doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com English checkering

Looking for pictures or ideas of checkering cutter to cut
flat top checkering-i have used 60 deg cutters but
it not correct--any help would be appricated
Sydney

There is a small book called Gunsmithing simplified No 2 Woodworking by Kit Ravenshear that may help some. Don't know if still avaiable. If not then contact me by PM and we will see what can be done.

This might help you, at least I've used this method in the past. Lay out your total pattern using whatever spacing suits you I normal use 18 / 20 lines. Next just touch the lines with a 60 deg cutter sometimes I do it after the next step / both. To deepen the lines I bought several "hobby hack saws" 30 some teeth to the inch and run all the lines about 1/32" deep more or less. The blades on these saws are about 4" long so as you wear out the tip you can just grind it off to new teeth. Rather more time consuming but will give you very flat checkering, I like this style a lot. FWIW --- John Can.

John Can.
Do you have some pictures of both the results and what you mean by a hobby hacksaw? What I think of as a hacksaw would cut a very wide kerf.

I have some interest in trying this on a rifle myself (total rookie).

Thanks

Brent

Brent & Others; Ordinary hacksaw blades are indeed far too wide. Go to a hobby store (you where they sell stuff for the mini build folks - doll houses & mini furniture comes to mind). They should have very thin saw blades supported in a reinforcement bar and fitted with a handle. Dug 2 of mine out and the blades are 4.5" long, one has 32 teeth per inch and the other has 42 both are .010 thick.

I use the 60 deg. just too slightly deepen the spacer scribe lines and give more of a guide for the saw blade and then again to take off any sharp edges on the diamonds. By a light touch - I mean light. Should I want more than absolute flat I go a little deeper with the 60.

You will also find these little saws good for straightening out lines / laying out straight lines. If anyone needs, I could take a pic. and you could post it here, would need an email addy. --- John

Thanks a bunch for this info. If you email a picture (or several) to me at brentd@iastate.edu, I'll post it on this thread.

Brent

Thanks Brent - took a pic. of the saws and will forward.--- John

Here you go - John, I'd be happy to post pictures of the checkering too.

Thanks for the help--i will look for the blades and give
it a try
Sydney

I would very much like to see that.