Wood inlays in gunstocks are a long-standing tradition, let me show you how it's done.
Here we have a Remington #1 1/2 Rolling Block made in the 1890s. This gun was originally
chambered in 25 rimfire, but I've rechambered the barrel to 25-20 single-shot and converted
the breech block from rimfire to centerfire. Modifications such as the brass stock inlay,
sling swivels, and holes for scope mounting seriously reduce the collector value. Wood
inlays are very traditional and found in a variety of locations on gunstocks.
I'm starting by covering the screw holes in the forend, I'd like the new inlay to match
the forend tip. So I've drawn a paper pattern that has a similar shape. A radius gauge was used to
match the curve and I've made another template to cover the large chip next to the receiver.
I'm going to make the new inlays from ebony. This is a chunk from an ebony tree, but I'm going to
use some scrap from an earlier project. First I need to cut some thin strips, then I'll glue
the paper templates to the ebony using contact cement and sand them to shape. Before I begin
inletting I'm going to file in a slight taper or draft. This will ensure a tight fit between the
inlay and the forend wood. to create the recess for the inlay I begin by drawing a line down the
center of the forend. With the inlay clamped in place along the line, I scribe around it.
A sharp chisel is necessary to cut the recess. I have a shop
made chisel to cut the radius at the end of the inlay. Inletting black will
help me see where I have contact and the high spots are removed.
With just a little work, the pieces fit tightly. To make the installation permanent I use epoxy mix
with black dye. The recesses are coated the inlays tapped in and excess epoxy is removed. Next,
I'm going to fix the sling swivel on the buttstock. I'm being very careful when
removing the swivel as I don't want to damage the stock. This inlay will need to fit the existing
recess. I determine the radius at the back of the tang and use the mill to make a matching
cut in the ebony. This gives me the exact shape at the end of the tang. Now I clamp the sling
swivel to the ebony and scribe around it. The line is hard to see but filing some chalk dust
into the line makes it stand out. Then I sand the inlay to the scribe line. Next, I mark the width,
taping sandpaper to the table makes quick work of removing the excess wood. Again filing in some
draft will allow for a nearly perfect fit. The new inlay is epoxied into place and allowed to cure.
Once the epoxy hardens I use a series of files to remove the excess wood that's proud of the
surface. Tape is used to protect the finish of the stock and I file down the ebony until it's just
above flush. With the easy work done I need to remove the file marks and get the ebony even with
the surface of the forend I start with 220 grit sandpaper that I've glued to a small sanding block
and then careful not to sand too much. Once I'm finished with the sanding I give the inlays a few
coats of shellac which will give them a finished look. Now the stock has a more pleasing appearance
and I may have even increased the value of the gun