OK, I'm going to give this gun building thing a shot! I've been reading and rereading every morsel of information on the topic (here there and everywhere) that I could find. I've finally got things set up in my basement, have my materials and parts. I'm ready to start putting my blank together this Sunday. I've been practicing with 2X4's - the basics like the mech pocket handle recess and line release. I'll have a spare blank to use for test cuts and set up before I start working on the padouk blank I'm making. Even after all the reading, before I start glueing up the blank I have a few questions.
Question #1
I've got the West Systems 105 base epoxy and the 205 (fast hardener). I'm in the Northeast and my basement is typically in the 55 to 65 degree F range this time of year. I'm also going to be using the 403 microfiber filler. Does that sound like the correct recipe?
My wood is padouk. In the shots below; the first one is the day I picked it up from the lumber yard. The other two pieces are reclaimed teak from the USS NorthCarolina that I plan on using in another build (hopefully) at a later date. The second shot is one half of that 10ft 8/4 board. After sitting in my basement for over a month it twisted quite a bit so I had to flatten it with my planer on a sled. I lost 1/2" of wood in the process but I got it perfectly flat. The third and forth shot are from earlier today after ripping some pieces for the glue up. I wound up with four 1/2" X 1.5"X 5' strips and two more slightly thinner ones. I still have half the board left for another piece that I'll use horizontal across the top so I can achieve the correct dimensions I want.
Question # 2. These pieces I ripped are a little twisted, I'm obviously not going to attempt to joint them because of their thickness. I'm assuming they are OK to use as long as I oversize my dimensions to be straightened at a later date? What's a good rule of thumb in regards to oversizing? I was thinking a quarter inch on the width and height.
I guess that's all I have for now but I'm sure I'll be hitting all you talented builders up again at some point. Oh yeah, the gun is going to be a mid-handle like the Riffe 44" with a 48" shaft. I do a lot of diving in murky water. I've got a Neptonics reef mech, handle frame, shaft etc. I also bought the UHMW track but I'm thinking I might make this an open track. Thoughts on that?
Thanks in advance for all comments and suggestions.