doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Attaching butt extension, pls check me out on this

I'm planning to attach a butt extension on a stock that was cut off but has otherwise excellent dimensions for me. I really don't care it the wood grain doesn't match. My thought process is to make the joint as straight and tight as possible, use Brownell's Acraglas without the floc, and two long flat head wood screws to reinforce and hold everything together. I'd appreciate any perspectives on this plan. Anything you would do differently? How about using a 1/16" thick piece of ebony or whatever at the joint transition? Use dowels instead of the wood screws? Thanks in advance. Silvers

Silvers,use hardwood dowels and bar clamps. If no clamps you could use bike intertube. Place the extension on the but and drill through it and the stock at the same time. I would use at least three dowels as gluing end grain is not very strong. Hope this helps. Rich

I agree with dowels insted of screws. The wood dowels will grow and srink with the wood even though it may be very small movement from temp and moisture change.

I've done it with dowels and screws.(and epoxy, of course) You don't say how much you're adding. You can buy pieces of hard rubber from Brownell's, up to 1/2" or so.

Dowels and make the cuts on a table saw with a sled, you need a perfect cut. If you dye the epoxy go to the light side because when the glue wets the wood it tends to darken that area and that is the dark line you see. After that all you need is an artist to draw in the grain.
bill

If the thickness of the butt extension was at least 3/4" I would use biscuits, they are a football shaped hard wood connector that once glue is put to it swells and makes an unbelievable strong joint. If you know any wood workers, they ahould have one. The biscuits come in #20, #10, #0, and FF. Sizes range from 2 1/2" -1 1/8" long. A #10 or "0 would be right for this.
Actually with todays glues, how strong they are, you really don't need any mechanical fasterners. I've glued wood alone and broke it and it has never broken on the glue line. End grain will suck up more glue and is easily broken with the grain, but that is not the case here.

Most important thing is your cut, a sled is fine on a table saw so long as it is held down firmly and that you have the stock orientated to the blade and use at least a 60-80 tooth carbide blade and tape the area you are cutting. On a radial saw tape it also and now you will have to build a hold down to secure stock.
The cutting depth on a 80 tooth is I believe 1 1/2" in depth so you might be alright.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Thanks everyone for your replies. It's really nice to get the combined knowledge of the gents on this site. I try to reciprocate too.

The butt of the gun was cut off eons ago. Actually it is pretty square, just some minor fiddling to get a few high points off. It was cut off really, really short and a recoil pad installed. I am adding a 2-1/4" thick walnut spacer and a hard rubber butt plate = about a 2-1/2" extension to the existing butt. I've already cut the extension and squared off both ends on a Bridgeport mill. Right now I'm looking at using Acraglas and some dowels, still considering putting a 1/16" thick piece of ebony between the existing butt and the new walnut extension. I'll never get the grain to match so maybe I'll just make a clean transition line..... ???? Silvers

Ebony is a difficult wood to glue because of its natural oil content.

Frank, instead of epoxy use tite-bond (carpenters glue), epoxy or Acraglas makes dark line when it dries, the carpenters glue will not. Since you have access to a milling machine, try using a floating tenon instead of dowels as it will give you a stronger glue joint without any increase of weight.

Jim

I agree with james. Use the tenon method. Also agree with using carpenters glue instead of epoxy. Have used both. The line will show when epoxy is used and the wood moves because of humidity changes. Line not as noticable when using the yellow glue (really don't know why).