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January 22, 2008
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Just picked up a new toy off of eBay. Its a Craftsman Router Recreator. Hopefully I'll be able to use this to make so grips for my DW's. I think I have figured out how to do the inletting and will give you guys an update once I get the new toy and start playing with it. Now I need some wood!
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January 24, 2009
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Sweet! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how well that baby works.
February 4, 2009
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Cool !
Definitely need a report once you get it worked with.
I think there may be enough room in the man cave to *ahem* hide one of these.
Now, about that inletting...... 
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November 17, 2008
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Recipe for in-letting a one piece grip. A smattering of drill press work. A few passes on the table saw. Then a little chisel work or use the mortising machine like I did on this last one. Some freehand work with the dremel tool and a big helping of luck ( at least in my case) and you are there. Then the outside dimensions are up to your imagination. Hopefully most of y'all will be smart enough to start with store-bought lumber and not a dead tree in the woods like I did. The last hardwood distributor left this area 20 + years ago so its chop your own or try the internet. Anyway enough kidding around and good luck with your projects. My attempts were not the greatest but I will try and help if possible. Give us a shout if you have questions.
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
February 4, 2009
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lbruce said:
Post edited 12:39 pm - May 5, 2009 by lbruce
Recipe for in-letting a one piece grip. Give us a shout if you have questions.
lbruce-
You mentioned you did a lot of drill press work. Do you think it may be easier to use a router table equipped with a Rout-R-Lift?
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November 17, 2008
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A router table could be used, although I am not sure if long enough bits are available as the hole for the grip tang is almost 3 inches deep. Although a router would do a lot of the work I did on the table saw and with the mortising machine. I guess it's just what the worker is most comfortable working with. I considered building jigs for using a router to do at least some of the in-letting but didn't want to work that hard unless I was going to build a bunch of these. Also I found by checking several of my DW original grips that there are several different versions of in-letting. So even DW did it differently over time. I have contemplated trying to mass produce the grips (on a very small scale of course) for the group but haven't decided if I am set up to do a quality job with any reasonable rate of production yet. I am still working on that one. The first thing I will need to do is decide on a wood and acquire enough, as this chopping up dead trees is best left to woodpeckers. I hope for my next attempt to be a small frame grip. Should not be to much different from the large frame, just a few details. I realise I am geting chatty here, so go ahead an knock out a set and maybe you can show me a better way. BTW I am eager to see your logo idea, mine is kind of crude but I figured at least y'all Texans would like the way I did it.
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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This whole thread gives a new meaning to the term "Woodie". Oops, now I might have to ban myself
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
January 4, 2009
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STEVE.... I'd be willing to bet that to most of us here.. "Woodie" is a station wagon paneled with real wood.... nothing else..
Hey.. I've got an original, uncut .. looks like black walnut wood blank from Dan Wesson. it's 5 9/16" tall, x 2 11/16" deep x 1 5/8" thick.. the top is radius cut to follow the curve of the frame.
It's got the holes drilled or rather bored and notched out and the bottom has the hole drilled for the screw.
I'd be willing to loan it out to you wood butchers if you think it would help you get a leg up on what your doing ...
If you want I can take some pictures of it to post.. but there's nothing like holding the real thing in your hand and getting a feel for how this is notched.
Also I have a source for stuff like curly, spalted maple.. it is the prettiest wood I have ever seen... If someone perfects the whole grip making thing.. I'd like one of you to make me a set out of that stuff.. it's just so over the top pretty.. it's so rare that I'll bet you have never seen anything like it.. a buddy of mine has a couple of trunks that he can slice off hunks to make high end stuff , ( he's a cabinet maker here),
Wayne
BTW.. I have cut my own lumber and sawed it up.. and dried it.. no problems.. being patient is the name of THAT game.. lol..
February 4, 2009
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I know we have a new (or renamed) forum for stuff like this. I figured I would post here due to the topic already in progress.
I decided I would try the inletting thing. I finally got this inletted, but it took about 3 hours. I don't know what kind of time you fellas have put in to the grips you've made, but I can't justify the time I will have into this by the time I finish. I will likely have 7-8 hours into it- I think I will just buy my 1 piece grips. I will probably take a shot at some 2 piece grips and see if I can't be happy with the outcome- both quality and time. I just really don't see any way to cut any corners to speed up the process…..at least with the equipment I have at my disposal. Initially, it took about 2 hours to get the basic inletting done- it then took close to another hour to get it to fit properly. I still have to trim, shape, and finish which will definitely eat another 4-5 hours of my life. I haven't figured out any way to make a jig of some sort to help speed up the process. I'm all ears once you guys break the code.
I figure I should have a nice Rosewood grip when I'm finished……but this is gonna take a while.
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January 4, 2009
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OH man CDF.. that is one gorgeous hunk of wood... hope it turns out nice..
but if your taking your time.. it should...
Is rosewood hard stuff .. ? I guess it must be or wouldn't be wasting your time..
What did you do to bore the hole.. drill or drill press or plunge router..and then hand chisel.. is there some electric tool you could use to speed up the process,
Whats everyone else using... if you guys don't know for sure I'll take my blank to my buddy the cabinet maker and ask him what tool to use to speed it up.. or make it better if you'd like me too.
Wayne
February 4, 2009
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Wayne-
I pretty much always deal with hardwoods unless it's a disposable project.
All this was done on a drill press with the exception of ripping down a 3x3x12 turning block on a table saw for the blank. That is the part that worries me about this project- no bit changes and no hand tools thus far. I would think this has to be the fastest way. I do have a little item coming that may save a little time though..... I ordered a drill press vise with an angle gauge which may allow some kind of consistent inletting. I also think I may be better off using a different sized forstner bit for everything except the tang hole. I think I lost too much time trying to shave out that extra 1/10" before I could start the fitment process- I might be able to save another 1-1.5 hrs with the angle vise and appropriate bit. I tried the router table option initially, but I don't think that will work quite as well as I had envisioned.
It's a learning process if nothing else. I figure that if I am going to undertake something like this, might as well start with a piece of wood worthy of such a project.
I am excited to hear how Jody's new tool helps with this project.
December 17, 2008
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I just got to this forum topic and it is a great thread!
CDF - I have the small frame blank that came with the Model 12 (notice I didn't say W-12...
) if it would be any help for a reference.
I expect the angle vise should make a significant difference in time saving once you figure our the angle and can jig up the blank.
I'm looking forward to Jody's report on the recreator - that could a great solution to duplicating the original DW contours.
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November 17, 2008
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CDF, looks good so far. You have more nerve than I do starting on rosewood (and it's gorgeous BTW), my first grip was a practice grip made of pine just to figure out some of the angles. It now lays on the work bench as a reminder of what not to do. Then I went on to the walnut for the actual first grip. The cherry grip for Jody went a little faster but still took a long time. However It would speed up If building several grips at once. I now am attempting a small frame grip and plan to photo the steps for posting. It will take me a while to complete this project due to other commitments but sooner or later I will get er done. Not to mention I will have to clean my shop (disaster area ground zero) before taking too many photos. I also am curing a persimmon log as we speak although I will probably have to build a kiln before it is done. I am curious to see what persimmon will look like when done. I have never heard of grips made form persimmon and there may be a reason for that, but we will see. Don't forget to chronicle the grip work for us as I know it will turn out great.
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
January 22, 2008
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Looks like my Router-Recreator will not be here until next Tuesday! 
I think that it will do most of the inletting work for me. I have some ideas on how to do it which will require making a couple of jigs.
We'll see... I'll keep you guys posted.
March 25, 2008
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hope this works out I started scrouging up some hollywood the last couple years. I bought some grips for a ruger single six a while back. the are sweet they call it the poormans ivory. very white and hard, so if you get this worked out, when I'm sure the wood is well cured I'll donate to the cause some blocks. If I get some eye candy pictures in posts.
January 4, 2009
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FYI.. I found out last night that Persimmon wood is very pretty.. but the thing about that wood is it is super hard.. inter locking grains... it was used to make golf club heads in days gone by..
I was thinking obout using Locust wood for that reason.. but it's not a specacular grained wood unless you get a burl or something like that..
good luck
and keep us posted.
wayne
February 4, 2009
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Any opportunity to use the recreator yet Jody?
Enquiring minds want to know !
January 22, 2008
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I've been under the weather since Friday and haven't touched it! I'm hoping to play with it this week.
I need to pickup a new router to go with it so I don't have to unbolt the one from my router table.
I'll keep you guys posted!
February 4, 2009
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Jody said:
I've been under the weather since Friday and haven't touched it! I'm hoping to play with it this week.
I need to pickup a new router to go with it so I don't have to unbolt the one from my router table.
I'll keep you guys posted!
Jody- Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well.
Looking forward to the report once you are feeling better and get a chance to try it out.
Every man who has a router table needs 2 routers. After an unhappy incident removing a router from my old table, 2 routers and a good router table was a requirement. It's a well justified purchase if you enjoy woodworking.
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November 17, 2008
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You defintitly need more than one router, but be careful. There is something called PTAS ( power tool acquisition syndrome).
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
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