So, After going OD on the plastic parts (
http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=25507 ), I decided that I wanted a wood set that i could swap out when I saw fit.
But I had seen some other wood kits and I wasnt impressed and really didnt trust the kits to take the punnishment that a scrim gun should. Not to mention I dont know the compatibility of TM to ICS ak wood kits.
The plywood, although authentic, really isnt that strong for a hallow stock. Maple? naw, takes stain poorly and cracks easily. I considered oak, but it swells and shrinks with moisture. So, cherry or ash? Well, cherry is nice, and vry elegant, but ash is strong as hell. If its good enough for axe handles, its good enough for a hallow stock.
So ash it is. Though i went for some with a more relaxed grain that i could stain to look like a deep red cherry.
DAY 1
The stock is close to completion. All that remains in fine tuning the connection to the reciever(didnt have the reciever at the shop to work off of), and the buttplate.
Im keeping the profile more plain. I was going to make it more curved( such as the M79 stock i made
http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=16561 ), but for durabilty purposes, Im trying to keep it as flat as I can.
The stock is actually 1/16 inch wider then the reciever on each side. I wasnt overy concered with the thickness, but I tapered reduced it where it meets the reciever and tapered it wider near the battery compartment.
To help accomidate a large 8.4v or even a large 9.6v battery and retain strong sidewalls, I added 1/4 inch to the length and the buttplate will be another 1/2 inch. Overall length will only be 3/4 inch longer then the AK74M stock, but thats fine for me.
The inside was routed out to a final depth allowing a full 1 inch wide battery compartment, more then enough for my 8.4v 3000mah.
A small channel for the wiring. not much, but it doesnt need anything more then that.
Location dowel pins for glueup.
The stock is extremely strong. Im so confident, that I took the battery out, and stood, 1 foot, over the hallow without any problems.
the buttstock is going to be ash also, hallowed slightly to allow for a bit more room for the battery connectors. with 2 locating dowels and 2 screws to hold it in place. but thats going to wait till next project day.
The gas block cover, easily done. Solid ash, cut out to fit, routed, sanded and...well, perfect. When the lower section is done, I will add in the vent slots. Again, very solid.
So, next week, I can finnish the fine tuning on the stock attachments since I will have the reciever there to match the parts togher. Buttplate will be done and the lower foregrip will be done.
UPDATED SECTION
Ok, well, camera working today. Its 99% done. All that is missing is the buttplate, but Im undecided on that as of yet.
The forgrip, like everything else is solid wood glued on a center line. I hallowed it out just enough to allow for the insides not to interfear. As before, I kept everything as thick as possible. General shaping, I kept the forgrip very oversized and abandoned the regular profile. It may have looked good, but felt terrible. Im no fan of this oversized grip, but it feels good and I didnt want to waste to much time on it since I am planning to make a romanian style foregip eventually.
Routed a channel to inlay my grips. I decided on real african ebony. Why? because its black, hard as a mofo, and very, very expensive.
Added dimples...because i was board.
I filed away the front to allow the little sliding locking thing to slip over and notched the back so it would fit onto the guides.
Test fit and used a profile sander to make my vent holes. A little off in these pics, but its fixed in the end.
A little off in this pic, but its fixed in the next one.
When the stock was 2 sections, I cut out spaces for the stock to attach to the reciever. a pain in the arse since I had to allow fir wiring. Glued and clamped with surgical rope(good for unclampable surfaces).
Since I plan on swamping the stock from time to time, simple screws wouldnt do, so i picked up some anchors and modified them to fit. Predrilled and taped in, they worked great.
Sanded to 150. Stanined mahogany red(250ml mahogany red, 50ml varasol, 7cc orange pigment). Color change is apparent after drying.
Sealed. 2 coats chemseal(chemseal with 15% slow reducer and 3% catalyst). Sprayed, never brushed)
Sanded to 350, then 400 and testfit.
Topcoat. 2 coats Dancryl 45(Dancryl 45 with 15% slowreducer and 8% catalyst). Dancryl 45 is my topcoat of choice, it has a much nicer finnish then Dancryl 35 and holds up much better then any store baught topcoat/laquer.
Ebony is olied, pollished and soliconed into position.
Volia!
im not sure im sold on the foregip style. It feels better then the regular style, but it looks odd. I dont know, function over looks this time.