# need some help.



## LSCG (May 22, 2013)

I was working on a set of stabilized spalted hackberry yesterday and everything was going well, i got it rounded over, fit to the frame, it was just about ready for a finish,but it was late so I went to bed, and I just went out a few minutes ago to work on it and i noticed the wood must have shrunk over night because now the screw holes don't line up with the bushings, the only thing I can think of is I got it too hot when I was rounding it over and that caused the wood to shrink.

it's only off by an 1/8" maybe a little less, 

any ideas on how I can fix it? 

Zane.


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## Mike1950 (May 22, 2013)

Never made a gun grip before but what about sawing it in half and putting a contrasting color wood in for a wood stretcher. That is what I did when I cut this frame on box lid too small- I wanted to save the curly walnut so I added the ebony at corners. Looks like it was planned now. PS. pics might help.

[attachment=25248]


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## LSCG (May 22, 2013)

Mike1950 said:


> Never made a gun grip before but what about sawing it in half and putting a contrasting color wood in for a wood stretcher. That is what I did when I cut this frame on box lid too small- I wanted to save the curly walnut so I added the ebony at corners. Looks like it was planned now. PS. pics might help.



something like that would work ( I did something similar when I had some camel bone scales that were to narrow for grips ) i'd have to make sure the customer was fine with it first though.

i'll take some pics tomorrow when it's daylight.

thanks Mike.


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## LSCG (May 23, 2013)

well the problem has been fixed for now,

what I ended up doing was I left the grip panel outside last night and let the wood soak up the moisture that was in the air, after six hours the screw holes lined back up with the bushings so I put the grip panel on the pistol and tightened the screws down.

i'll let it sit for a day or two and see how it looks.


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## Mike Jones (May 24, 2013)

This anomaly raises a big red flag for me, and really piques my interest. Unstabilized, dry hackberry in that size....I would not expect that much movement in that period of time. Not only do I wonder if my grips might crack from too much (expansion/contraction) stress in normal uses, but I would be hugely interested in conducting a test to see if I could force such movement in "stabilized" wood. I wonder how much movement you could get in a 6" grip blank if you heated it up, measured, then cooled it down and measured again?

Just wonderin'......


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## Mike1950 (May 24, 2013)

Mike Jones said:


> This anomaly raises a big red flag for me, and really piques my interest. Unstabilized, dry hackberry in that size....I would not expect that much movement in that period of time. Not only do I wonder if my grips might crack from too much (expansion/contraction) stress in normal uses, but I would be hugely interested in conducting a test to see if I could force such movement in "stabilized" wood. I wonder how much movement you could get in a 6" grip blank if you heated it up, measured, then cooled it down and measured again?
> 
> Just wonderin'......



I was thinking the same- seems like a lot of movement for a small piece of wood.


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## Molokai (May 24, 2013)

So i also wonder, if you finish the grips with oil or similar, do they still soak some moisture from the air. My favorite is Tru-oil but used tung oil etc.


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## LSCG (May 24, 2013)

this has happened to me only one time before, when I was first starting to make grips I made a set out of walnut burl, I had just started woodworking and hadn't learned about green wood yet, after I finished shaping them I sprayed a coat of poly on them and let them sit for a few hours, and when I had checked on the grips later that afternoon I found out they had shrunk and warped like crazy.

all the spalted wood I've worked with has come from the same guy so I don't have anything to compare it to, one thing is for sure it's not as dense as stabilized box elder burl.


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## LSCG (May 24, 2013)

Molokai said:


> So i also wonder, if you finish the grips with oil or similar, do they still soak some moisture from the air. My favorite is Tru-oil but used tung oil etc.



I've only used polyurethane on spalted wood ( which seems to seal out moisture) I'm just guessing but I would think it would still soak up moisture with an oil finish.


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## Fret440 (May 24, 2013)

LSCG said:


> Molokai said:
> 
> 
> > So i also wonder, if you finish the grips with oil or similar, do they still soak some moisture from the air. My favorite is Tru-oil but used tung oil etc.
> ...



Tru-oil is basically a wipe on polyurethane. Check the cans.

Jacob


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## LSCG (Jun 6, 2013)

I finally finished the grips today, so far the wood hasn't moved any more and the fit is good so hopefully there won't be any more problems with them.

http://i1268.Rule #2/albums/jj568/telemaster1953/P1020552_zpsfbcdd09c.jpg

http://i1268.Rule #2/albums/jj568/telemaster1953/P1020549_zps118775fa.jpg


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## ripjack13 (Jun 7, 2013)

That is a great idea. I have some snakewood that is almost 3/16" to narrow. I could put some ebony in the middle to widen em up....



*


Mike1950 said:



Never made a gun grip before but what about sawing it in half and putting a contrasting color wood in for a wood stretcher. That is what I did when I cut this frame on box lid too small- I wanted to save the curly walnut so I added

Click to expand...

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Mike1950 said:


> the ebony at corners. Looks like it was planned now. PS. pics might help.


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