From: gale mcmillan <gale@mcmfamily.com>
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: checkering
Date: 14 Jul 1997 08:21:58 -0400

Kevin Sedota wrote:
#
# Are there tools available to help cutting the checkering into a stock.
# I'm looking for something that will help me in cutting the wood. I'm not
# interested in any press imprinting solutions.
#
# thanks
#
# Kevin sedota

Though I haven't checkered a stock in a good many years( I don't get a
call to checker many fiberglass stocks) I will try to answer this so if
I give out dated methods I am sure someone will bring me up to date.
You can buy a machine attachment that hooks on a flex shaft of a   die
grinder that will do a factory quality job if you do the layout
properly.  You will have to do the layout and put the first line on with
a single point checkering file.Then you run the guide in the grove you
filed and the cutter wheel cuts a grove next to it.The trick is to
figure what speed to move the cutter to get the right cut. You repeat
this process until you have covered the pattern and then you file the
borders in by hand.  Or you can buy a set of checkering files and a
cradle and spend as much time as you can afford practicing till you feel
you are ready to risk your stock. By the time you buy all the tools and
calculate the dollar cost of your time in practice plus the jobs you
will do that you won't want to show anyone you can look up some one who
has a name, talk him into accepting the job, pick out your pattern and
sit back and wait what you will feel is forever and end up with a stock
you will be proud of.and come out spending a lot less money.  If you
just plan on one job having it done is the way to go. If you want to
learn so you can be the one that people come to then don't let me
discourage you. you can get what you need from any gunsmith supply house
like Brounells. and you can get how to in any old gunsmith book

Gale McMillan