Baby's getting new clothes

[Steve499]

Looking good! As you said, there'll be no room for error in the glue up. I glued mine first and worked both sides down to the grip frame second. Of course, I had a new, unfinished grip frame so I didn't have to worry about the bluing on the frame or anything, just sanded it all down assembled and cold blued the frame later.

I like those grips, may be some in my future.

[berkmberk1]

I'd sort of thought about doing that........my grip frame is alloy :barf: but if I used some masking tape on the front and back straps, then glued the pieces together, I could clamp the barrel in the Work Mate (it has integral V clamp slots) and then I'd have two hands free to use my power tool. That would be a whole lot steadier than a two pound moto tool in one hand and grips in the other..

[berkmberk1]

I'll take some pictures later.

I'm at a point I can't return from. I took a good 3/16 of an inch off the front of the left grip where it butts up against the frame, to get a preliminary fit. I also notched the filler block for the hammer spring screw.

I'm thinking of getting a prelim. fit done on the left side then transfering the shape by pencil scribing to the right, then epoxying the left grip to the block so's I can see whats I'm a doin......then......epoxying the right grip on.

The instructions call for working both panels to where you want them, fitting the filler block, and then epoxy all three pieces together, in the frame, holding the whole thing together with rubber bands...........IIIIIIIII don't know......I think I like the slow step by step method.

[Hawg]

I dunno. I've never done it but their way seems to me to be a lil more fool proof.

[berkmberk1]

This is what I accomplished last night.

The left grip is cut down to where I want it so far. The filler block is notched and in the process of being thinned. I'm taking a little off at a time with 150 grit paper. When thats done, I think I'll fasten the left panel to it and either finish it and then the right one, OR fasten both and finish shaping. I'd like to use the grip frame as a working reference if I can pull it off without marring it. Otherwise it'll be slow going with sand, install, check, uninstall, and sand some more, reinstall, "Etce'tra, Etce'tra, Etce'tra (Yule Brynner accent)...........potentially days!!

I figure I have about three hours of actual work invested so far.

[long rider]

OK looking good so far, but fear not i have six more
that needs new grips so have at it.
Aww just fooling with you, hey if every body likes your
work, shucks start your own business.

[Hawg]

I'd like to find another set of stag grips like on my Cimmy even tho they're not period correct. I'd prolly just screw them up tho.

[Dmanbass]

Would love to see the finished product!

[berkmberk1]

Workin on it as we speak. I need to thin the filler block a little more and rough the right panel to size and then glue it all together for final fitting. I hope to get much if not most of it done tonite......at least the roughing out.........spent half an hour looking for one of my small squares..........its h*ll trying to cram 20 years worth of stuff in a one bedroom apartment...........

[berkmberk1]

Put in about another hour (four total so far). The left grip is fastened to the filler at this point, for better or worse.

I used a medium mill file for shaping the forward portion of the grip up near the frame. That area is pretty thick and needs to be thinned down to fit flush with the frame.

So far I've used the file, 150 sandpaper, and the moto tool with a drum sander and cut off wheel. The grinding attachment was just a little too much.

I'm not particularly happy with the fit of the extreme forward edge and the frame, but Hey! this is the first one I've done!

Tomorrow it'll be trim down the right panel and fasten it............then final fitting to the fram and polishing the finished grip.

[long rider]

Hey grip maker, looking good so far.
What are you useing for a work bench, in your
pics it looks like a ironing board? if so no insult
ment, i remember them one room apartments
when i lived in the uk, you could not swing a cat,
hey a mans gota do want he can with what hes got.
You said you was in a small pad? do you reload
or is that a dumb question. hey pard just funing with you.
Well looking forward to the next set of pics

[berkmberk1]

Its as Black and Decker Work Mate, the large size. The top is a two inch slab of pine. I got it so I wouldn't have to drill holes in the Work Mate to mount my Lee press. The top on the WM looks to be some sort of composite or layered material and I was afraid it would wear with a lot of press use. It's lasted well near 30 years! I don't remember if I took a pic or not but I clamped my moto tool in the WM (the actual top is split and acts like a large vise) and tried using the drum sander in the vertical position.......seemed to work alright.

With a shop light clamped to one end, and a 30 in. bar stool to sit on, it is a right serviceable loading bench or work table. When I'm done I just unclamp the board/loading press, put it in the closet and fold up the table and put it away too!

[berkmberk1]

First real problem.........put the grip back on now that its dry, to check it out. It seems the filler block "migrated" vertically. Now, with the grip in the correct position the filler block doesn't rest at the bottom of the grip frame where it should. I should be able to shim it pretty easily though with some tape, or thin shirt board or something to tighten it up when I'm done............I hope....

[berkmberk1]

and no returns or refunds......

The right side is setting up/curing. I'll let it cure until tomorrow night and start final trimming. I think I'll try wrapping the barrel with something like a strip of leather and then clamp it in the Work Mate. With a 7.5 inch barrel, the grips will be just about where I want them to sand with my moto tool. I'll tape the grip frame, take the grips down to where I'm hitting the tape, and then finish up by file and sandpaper.

[berkmberk1]

I went ahead and disassembled the grip frame in order to tape the backstrap. I reinstalled it and clamped the barrel in the Work Mate and it worked just like I thought. The only iffy part will be the front strap as I'll be working from the bottom side..........unless I figure something out.

[berkmberk1]

At this stage its all pretty much hand work now. After knocking the excess edges back to just above the tape line with the power drum, its now sand, sand, sand. I use a big magnifier to check progress but I still have to rely on feel......how the edges feel.

Here's the backside. It's not finished but I want to knock down the front next. After that it will be adjusting the overall feel of the "hogleg"......

[Dmanbass]

Just a thought..... can you turn the gun 180 degrees so that it is hanging off the bench so you have good access for the underside work you need to do? Pardon me if this is something you already are going to do.

[berkmberk1]

I have thoughts along that vein. The table top is split and screw adjustable like vise jaws, but.......to do just the opposite of last night's work, I would have to clamp the gun so it would be under the table......not particularly practical.....except I could sit on the floor!

The jaws are V grooved along the inside length of each side (approx three feet long or so) but I'm afraid I won't get sufficient pressure to hang a few pounds away from the end of the device to keep it steady and secure! The scew mechanisms are mounted about three or four inches in from the end effectively putting the other clamping mech. a few feet away from where I need the pressure.

What I may try is clamping my moto tool in the jaws again so I can manipulate the grip assembly with both hands, drum sanding it down to a manageable point and finishing it by hand........that's all I can think of right now.

[berkmberk1]

I hung the Bad Boy out there by the tip of his snoot and it worked!

Just a small series of pics doing the last of the power sanding........now its all hand work.....:barf:

(The pics are a smaller format....the largest on Auto Snapshot)

[berkmberk1]

And the last three I'll bore you with tonite......

[long rider]

Looks like someone has some serious gun cleaning

[berkmberk1]

It cleaned up pretty well........eh!!???

It makes a world of difference. The finish on the gun looks even better contrasted with the white as opposed to the oiled grips. It should look even cooler as the grips age into a yellow hue.

*Total time = about 8 hours (I'd never done anything like this before).

*Problems - the filler block moved when fastening the first panel. When the whole thing was put together, the grip assembly wiggled a little. Two strips of masking tape in the back strap groove and a very thin shim (1/16) took up the slack.

* Hints - make sure your hands and work area are clean! I got a light, oily smudge on one grip. Thank goodness it came out in the process of sanding.

Would I do it again ...........Yeah I might do my 1851 Navy.

[long rider]

WELL DONE . good job.
When a project turns out good it makes it all
worthwhile, be prod of your project.

[Steve499]

Looks really good. Thanks for your efforts to keep us posted in your process.

[Hawg]

Very nice. Where you trimmed and sanded, did you have to polish it back out?