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Making a woody

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Thats an impressive gun Tin man, I've played around with CF before and its really not easy to get such a good finish, well done.

Have you got any woody guns that I could have a look at?

How much of the shark fin should protrude through the top of the guide?
 
The fin needs to stick up enough to catch the dynema wishbone, some folk use 3mm, some 2mm but you really need to build a soft wood model as a simple design mistake can be difficult to fix.
The issue is - you want the top of the enclosed track to be as thick as possible to avoid spear breakouts but thin enough for the fin to catch the wishbone, I don't see how you are going to do this without a spear, dynema & a model?
Obversely once you have built a few guns you get the feel for things but as this is your first & you have decided on a quite difficult design you will have to take care.
Oak can be pretty heavy & dense so you might even have issues from the start if you shape it to much?
I am sure it will all come good & I dont want to negative sorry if it comes across that way
can you post some pics of what you have so far?
 
Yep I'll post some pics of my blank (which will come out of the clamps tomorrow) and of the design prototype to give you an idea of what sort of gun design I'm thinking of.

You're right about going straight to a harder design but thats the way I work. I'm confident that with the tips you guys are giving me it will hopefully prevent me from making any big mistakes.

I'm speaking to the guys at neptronics about parts and won't start routing until I have them. What is the dynema?

I have plenty of other things to do like make the handle while I wait for the parts to come in.

Keep the info coming guys, your a huge help
 
You could buy a track from neptronics, I have built a couple of guns using their track - works great & will aviod the issues I have been try to put through.
 

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Thats for the sketch foxfish, I get what your saying.

Below are some pics of the blank I've just dressed and of the shape I'm looking at (just twice as long).
 

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I'm thinking of using shapelock for the handle but it says that it melts at 60 degrees celsius. Leaving the gun in the car during summer will cause the hancle to melt won't it?
 
I've used Shapelock for a number of handles, and I have had no problems with them softening on my aluminum boat on hot summer days. I don't know if anyone who has had a problem with them in car trunks, but I suppose it could be possible.
 
Is there any chance you might have a dwg drawing on a handle that I can use. I might have a go at making one out of Alu and timber sides and use your idea of moticing it into the shaft with pins.
 
But making a shaped wooden handle is the best part of gun building!!
Laminate up about 30 - 40 bi colored veneers & shape away

When I have used Polymorf for handles I have then covered them in carbon, now that is a challenge LOL
 
DANger-is said:
Is there any chance you might have a dwg drawing on a handle that I can use. I might have a go at making one out of Alu and timber sides and use your idea of moticing it into the shaft with pins.
Click to expand...

I don't think I have exactly what you're looking for, but PM me your email address and I can send you a few files to start with.
 
Reactions: foxfish
Dont put wings or side rails on a reef gun. Those are for huge tuna guns.
It is unnecessary on guns with less than 4 bands, and they make the gun considerably less hydrodynamic in the water.
I just got through cutting the wings off an old gun of mine last weekend.
that thing was like hunting with an oar.
 
Got ya

I've ended up with a blank 60mm wide and 40mm high.

I'm just at the stage of deciding weather to buy my first gun and make my woody after finding my style or making it now.

Decisions, decisions
 
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