Pistol Grips?

[PCW]

Now that's what we are talking about. Love the burl.
You should put a link to your website in your signature.

[liquidguitars]

looks good... nice job.

[geekviking]

Could you post the final patterns for us, and also did you get the backsides notched?

Beautiful job by the way!

[Burl Source]

Sorry, I haven't been here for a while.
I am currently doing the backside of the grips by hand.
The pattern I am using for the front is from a scan I did with some grips provided to me by a gunsmith friend. Unfortunately the surface of my scans are about as smooth as asphalt. I must be doing something wrong but everything I scan has a very rough surface even on the best settings. I have just been using the carving like a rough preform and finish shaping by hand. Kept the pattern a little oversized to make up for the materials I still have to remove. I don't know how to post a pattern file. Maybe someone knows of a thread that tells how.

[PCW]

Can you smooth them out in pattern editor. If you need some help shoot me a PM.

[Burl Source]

Blur seemed to work best for smoothing them out. Now I need to carve them to see what happens.
Thank You Dan!

[vandel]

Burl Source, have you got your 1911 grips perfected yet? This thread has good info but I think some info passed was in a PM or because I don't have the machine yet, I'm not following the info. What source are you using for your wood? I've only found arizonaironwood.com. I'm wanting to stick with Ironwood and Burls due to the beauty of it but are you finding the Ironwood wearing out the CW bits too fast?

Vandel

[Burl Source]

Burl Source, have you got your 1911 grips perfected yet? This thread has good info but I think some info passed was in a PM or because I don't have the machine yet, I'm not following the info. What source are you using for your wood? I've only found arizonaironwood.com. I'm wanting to stick with Ironwood and Burls due to the beauty of it but are you finding the Ironwood wearing out the CW bits too fast?

Vandel

I am still working out a few issues before I have the process going how I want it to go. It is not issues with the machine but with my ignorance. I seem to be a slow learner. I haven't carved any ironwood yet, but it is tough stuff. I know when I cut it on my bandsaw the blade life is a lot shorter. As for wood suppliers, that is what I am. I supply wood to custom knifemakers but the same sort works for pistol grips as well.

[jab73180]

I am still working out a few issues before I have the process going how I want it to go. It is not issues with the machine but with my ignorance. I seem to be a slow learner. I haven't carved any ironwood yet, but it is tough stuff. I know when I cut it on my bandsaw the blade life is a lot shorter. As for wood suppliers, that is what I am. I supply wood to custom knifemakers but the same sort works for pistol grips as well.

So how is the process now? I am looking to carve some grips too. Any way you would share your ptn?

-Jason

[Roy P.]

If anyone is interested, I made patterns to carve and checker 1911 grips. You need the Conforming Vectors software and a 60-degree conic bit for the checkering. There's a picture on my web page at http://pineau.net/pistolgrips.