EricW Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 You know...the condescending tone that keeps appearing here really isn't in keeping with the spirit of the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 You know...the condescending tone that keeps appearing here really isn't in keeping with the spirit of the forum. Not only a +1 but a moderator note as well. This is not the place for attitude. -ld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Dave I was not addressing your work at all...I should have made that really clear...the point I was trying to make, and obviously did not do too good a job of it, is that checkering can be good either if it is hand cut or machine cut, if it is done correctly by either method...also that to ME, checkering belongs on the front strap, MSH and maybe the front of the trigger guard...but that is just me.... Let me be very clear..I cannot checker at all...I appreciate the work that others can do when checkering or inletting a sight...I can do neither, and never have inferred or suggested that I can...that is why I have supported a 'smith over the years to the tune of lots of money...but that is my choice... You do great work, which is obvious from your pictures...I can't post any cause I can't do that kind of thing... Again, I apologize if my comments were misunderstood in any way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted September 20, 2006 Author Share Posted September 20, 2006 (edited) Personally, I don't have anything against machine checkering. The fact is that I want to learn how to do this job, and don't happen to have any machine (even if I would love to) since I'm not a pro. The only way I see I can do it is by hand filing, thus I just bought a couple of files that I thought I would've needed for this job (maybe if I prove successful I'll buy some more). As I said, I plan to experience a little on scrap metal: I'll post results from my first attempts here, just to get a hint from more experienced people on what I am doing (if it's going towards the right direction or not). Thanks again. Edited September 20, 2006 by Skywalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Practice a lot on scrap metal, not a little! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Steel rod works for frontstrap practice. Get one with the right diameter (which is probably some odd size in metric) and it'll be very close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robomanusa Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Steel rod works for frontstrap practice. Yeah, get a piece of .750" barstock from somewhere, something easy to work with 1018 or 1045 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted September 20, 2006 Author Share Posted September 20, 2006 (edited) Steel rod works for frontstrap practice. Yeah, get a piece of .750" barstock from somewhere, something easy to work with 1018 or 1045 Nice tip! I'll look for something similar in metric-land. Edited September 20, 2006 by Skywalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Skywalker, It is considered a final test for a Jedi padawan to be able to construct his own lightsaber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted September 20, 2006 Author Share Posted September 20, 2006 Skywalker,It is considered a final test for a Jedi padawan to be able to construct his own lightsaber. weren't those the samurai? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike cyrwus Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 If you don't care about how your guns look, what do you care about? "How they shoot" comes to mind... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Mays Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 (edited) I'm a bit hesitant to post this, since I'm not anywhere close to the same league as these 'smiths. I'd ask them not to follow the link since it will undoubtedly make them physically ill. This chronicles my first attempt at fly-by-night, do-it-in-the-garage checkering. As one beginner to another, hopefully this will give you some encouragement. http://grahamcracka.dns2go.com/1911frame/1911frame2.htm There's also a section a couple of pages further along where I have some photos of checkering a mainspring housing. Edited September 21, 2006 by Ken Mays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted September 21, 2006 Author Share Posted September 21, 2006 (edited) Ken, thanks a lot, nice informative pages, especially since they feature pics of the progressing work. I already visited Blindhogg's website, care to share PvtRyan link? Edited September 21, 2006 by Skywalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Mays Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 (edited) Sure.... http://www.roderuscustom.tzo.com/Details.htm#September 30 http://www.roderuscustom.tzo.com/Details2.htm#February 13 Edited September 22, 2006 by Ken Mays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted September 22, 2006 Author Share Posted September 22, 2006 Thanks Ken! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted March 17, 2008 Author Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) Well well well ... After a year and a half, I finally had the nerve and time to start learning how to checker. This weekend I took out of the spare parts box an old Wilson beavertail (the one with pad) and decided to try my hand at checkering. I did it totally freehand (no guide tools) with the beavertail pressed into the vice, and this is how it turned out. 25 LPI checkering. Now, I think I learned some points, and I will definitely try and improve before I turn checkering the frontstrap of my Colt 1911, but I'd like some knowledgeable people have a look at my first try and comment on flaws (I know there are several), possibly pointing me to the right direction to avoid them in the future. Thanks in advance. Edited March 17, 2008 by Skywalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike cyrwus Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 looks nice and square, good job; if you hit that with a little bead blasting, youd be suprised at how finished it would look. I will say that you have leather palms, doing the grip safety like that! Im getting better at it too, which actually means I despise the amount of work and detail that goes into it in order for it to be high quality checkering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 1911 Whisperer Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 The checkering that Dave Sample did of the trigger gaurd is extremely difficult. Doing the underside or just the front is no problem. Doing the whole thing by hand isn't so easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Well well well ...After a year and a half, I finally had the nerve and time to start learning how to checker. This weekend I took out of the spare parts box an old Wilson beavertail (the one with pad) and decided to try my hand at checkering. I did it totally freehand (no guide tools) with the beavertail pressed into the vice, and this is how it turned out. 25 LPI checkering. Now, I think I learned some points, and I will definitely try and improve before I turn checkering the frontstrap of my Colt 1911, but I'd like some knowledgeable people have a look at my first try and comment on flaws (I know there are several), possibly pointing me to the right direction to avoid them in the future. Thanks in advance. I am no expert but that looks pretty damn good for a first attempt Skywalker. Good luck with future efforts. -ld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 All right, I did my first experiment. I re-shaped and checkered the frontstrap of my stainless steel Colt .45". It has been done totally by hand filing and sandpaper. I'd be interested in constructive criticism and general comments, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 (edited) I'd be interested in constructive criticism and general comments, thanks. Nicely done. I like how you undercut the checkering just below the trigger guard. I've always rounded it from the checkering into the trigger guard but your way looks really neat. Also noticed that you did well at the bottom of the grip (opening for the mag well). I've seen several checkering jobs where they got carried away and cut through the grip. Occasionally the finished job ends up with checkering a little sharper than desired. To dull slightly I brush it down a bit with a file card. Doesn't seem to knock down the points but makes the grip a little more comfortable. Bill p.s. Once you feel you have it mastered try 20 lpi checkering on a ParaOrdnance front strap without cutting through. Edited May 30, 2008 by Flatland Shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 (edited) Thanks FS. I studied a lot of pics of checkered frontstraps before attempting it, and I have considered rounding the grip below the trigger guard, but I wanted to get the highest possible grip on my gun, similar to what I cut on the plastic grip of my SVI, thus I opted for a squared, high, cut on it. I will report back after the gun is finished (hey, I hope a home-made complete customization of a plain singlestack will raise my status in the "Singlestack elitist snob club" ... Jay you hear me? ) and I have shot it, so I can comment first hand on the effectiveness of such shape. The magwell opening is where I had to be extra cautious. I saw the metal was real thin there, and I wanted to have all lines square with the opening, thus I hand filed the incomplete diamonds off. I haven't kept a record of how much time it took me to finish it, but i guess I'm in the 15/20 hrs ballpark. It took me about 75% of the time to cut the long, vertical lines, then in about half an afternoon I cut the horizontals, and another half afternoon was needed for final dressing. Of course this has been all done for personal pride and desire to learn, since it's not even remotely time/cost effective ... Oh, yeah, when I'll be mastering it ... since I have just started with my first attempt, I guess I'll be trying that within a decade or so ... Nice tip BTW, so now I know when my Para shooting teammate will come up asking for the same job on his gun I will politely tell him my backlog is full for the next few years ... One last question: I would like to get rid of the different shading that can be seen across the whole pattern: would a bead blasting eliminate it? Edited May 30, 2008 by Skywalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Very nice Luca...wish I had your patience and talent... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Hello: The blasting will give it a nice gray shade and look alot better. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 One last question: I would like to get rid of the different shading that can be seen across the whole pattern: would a bead blasting eliminate it? Looking at the photos I do not see the shading, (maybe your eyesight is giving out after all that detail work? ) but I don't think I would hit all that pretty checkering with a bead blaster. It may flatten some of the diamonds in an irregular pattern and then you have a mess. Depending on finish (blue, ionbond, or hardchrome) it may disappear when complete. Perhaps there is someone out there can shed further light on it. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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