Tzalam/Satine take 2

The results of my first build with this combination of Tzalam and Satine were very satisfactory: I ended up with a well balanced gun with no ballasting, which shoots like a laser. Since I had some more of this wood laying around I glued up another blank. I also have a couple of unused 5/16" shafts from an AB Biller gun which started to accidentally discharge every couple of minutes. Biller eventually replaced the faulty trigger mech. but now I don't trust the gun, so I will use the shafts in a new gun.

This time I started out by by cutting 7/8" x 1 1/2" inch rips of Tzalam, which I then ripped in half, then planed to 5/16" x 1 1/2". I glued 7 strips with West Systems epoxy, and added a 1/2" top sheet of Satine. After cleaning up the blank it had a 1/32" bow to it, so I planed it flat, then took it down to 1 15/16" X 2". The finished product will be reduced in height after the epoxy has a couple more weeks to fully cure.

My target is a 100 cm euro style gun with a shallow open track.

The blank has been hanging for almost two weeks now and is still dead straight. I will pick up the parts on a ski trip to Colorado in a couple of weeks and get this thing done!:thumbsup2:

Here are a few shots of the laminated blank. The grain of the Tzalam really pops with a few coats of epoxy

After months of waiting I finally ordered the parts to assemble a new 100cm euro gun. I glued up a stock several months ago, but had a router accident (with the stock) while doing the final roundover, so I left it hanging.

The stock makes a dip where the mech sits as the router bit dropped in to the mech mortise and took off two much wood. The mech will sit a little high, but I should still have enough material for the line release mortise. I will shoot it as is for a while, but may glue up a new stock and re-use the parts.

Pictures will follow

After laying out the mech I decided to build the stock up in the mech area, so I cut a 30 degree bevel and epoxied a new piece of Satine in place. The dutchman came out perfectly, and is now a design feature adding contrast to the stock.

I re-routed the mech mortise and extended the grove then finished routing on the stock last night.After mortising in the break-away snubber anchor and line anchor I put a first coat of epoxy on the stock.