doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com reinletting a finished stock

Years ago, I spent a lot of time looking for projects and bargains on gunbroker.
Now I am working more on projects and not looking so much. I had Covid
in January and while I was recovering, I moved a stock vise upstairs and inletted
while the family watched TV. I thought that was a pleasant evening pastime and
thought I would do that again. Years ago, I got this stock off of gunbroker, it had
been inletted and bedded and finished.




As you can imagine, the new action isn't going to drop right in and some inletting will have to be
done. My question is, what is the best way to protect the finish of the stock while I am doing the inletting?

Physdoc,
I suggest you pad the vice jaws and be especially watchful of the pistol grip coming into contact with the edges and corners of the vise (don't ask why I know this). I wouldn't hesitate to freshen up the finish anyway. My real advice is not to get too many projects ahead. I am in the position now that I have more than I can finish unless I live to be 120 years old.
Mike

Hi Mike

Yeah, I hear you on the projects, I've stopped acquiring projects, but I now have a 10 year old son. He is learning to work on things,
he and his sister are my best projects, smile. I hope someday, that he takes on projects, not to finish what I've started but to teach
his kids a good thing or two.

PhysDoc

I don't know if it's the best method, but blue painter's tape has worked for me.

If you don't already have a good pair of padded vice jaws, make a set of wooden jaws, and face them with saddle leather. Walnut stock scraps will work fine. The leather has just enough padding effect to protect a stock and just enough rigidity to hold firmly. I've found those commercial plastic jaws don't hold well.

Thanks for the advice, I wrapped the buttstock and forend with paper and then bubble wrap.
The inletting is done, though I want to add a stock pillar and some bedding. Here are some pictures.