# Amateur 1911 grip making...



## TRfromMT (Dec 28, 2014)

I made my first set of 1911 grips a few months ago. Complete hack job, trying to figure out how to get the holes machined just right. For a first attempt, I was actually pretty happy with them. From that experience I learned I needed a drill press (first set made completely with a hand drill - eek!). I bought a simple/cheapo press and a few specific size drill bits and an end mill. I now can do all the machining for the holes. and relief cuts for the magazine release and main spring housing pin. I can also do the recess for the ambi safety.

I practiced on a few scraps to get the hole machining down, and made myself a tool to replicate the hole spacing exactly as the studs are in the frame of a 1911.

This set is my next attempt. I bought some stabilized curly maple and stabilized afzelia xylay, and the plain curly maple is actually a scrap of fall of from under a chop saw at a local cabinet shop (free!). Believe it or not, the plain maple is turning out to be my favorite set. The ripple grain is amazing!

These are not finished, only machined, and rough sanded to shape. I have to still complete the fit to the pistol and trim the bottoms to the base of the frame, and bevel them after that. Then the finish sanding and apply the finish.

These are the 4th, 5th and 6th sets of grips I've ever made. Having a lot of fun making chips and dust...

Reactions: Like 5 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 5


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## kazuma78 (Dec 28, 2014)

Those look nice! If I were to make a set I think they would be a hack job for sure haha


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## NYWoodturner (Dec 28, 2014)

Tony - I'm not a grip maker so I can't judge them from a grip makers view point, but I am a woodworker and can recognize attention to detail and quality craftsmanship, with of which are easy to spot here. If those are your firsts then you are well on your way to excellence.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## NYWoodturner (Dec 28, 2014)

You need to get some finish on those puppies and post some more pics.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## TRfromMT (Dec 28, 2014)

I'll post up as I progress. I will get some pics after the final shaping and finish sanding, then again with after they are oiled. I'm expecting the grain to really come to life.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## ripjack13 (Dec 28, 2014)

Very nice sets. They look great! If you still want to make more take a look at some of my jigs and stuff. I'm still a novice at making em but practice makes perfect. And I love to make em.

http://woodbarter.com/threads/some-1911-grip-jigs-stuff.12504/

Keep up the the great work man....


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## SENC (Dec 28, 2014)

Gorgeous!


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## cabomhn (Dec 29, 2014)

Nice! Those are going to look great when they're finished.


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## TRfromMT (Jan 10, 2015)

Here are the grips with, finished to 800 grit with coat of Tru Oil on them. I am still having problems getting the counter bore for the screw heads to stay centered with the screw holes, and there is a little bit of tear out. Going to have to work on that detail. The dark ones are actually a blue/gray color, but the photos aren't great.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 1


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## ripjack13 (Jan 10, 2015)

Are you using a drillpress for the holes?
If you are, you might have too much spindle play (runout). Try moving the grip blank up closer to the chuck.
If that's not the case I have another idea...


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## TRfromMT (Jan 10, 2015)

whats the other idea? I don't think the drill press is the issue - it seems to be pretty smooth...


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## HomeBody (Jan 11, 2015)

I think they make a special bit that does the hole in one shot from the top, then you do a bit of counterbore on the bottom. I've seen them for sale on here before. Gary


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## TRfromMT (Jan 11, 2015)

I currently use a 15/64 bit for the screw hole and I follow that up with a 7mm flat bottom, 2-flute end mill. 7mm is the closest size to the counter bore without getting a really special drill bit, and I wanted something with a sharp corner, not a bevel.

If someone knows of the drill bit Gary's talking about, I'd be interested. Must be some kind of stepped drill.


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## ripjack13 (Jan 11, 2015)

TRfromMT said:


> whats the other idea? I don't think the drill press is the issue - it seems to be pretty smooth...



Just to be sure, (with the machine OFF) lower the drill chuck like you would be drilling a hole in a blank, Then grasp the chuck with your free hand and try to wiggle it side to side.
Does it wiggle a lil or not at all?
************************

Here's a lil check list to ponder...
next up, are you center punching your blanks before drilling? By hand or with a automatic punch? Don't use the auto one, it has tendency to wander on the punch stroke. (Check the tip on it. Is it too wide? is the point off center?) I do it with punch that I ground to a sharp point and just push it in with hand pressure. 

Are you using a normal drill bit or a brad point bit....I use a brad point, it stays in the center mark and it doesn't wander.
(That could be the major culprit in the wander)
*************************

If that's not the case of the wandering bit, then maybe invest in a drilling jig. They are not cheap, but they will always be accurate.
I have both...

http://www.cwgrips.com/cwgrips_site_007.htm

http://www.blindhogg.com/forsale.html


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## TRfromMT (Jan 11, 2015)

Marc,
I will double check my drill press.

Thinking through your checklist (thank you, by the way...) I believe you are describing a sequence where the larger diameter counterbore is made first, then you centerpunch for the screw hole, finally drilling through the smaller diameter for the screw hole. Is that right? 

I have been making the screw holes first, then centering up the end-mill as best I can (after I have the depth stop set) and making the counterbore on top of the screw hole. I am doing this by eye, carefully adjusting things to line up, with the machine off.

I do have a fixture to get the C-C distance between holes at the right distance. But it is drilled for the 15/64 bit. I have been contemplating making a fixture that would get the spacing right, using the 7mm end mill bit first.

I do use a sharp center punch, pressed by hand or a light tap with a mallet.


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## TRfromMT (Jan 11, 2015)

My drill press does have about .020" play with the spindle fully lowered - about 0.010" each side. El-cheapo drill press. This can't be helping.

I need to find the stepped drill bit to machine these holes....


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## ripjack13 (Jan 11, 2015)

TRfromMT said:


> Marc,
> I will double check my drill press.
> 
> Thinking through your checklist (thank you, by the way...) I believe you are describing a sequence where the larger diameter counterbore is made first, then you centerpunch for the screw hole, finally drilling through the smaller diameter for the screw hole. Is that right? No..
> ...



How about making a stepped bit from a larger drill bit size needed for the shoulder? Then it would center the bit in the hole and just shave away the shoulder area. The stepped part of it does not need to be sharp...


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## TRfromMT (Jan 11, 2015)

I contacted Chris at blindhogg. He wont have any until later this year, so I am considering how to make my own....

Reactions: Like 1


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## The PenSmith (Jan 16, 2015)

1911 grips are on my short list to learn to make. I have lots of Buckeye cutoffs along with some Camphor burl that I want to make into grips. I just have to carve out some time and sit and play with some 'plain jane' wood before I take off on the good stuff.


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## TRfromMT (Jan 16, 2015)

I figured out a lot of the process by scrapping out a number of plain jane blanks I hacked out of a slab of maple. Best way to figure out the details.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Schroedc (Jan 17, 2015)

Just reading this, from a machining standpoint, I'd recommend drilling the larger diameter first and then coming back and drilling the center hole. Trying to eye up a larger hole on top of the smaller one can be difficult.

Reactions: Like 1


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## TRfromMT (Jan 18, 2015)

Colin,

I agree. My next attempts will be with the larger hole first. I am going to attempt to make a stepped drill and that's going to hopefully solve all the drilling problems. If that works I'll post pictures.

Reactions: Like 1


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## TRfromMT (Jan 19, 2015)

I was able to make myself a stepped drill bit and the results are great. I chucked up a 9/32" bit in my drill press and turned it on, and used my belt sander to turn down the first 3/4" of the bit. I went slowly and used dial calipers to check the diameter as I went. I got it down to 15/64 and it was surprisingly easy to take a few thousandths at a time.

The problem was the step between diameters was really rounded. I used a cutoff disk in a dremel tool. For this step I chucked up the drill bit in a hand drill and clamped the drill in my vise (this gave me clearance to get the dremel/cutoff wheel nice and square to the bit - I only have a small benchtop drill press and have no room to get the dremel positioned very well). The cutoff wheel cut a nice sharp flat at the transitions between diameters. The cutoff wheel provided a little undercut and the transition between diameters is really sharp.

For the sanding and the cutoff wheel I made sure the rotation of the drill bit was cutting against the surface of the belt or cutoff wheel, running against each other not with each other.

Now I drill the 15/64 pilot holes in my grip hole spacing jig, and follow up with the step drill bit. With the depth stop set right, the two holes are perfectly centered and there is no tearout.

Success!!!

Anyone wants pictures of the setup I described, just let me know.


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## HomeBody (Jan 20, 2015)

Yes, pics would be nice. You'll put the guy who makes those bits out of business. Gary

Reactions: Agree 2


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## TRfromMT (Jan 23, 2015)

Ripjack13 gave me the suggestion to polish these up with Carnuba wax. This is the finished product. The holes are slightly messy, but I made a stepped drill bit that fixes this. The next ones will be much better. Thanks all who have chimed in with suggestions and encouragement.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## ripjack13 (Jan 23, 2015)

TRfromMT said:


> I was able to make myself a stepped drill bit and the results are great.
> Anyone wants pictures of the setup I described, just let me know.



Pics of the bit you made would be sweet.


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## ripjack13 (Jan 23, 2015)

And those grips look sweet....really nice job Tony.


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## TRfromMT (Jan 23, 2015)

Thanks. I'll see if I can get some decent pics of the bit tomorrow. Forgot about that....


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## Mike1950 (Jan 24, 2015)

NICE grips!!!


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## TRfromMT (Jan 24, 2015)

Here are some pictures of my tooling for making grips. I cut the profile for the plunger tube with a 3/16" ball end cutter (Dremel part number 192). I made a fixture to hold the grip at the right angle relative to the edge of the jig, which slides against a slide fence I clamp to the drill press table. I have to take a couple of passes to nibble away at the edge. I set the depth by adjusting the height of the table and the drill press is all the way up. It takes a few passes, then I raise (to make a deeper cut) the table to make the final passes.

The drill bit was a home made job. I chucked up the bit in the drill press and took my belt sander to the end. The relief cut is to make a 90° inside radius on the final profile of the drilled hole. I cut that with a cutoff wheel in a dremel tool. The sanding and cutoff wheel were run opposite the rotation of the drill (counter feed) - NOT climb feed. I drill a pilot hole, because drilling with the step drill alone gets hot and smokes, and looks like it might burn the hole, so I drill the right size pilot and just let the step bear on the side of the pilot hole for centering but it is doing very little cutting.

Hope someone finds this useful.....

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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## ripjack13 (Jan 24, 2015)

That is ingenuity! Nice job....that jig is sweet...


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## Kevin (Jan 24, 2015)

Nice job. I appreciate the effort and DIY attitude. But to my eye, the results are not as good as with using Carl's bit. The countersink portion of your holes are not clean nor do they appear to be symmetrical. The reason is because your step shoulder is not tapered, it's a 90 degree angle. The black line shows what your grips are seeing when the bit comes down, the red lne shows what your bit needs.





If you can find a way to get that 45° angle (or whatever it is) you'll start getting the same results as the bit that Carl sells. But getting that bevel is going to be a tall order, and it's why Carl gets the money for them that he gets. I don't know if you are looking for C&C but those small details make the difference between professional looking results . . . and not.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (Jan 24, 2015)

Perhaps you could use your bit, then come in behind it with a high quality countersink?


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## TRfromMT (Jan 24, 2015)

The pictures I posted of my grips are not with this bit. The holes you see are in fact why I made the bit - because I was lining things up by eye with multiple bits and getting junk results.  They are just the progression of improvements I've made compared to the very first set, which looked like they were chewed by a feral beaver....

I have some new grips started with that bit and the holes are perfect. They are just rough sanded so far, so no pictures . I will post those pictures when there is something worth looking at...

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## Kevin (Jan 24, 2015)

TRfromMT said:


> The pictures I posted of my grips are not with this bit. The holes you see are in fact why I made the bit - because I was lining things up by eye with multiple bits and getting junk results.  They are just the progression of improvements I've made compared to the very first set, which looked like they were chewed by a feral beaver....
> 
> I have some new grips started with that bit and the holes are perfect. They are just rough sanded so far, so no pictures . I will post those pictures when there is something worth looking at...



Cool! Keep at it you'll get the results you want.


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## TRfromMT (Jan 24, 2015)

Mike1950 said:


> NICE grips!!!


Thanks Mike. I am looking forward to getting my hands on the walnut you are sending. I wanted to work out the wrinkles before I got the walnut I was looking for - I hope to do them justice!


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## ripjack13 (Jan 24, 2015)

You could get the wood now and let it acclimate to the surroundings...

Reactions: Agree 1


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## TRfromMT (Jan 27, 2015)

For those who still may be interested in this thread... Here are the most recent set. I sanded them to 800 grit last night and put a coat of Tung Oil on them. Not waxed yet. These ones are made with the new drill bit, and the holes are nice and concentric, no tear-out, etc. Now, for the truly observant - can you spot the really (and I mean really!) silly error with these ones?

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1


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## Schroedc (Jan 27, 2015)

Looks really nice but did you mix up the pairs of blanks? I've made that mistake on pens before.


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## TRfromMT (Jan 27, 2015)

Yep. They are supposed to be book matched. Somehow got one piece rotated 180 degrees from the other after splitting them apart. DOH!


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## Schroedc (Jan 27, 2015)

TRfromMT said:


> Yep. They are supposed to be book matched. Somehow got one piece rotated 180 degrees from the other after splitting them apart. DOH!



You can only look at one side at a time anyways. They still look good!


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