Using a scanned file.

[CarverJerry]

I scanned in a gun stock while it was held in place with a jig. (see photo) This stock is a composit stock but I have 3 wooden stocks that I'd like to place a carving into. I don't want to cut the stock except for where I want the added items to go, an eagle and the american flag. What would be the best way to go about doing this? I'm not sure and just thought I reach out and ask. I do know that there are many ways to skin a cat but I'm open for suggestions. Thanks

[bergerud]

How about this for an idea? Make a "mask" at 0.00 which covers up the stock but leaves holes to carve the patterns through?

[CW-HAL9000]

just curious what rifle does that stock go on?

[fwharris]

How about this for an idea? Make a "mask" at 0.00 which covers up the stock but leaves holes to carve the patterns through?

Cool idea for being able to carve on another surface. Just might work!

Now for the hard part, how did you make the mask?

[cestout]

You will have to "air carve" the area where your art work so it will follow the contour (additive) and if you use a mask, the edges might show. Maybe it would be best to "air carve" the entire stock.
Clint

[bergerud]

Cool idea for being able to carve on another surface. Just might work!

Now for the hard part, how did you make the mask?

I outlined the two patterns, made them carve regions, grouped them with the 0.00 depth, clip exclusive rectangle and made a pattern. I then took the pattern into PE and, using the magic wand, selected and deleted the interior of the outlines. This results in a 0.00 level mask with holes. (I was worried that if the pattern outlines were left as lower carve regions, the 0.00 rectangle part might also be carved. I think now that the whole mask is 0.00, it will not be carved. Test required!)

[bergerud]

You will have to "air carve" the area where your art work so it will follow the contour (additive) and if you use a mask, the edges might show. Maybe it would be best to "air carve" the entire stock.
Clint

I do not think any air carving is required. The carving should only happen through the holes. No other part of the stock will get touched. Getting the right depth will be the tricky part. (Maybe you are thinking of center line on a carved surface. This is just a simple carve.)

[bergerud]

I just noticed that the mask, even though it was at the surface of the board, was assigned a depth of 0.25. That was the depth of the carve regions I deleted. I did not get the Hidden Carvings warning on upload so I am worried about the machine carving the zero carve. Here it is fixed. The mask is now a Hidden Carve.

[fwharris]

Dan,

Thanks for the explanation! That should work out very well I would think. And yes a test carve would be called for before committing to a good stock.

[CarverJerry]

Thanks for the input, I will preform a test and let you know how it turns out. This is for an AK stock but doesn't include the mounting section.

[blhutchens]

Thanks Dan,

I get requests to carve on gun stocks all the time but have not wanted to attempt it as most of them are $200 a piece or more. I also have a stratocaster body to carve on that I can use this method on.
I was waiting until I had some input as to how to attack it.

Brent

[gashawk]

Thanks for showing us the mask trick. Some times I have trouble getting into pattern editor. It says the patterns belong to someone else. Also you can outline a pattern and use the 3d sweep for a feather effect.



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[CarverJerry]

I'm having one of those days where I've lost my head somewhere. For the life of me I can't figure out how to make this pattern carve deeper into the stock, I don't have the 3D sweep tool and I can't make the pattern follow the curve of the stock. I did a test carve on an old stock and the head of the eagle washes out. I'm using Bergerud's file, any help would be thankful.
Been dealing with my sister in laws death the past few days and having those brain fart days.