oak of genus Oakus Gardenia Kotukuensis of 470 grammes green weight (noting it has already sat in the sunny window sill drying yesterday)... but about 42% g water content by weight green compared to oven dried weight is what I can read up on the web.

Given I will not get it lab oven dry but air dry equivalent, if I get it dried down to about 70% of its current weight, that shall count as sufficiently "dried" for it to to be dead and stable, and not go and change dimensions sometime after being whittled into shape.

Daughter was pleased to se the arse end of that branch.Has had her car less than a month and insurance job on the roof already when this landed across it.
made meself a mallet for the workshop out of another bit of branch too.DI Y recycling tightarse -must add that to the CV.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kotuku

Daughter was pleased to se the arse end of that branch.Has had her car less than a month and insurance job on the roof already when this landed across it.
made meself a mallet for the workshop out of another bit of branch too.DI Y recycling tightarse -must add that to the CV.

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Wrap your mallet up in cloth and store it to dry in a cool place. My slices have started to split from drying out in the window sill, as planned, but that would mess up your mallet.

cordite old bean -my son scaled that bloody oak tree today and took out a big mofo branch(thank christ cause its showing signs of rot).his safety harness a2.5 tonne strop , his log truck an xe falcon. his partner shakes her head -he goes"shit old man ,almost as good as you"
now lads if youve a kenworth log truck to spare and you want some oak ive got ,or did have before i was overwhelmed with homelite psychosis (typified by delusions of granduer"ima chainsaw and youre fucked)" and spent a delightful 30min chopping the thing up .
seriously there some good wood for any woodturners or like(if youre a CHCH local as waaaaay tooo heavy to post).ive mate a woodturner down on his luck so I some will go to him.
one part will become a handle for my stock whip!
feel free its here -just yodel and we can sort it out.

with apologies ot the late glen campbell "new world in the morning"
I just love the smell
of a two stroke in the evening
as it screams its way through branch and leaves and all.,
Idont need no lycra gymn gear with is little workout
just gettin down an dirty
makin it all ::so small!:P:omg::thumbsup::XD::psychotic::P

@kotuku I might be in the market for some bits for my stock project.
need to have a chat I reckon.

As a "reformed" wood turner, NZ oak has a tendency to split and warp badly unless dried out slowly something to do with how fast it grows here I believe. Painting the endgrain of logs and slabs with wax r waterbased varnish was what we used to do to slow it down even then their was some movement.

As a "reformed" wood turner, NZ oak has a tendency to split and warp badly unless dried out slowly something to do with how fast it grows here I believe. Painting the endgrain of logs and slabs with wax r waterbased varnish was what we used to do to slow it down even then their was some movement.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marty Henry

As a "reformed" wood turner, NZ oak has a tendency to split and warp badly unless dried out slowly something to do with how fast it grows here I believe. Painting the endgrain of logs and slabs with wax r waterbased varnish was what we used to do to slow it down even then their was some movement.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marty Henry

As a "reformed" wood turner, NZ oak has a tendency to split and warp badly unless dried out slowly something to do with how fast it grows here I believe. Painting the endgrain of logs and slabs with wax r waterbased varnish was what we used to do to slow it down even then their was some movement.

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There's a bit of clatter in your set-up.









(-:

smifficus old bean -bringya truck carcasse and a brew and takes ya lpick ol bean!
PS-the truck- -got me old "farmers trading co"battery charger out of the lockup and fastend it to the bloody battery(oops reversed terminals charge)-whooooooaaaaaaaaaaaafter 3/7days of long charging sessions got a very horny fully reversed charged 12 volter wanting to bite someone or somfing!!!
still it runs A 12V TAILLIGHT OR MY 12V IMPACT WRENCH SO ALL GOOD EH WHAT!!:ORLY::wtfsmilie::redbullsmiley::psychotic:: x_x::yaeh am not durnk:

Marty, i got a couple of oak stock blanks from an old mate who cut down a tree where i took the blanks, oiled the ends and put them in the back of the garage to slowly dry out and yes... sure enough over the past 8 years they've dried out and slightly warped but good to go.

I don't see myself turning them into rifle stocks anytime soon but your point is noted.