Laying out checkering patterns

[B. Dudley]

This post is a continuation from a thread in the Repro section regarding the quality and layout of lower grade production Repros.

There was some questions regarding how checkering patterns are laid out and executed. Below is a good series of photos on the layout of a straight grip checkering pattern on a Custom Winchester Low Wall rifle.

The most important thing about laying out a checkering pattern is knowing where you box yourself in and where NOT to. Obviously on straight edges and "organic" patterns, it is not much of a concern, so the borders can be scratched in. But, on "angular" patterns, the borders are determined on the actual checkering lines. So, some borders must remain as phantom areas to be worked up to.

I like to use a simple diamond as a good example. A Trojan forend pattern... Not that hard one may think. So it is easy for someone to just scratch in the whole diamond and then fill it in. But issues are realized very quickly. One can start at one end, or can cut the difference and lay thier master lines out in the middle of the diamond. either way, the spaced lines will rarely end up exactly on the border they scratched in. Either it may not be perfectly straight with it, or the spacing used may not let it fall right on it.
A diamond is best executed, by using a "V" as your starting point and checkering to the other end. Or by laying out an "X" and working out to all 4 sides that are roughly drawing in with a wax pencil.

Anyway... to the photos of a straight grip pattern.

The pattern is started by cutting in the straight lower and upper borders. Then the straight rear border is cut in. This will serve as my one master line. The opposing master line will define the top side of the lower point in the pattern. All this scratching in of lines is done after careful drawing in with a wax pencil.

IMG_1953.jpg

Then, I space out from the rear master line until it reaches where I want the front border to be. Notice how I have two even points, top and bottom, at the front of the pattern. I also space out the opposing lines towards the rear.

IMG_1954.jpg

At this point I figure where I want my center point to roughly end up and draw it in with a wax pencil and then continue cutting in each direction until the center forward point is defined. At this time, the entire pattern is spaced.

IMG_1955.jpg

Then the lines are deepened to "point up" the pattern. and a bead border is cut in.

IMG_1956.jpg

And the pattern is oiled to darken it.

IMG_1957.jpg

Here are some photos of the assembled rifle.

Low-Wall-1.jpg

Low-Wall-2.jpg

[Dollar]

What rifle is that with caliber?Thats very nice I like falling blocks.I have a couple browning 78's and then some Ruger #1's.

[B. Dudley]

I am not sure what caliber it is. It was a customer's rifle. I only had the stock for checkering.

[Dollar]

I saw its a winchester.Nice job real nice gun.

[Keavin Nelson]

Brian,
you do wonderfull work! A question, since I know you work on Parkers quite a bit, how can the original parker border be matched, where it is concave in the center of the two border line cuts. In restoring a number of guns, recutting checkering I have used a bent round pointed file, but thought there might be something better?

[B. Dudley]

Gunline makes a concave cutter. I first use a 26 lpi tripple line spacer and then use the concave cutter on the center line to make a mullered border.

[Tom]

Brian
Thanks for the tips, I love learning this stuff. Since you bought it up I have a question on checkering. I have been fooling with it recently and my biggest problem seems to be keeping the lines at the same angle. An example would be if I start with a 3 to 1 diamond pattern and went six or seven inches in one direction, at the bottom I could end up with squares. The angles Change over distance. The only option I have come up with is start a new line with correction every inch or so and that stands out like a sore thumb. If the answer is just keep doing it to gain experience, I'm good with that. Just thought there might be a simple hint or fix to improve this.
As always thanks for your advice, Tom

[B. Dudley]

The reason you are having that happen is because your lines are not straight. You are likely having your lines change course around curves in the wood.
The most important thing is to maintain straight lines from the start.

[Keavin Nelson]

Brian, thanks for explaining the mullered border.