need some advice on a cut (bandsaw? scroll-saw?)

harmoniums

Hi, I've got an old mauser military bolt action rifle that I have installed a modern scope on for longer range shooting, unfortunately I need to add a "comb riser" to get my eye up to the correct level.

the comb is the section of the stock you rest your cheek against.

what I want to do is something like this:



I have all the riser hardware and am trying to figure the best way to cut the comb out of the stock.
The kerf (sic?) should be as narrow as possible and the long straight bottom cut needs to be parallel to the top of the stock.

A scroll saw could be used, but I've never seen one with a fence that you could set up for parallel cuts.

The band saw I have access to has a fence that I could use to make sure my bottom cut is parallel, but I'm concerned about the radiused corners, whats the thinest most TPI saw blade that I could find?


PS, I know some folks have visceral reactions to firearms, if it helps modulate that reaction, this rifle is only used to punch 8mm holes in paper at distance, I won't be using it for hunting or anything contentious.


thanks in advance!

Carlow52

the curves/kerf wont be an issue if u get the right blade. I presume u can take the stock off the weapon.

Given that you only get one shot at this, I would suggest you think about fixing the stock to what some folk call a sled, or sleigh, so as the stock is 100% // to the table of the band saw: the sled could be say 12 mm mdf and will be consumed when the cut is made. u may find the words sacraficial piece or sled written when u research this

The next thing I would do is make template of the piece u want to cut out and you then use it against a small roller/pin set on the table so as u just follow the line and most importantly the template/pin setup will not allow u cut too deep.

There are plenty of videos on u tube and some ww forums to show what I mean

The roller/pin may be on a piece of say 16 mm mdf which is clamped to the saw table.

As I said already the key idea is to fix the stock to something rigid and flat

harmoniums

Great idea.

heres the rifle:

CIMG0108 by harmoniums, on Flickr

See the silver coloured butt plate? If I unscrew it, that the stock has a flat surface to mate with it, I can also screw into the holes used to affix the plate
So I get say a 1ft by 6 inch piece of mdf with two edges square and attach a riser to it on side to form an "L", I could then screw through the riser into the butt and have the stock now securely attached to the mdf "sled".
This would keep everything plumb, and I'd have a straight edge to press against
fence whilst doing the long parallel cut.

'

slowburner

harmoniums wrote: »

Hi, I've got an old mauser military bolt action rifle that I have installed a modern scope on for longer range shooting, unfortunately I need to add a "comb riser" to get my eye up to the correct level.

the comb is the section of the stock you rest your cheek against.

what I want to do is something like this:



I have all the riser hardware and am trying to figure the best way to cut the comb out of the stock.
The kerf (sic?) should be as narrow as possible and the long straight bottom cut needs to be parallel to the top of the stock.

A scroll saw could be used, but I've never seen one with a fence that you could set up for parallel cuts.

The band saw I have access to has a fence that I could use to make sure my bottom cut is parallel, but I'm concerned about the radiused corners, whats the thinest most TPI saw blade that I could find?


PS, I know some folks have visceral reactions to firearms, if it helps modulate that reaction, this rifle is only used to punch 8mm holes in paper at distance, I won't be using it for hunting or anything contentious.


thanks in advance!

Re. kerf thickness.
It all depends on the saw. The bigger the saw, the thicker the blade and so the wider the kerf. On the smaller band saws the blade thickness is usually 0.65 mm.
Well set up, tensioned and with a new blade you could probably expect a kerf of 1 to 1.5mm or so.
I would definitely use the band saw rather than the scroll saw because there is no real guarantee of a square cut on a scroll saw.

Double Barrel

harmoniums,

Alignment is more important than the actual cut in my opinion.
I like to use a sled (a purpose built jig for the cut and drilling the holes) as Carlow suggests. You only get one shot at it.

You can get by with a 1" X , (or other size as needed), board, secured to the butt, using the butt pad screw holes. That will keep it level, if you set it up level to start with, from heel to toe. Then tape a shim under the front end to keep it level in that direction. Using that board and the shim riding on a jig or sled table of the band saw, will keep things true. Do a trial cut run through, making sure that neither will "drop off the table" at any point in the cutting process.

Tape off the area where the cut is going to be made, to keep from splintering and chipping the finish as the blade cuts. Lay out the cut as desired, checking first for clearances all around.
Also, check the projected back, butt end, of the cut, for the butt pad screw, you don't want to cut into that Bring that cut up and back out the top, well ahead of that screw hole.

Be very careful in setting up and keeping the holes for the pillars lined up properly. If they are off, they won't fit, or work properly (slide up and down).

Sand and stain/finish the cut surfaces.

Good luck.

http://home.comcast.net/~scot_for_sale/guns/comb/index.html

Karsten Adjustable Cheek Piece

http://www.snipercentral.com/karsten.htm

slowburner

Not going of topic I hope, but what is the purpose of the adjustable comb?

Double Barrel

SB
An adjustable comb on a shotgun or rifle will let the shooter infinitely adjust head placement to get the best fit for any type of shooting . . . rifle position shooting, changing between scopes and iron sights, or using a shotgun for both field and target,trap skeet sporting, shooting. Allows comb to adjust four ways: up, down, plus left and right. Comb height is adjusted by sleeves inlet into the cut-off top of the comb, and locked with set screws through side of stock. Left and right adjustment is provided by posts sliding in milled slots in the base plate and locked with set screws.