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All About Guns What's your weapon of choice, and why? Discuss the beloved speargun here!

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Old 03-20-2017, 01:11 AM   #16
manoa matt
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

From your cut off: Your grain is textbook quartersawn and the most dimensionally stable way of milling wood. The blank should stay straight. White Oak has traditionally been used for window and door sills for at least 300 years due to its strength, hardness, and resistance to rot. It appears some of it is spalted, but should not physically affect the gun in any way, mearly aesthetic. You may find after all the work on a good practice blank, it turns out better or as good as you intend for the final. Some practice blanks materialize into nice finished guns with years of service. That will be one strong gun, don't worry about the gaps between lams. The thickness of a glue or epoxy joint is somewhat dependent upon the surface finish, (how rough or smooth the glue surfaces are) but also on the wood species. Sometimes the as-sawn finish is sufficient, and provides a good "tooth" for the adhesive. Planing it to a glass smooth surface is, in most respects, not good. Most builders will roughen it up with 80 grit or lower prior to laminating. Something like Maple or Beach have very dense surfaces and don't abosorb adhesives well. Oak should be relatively open to accepting adhesives. You will have adhesive between the lams, but also leaching into each lam on each side of the bond line, and that is where it counts.
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Old 03-20-2017, 04:29 PM   #17
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

Hi Matt, thanks for the info. I do kind of like the colors from the spalting and was kind of hoping it might turn out fairly decent. We shall see... I did sand them with 60 but i think I would spend more time on it next round just to make sure. I broke my little cut piece with pliers and the wood broke before the epoxy so that is a good sign.


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Old 03-20-2017, 05:07 PM   #18
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

One thing that crossed my mind when I came across this thread again today... I didn't see you mention anywhere regarding filler. You are using filler, correct?
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Old 03-20-2017, 06:35 PM   #19
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

No filler, I did see people mention it in other threads but got the impression it was for laminating pieces with uneven surfaces. What do you recommend?


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Old 03-20-2017, 08:50 PM   #20
FreediveCA
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

Correct, it is used for gaps as well, however, for laminating I feel it is essential to creating a good strong bond. I use West System microfibers (403?).
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Old 03-20-2017, 08:52 PM   #21
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

Mix your epoxy then add the filler to create a mayonnaise consistency.
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Old 03-22-2017, 11:58 AM   #22
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

The reason for the uneven joints may be the clamping. With those point clamps, the force is centered in the middle of the blank. as opposed to the edges.

I use those Big Bar clamps and clamp a piece of straight steel on the outside of the blank to help further distribute the clamping forces.
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Old 03-22-2017, 12:11 PM   #23
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

Good thinking, I ordered some of the 403 microfiber that FreediveCA recommended, that comes in today. I have some more mahogany left, I think i will do some trial runs with that and play with the clamps, see how they turn out. Thanks guys.


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Old 03-23-2017, 09:01 PM   #24
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

My wife had a hair appointment this afternoon, perfect opportunity. I cut my last piece of mahogany to make 3 x .5 inch think lams 3.5 inches wide. I made them wide so when/if they bow i can still get a full 2.5 inch width for the top of my T. I made 3 so hopefully 1 will be fairly straight.



Here is the full piece before cutting on the table saw. Its some unruly looking grain.



I picked up some of the 403 microfiber, hopefully this weekend I can do some practice epoxy with some short pieces i cut. I also marked all the lams with their deviation from straight so i can track their movement. The rotary planer i set up did not like the mahogany but i was able to get it done. Slow going without all the appropriate tools, but its still fun.



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Old 03-24-2017, 11:10 AM   #25
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

when u add microfiber u should mix more epoxy ,I used to mix 200-280 mL for my 6 laminates but once I mixed the 403 it became very thick not easy to spread ,good I did it in winter so I had time to mix some more epoxy for remaining pieces .
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Old 03-24-2017, 12:47 PM   #26
FreediveCA
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

Love when the wife says she has an appointment. That's when you start making some real progress.

Be sure to use your straightest piece in the center.
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Old 03-24-2017, 12:53 PM   #27
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

Doyen, would you say double the recipe?

Freedive, thanks for the tip, I found one VERY straight piece, that will go in the middle.


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Old 03-25-2017, 01:35 AM   #28
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

.estimation is difficult ,working with epoxy without microfiber is very easy just use brush to to spread in both side like you apply paint but make it thick it become difficult and need more like (1.3-1.5) .
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Old 03-25-2017, 10:34 PM   #29
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

I had some time this evening to play with epoxy and microfibers. I had cut a bunch of left over white oak and mahogany lams into small pieces a few days ago. I now have four small blanks in the clamps.



I mixed 2 separate cups, one with and one without the 403. First a coat without than a coat with the fiber, I believe that is west system's preferred method. I started with less filler and added a little more for each one. The third one I feel had the best consistency. By the time I got to the fourth the cups were very hot and there was a hocky puck forming. I scraped out what i could and got it on. Not good, but I will be curious to test its strength.
This is a picture of the straight edge i am using. Aluminum tubing from my landscaping days, 2" x 4".






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Old 03-27-2017, 08:46 PM   #30
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Re: First gun build, thoughts and pics

Took my practice pieces out of the clamps.



Just in the nick of time i found a Reliant 6" jointer on craigslist for $200. I picked it up tonight but don't have time to run a piece through. Its in great shape, I am really looking forward to seeing how it performs.


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