Local Help Building a Gun

[maguimaraes]

I am posting this here instead of the "All About Guns" area because it is CA related and I need the local help.

I was wondering if there is anyone willing to help me build a gun, I have some woodworking experience but no tools. I used to teach Capoeira at a Karate studio and the owner was a builder and seller of Japanese swords for competitions.

I worked with him for about 1 year making the swords and made one for my self.

If there is anyone local willing to help me out we could work things out privately.

I am a good listener and good at following instructions, feel free to respond here or in PM.

If interested in a trade, I am a Capoeira instructor with over 20 years experience and personal trainer with a lot of experience functional training and Balance/Stability work.

Thanks, Marcelo

[benthosslayer]

I'm a ways away, but any help you need I'll be available in Temecula. Were the swords you made forged and tempered? IF you can work with steel, wood will be a piece of cake. My dad used to make sword blades, European, Estok blades, cupped hilt rappiers, etc. More than happy to help out. Good luck! Any idea's of what style you want to build and what woods you prefer?

[maguimaraes]

The blades are made out of a special kind of aluminum, I forgot what kind, they are for Kata and competitions, unfortunately it was not pounded out, I would love to learn that skill!

The rough shape was made on the CNC and i'd finish cutting and polishing or getting it ready for powder coat.

Same thing with the wood parts, rough shape on the machine and the rest of the work I would do by hand and assemble the whole thing after it was all done.

Since I already have a bigger gun I can use for WSB I was thinking about a shorter gun for low viz and Halibut hunting, not sure about the wood yet, i am still figuring that part out.

If I have to do the trip to Temecula, over what period of time do you think a build like that would take, either in days or hrs?

[benthosslayer]

The blank should not take too long. For the learning curve I'd give it half a day. After the blank is dried and cured, depending on how complex a gun you would like, single double or triple taper a half day to a day to complete the woodworking process. This is the last one I built
[IMG][/IMG]

It slings a 42" 5/16 shaft with three 9/16 bands.

[thereefgeek]

Glad you posted in the California section instead of the "Guns" section. Too many kooks lately that have hardly even held a speargun in their hands (let alone ever built one), and they want to start building and selling guns on the internet without even knowing how they work.

Depending on what you want to do, you could probably finish most of the machining in an 8 hour day on a stable, straight blank (track, trigger pocket, handle recess, band slot, tapering). A mid-handle has a few more milling operations (pushrod slot, remote trigger, etc.), but it's not that much more complicated once you set your tools to the CENTERLINE of the blank. It depends on how fancy you want to get with the design, and what (if any) kind of coating (epoxy, oil, etc.).

I have somewhere around 40-50 hours invested in each of a couple of my home-builds, but once you finish the basic cutting that requires table saws and routers, most of it can be finished with hand tools and sand paper. The real trick come when you're done and ready to re-assemble the gun. Depending on how big and what species of wood you chose, it's probably going to need some lead ballast. Floating the loaded gun to figure out where to place it, and then covering up the lead holes will take some time. Also, fit and finish; making sure everything lines up, the shaft engages with the mech, line release timing, etc.

Leave some room for sand, because we all get sand in our guns. A good buddy once told me to "build it like an AK-47, not an AR-15." Wood gets bigger in water, and parts that fit dry don't move so well when the wood swells.

No matter what, don't start with the handle. I see a lot of guys that spend 50 hours shaping the perfect handle grips, only to rush through the rest of the build and wind up with something that looks like something my 11 year old nephew made out of LEGO blocks.

Good luck with the build and keep us posted on your progress.....

[maguimaraes]

Originally Posted by benthosslayer

The blank should not take too long. For the learning curve I'd give it half a day. After the blank is dried and cured, depending on how complex a gun you would like, single double or triple taper a half day to a day to complete the woodworking process. This is the last one I built
[IMG][/IMG]

It slings a 42" 5/16 shaft with three 9/16 bands.

That looks nice, kind of what I am thinking about, I like to stick to the basics on everything I do and fancy it it up after I know what I am doing so a simple first gun is what I want for now...


"Depending on what you want to do, you could probably finish most of the machining in an 8 hour day on a stable, straight blank (track, trigger pocket, handle recess, band slot, tapering). A mid-handle has a few more milling operations (pushrod slot, remote trigger, etc.), but it's not that much more complicated once you set your tools to the CENTERLINE of the blank. It depends on how fancy you want to get with the design, and what (if any) kind of coating (epoxy, oil, etc.). "

I want to keep it simple, just to learn what I am getting into...Oil or epoxy works for me, I like the looks of both

I don't really have a preference in the wood since it's all pretty new to me, is there a better kind to start with?

I am just starting to do all the research and wanted to post the help question to see if I should spend the time to do research instead of wasting the time reading about it and never get to anything...There is a lot that I need to be reading about between the Martial Arts, Fitness training, car fixing etc...

Thanks for the help so far guys