Macon is a joke. They cut a Winchester High wall stock for me, pretty straight forward gun, it's a wreck, not usable. I called them, left messages and emails, no go. I've since bought a duplicator and do all my own now. I used to have a contract with Fajen, they did great work for me. I've also used Wenig Custom Gunstocks at http://www.wenig.com/. Most excellent work but a bit pricey but you get what you pay for. I might mention, I sent my own wood to Macon, a VERY high grade piece of feather crotch American black walnut, it's NOT what I received. It was so poor it didn't matter however. I'm glad I'm running my own wood on my own machine. Jerry

I might add that having YOUR stock duplicated is a big plus if you are a stockmaker. The grip sweep, top tang angle, floor plate angle is all critical and a generic run stock, especially on a double gun is very important to be correct. Otherwise they must leave so much wood it's a pain to work with it in order to get your stock correct or leave you enough wood with which to work.
Prior to buying a duplicator I've done the last 4 years worth of stock making from a blank, not pre cut but a blank. I stock about 20=30 guns a year. I'm in hog-heaven now with my own machine, Jerry
Pictured is my last one done from a blank and not run on the duplicator, Eagle grade L.C. smith
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...r/IMG_2444.jpg

Hail Mary!!! I didn't know there was anybody left that would and could take one from the "flitch" anymore besides the big boys on highpowers. I can't and won't get into the custom gunmakers society only because I'm getting to old! They were not there when I was a kid and nobody here(Kansas) would pay for such a stock if they even knew what it entailed. Happy scraping!!! Lee.:rotf:

I haven't heard the word flitch used forever! We refer to a " flitch " as the first cut off the log at the mill with bark still on at least one side before it's run through the edger.
I've made 296 stock for doubles, most of them L.C. Smith guns and I don't think there have been a dozen pre runs in that whole mess. Nice post Lee and good to hear some of the terminology with which I'm familiar. Jerry
I have some killer full length ( 5-6 ft long ) full feather crotch cherry pieces. I need to find someone building high end muzzleloaders. They are beautiful blanks, trees cut down by me when I owned the timber company and sawed at our mill.

Jerry you should of wiped that piece of wood with a damp cloth so I could drool more.

I'll send some pics, I should have the varnish on in a day or two. Jerry

Jerry: Your reply on cherry wood ( I call it whiskey cherry) reminds me of my vagrant youth when I started in the banking business in Lawrence , Kansas. I had a guy probably in his 60's , (I was maybe 22 at the time) who owed the bank some money and couldn't seem to rake up the bucks. He owned a sawmill at Vinland , Kansas and we got to talking wood one day. I told him I would catch his account up to date one day if he would bring me some fancy wood sawed for stock blanks. He said he had walnut and cherry. About 2 weeks later he showed up with a flat bed stacked 2 feet high with both, sawed 3" to 4 1/2" thick. A DEAL was struck!!!! Rhiney Fajen and I used all this up in a couple years. Lee.:bigbye:

Wow! Back to the bartering system! I've had folks bring me some pretty unusual items as well. I've lent money to the guys that worked for me as well as the truck driver that hauled my logs. He asked one day for money for a truck. I gave him cash, a hand shake, no paperwork etc. 2 weeks later he paid me in full and brought me enough grubbed out walnut stumps for at least 30 blanks. They were powerwashed and ready to go across the saw blade. I guess since I wouldn't take interest that was his form of interest!
Since joining these three forums ( well, I was kicked off of one ) I've met the nicest folks. A member of this Parker board, I won't say who, sent me a ton of wood to look through, pay for what I took and simply send the rest back. This guy didn't know me at all. Now THAT'S the kind of people on which America was founded! It's too bad our USA has stopped manufacturing for the most part and things like Parkers, Foxes, Smiths and other fine doubles are no longer made here at a price folks can afford. I think it's why we all live in this old double world, longing for the days gone by. Bamboo fly rods, Lionel trains and a good batch of root beer made at home. We still cook nearly all our meals at home, heat with wood and grow most of what we eat, including the animals. But, this is West Viriginia and we are a fairly strange family I guess. Jerry

Not so strange at all Jerry... not at all friend. :)

Thanks! I may have been born about 200 years to late. Jerry