THE GUN DRILL HAS JUST ABOUT DRILLED THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THIS PIECE OF HOLLY HANDLE STOCK.
SHOWN HERE ARE SEVERAL FOREARMS, OR HANDLES, OF HOLLY AND BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD. A TEST PLUG WILL BE RUN THRU THE HOLE TO CHECK FOR STRAIGHTNESS. THE WOOD WILL "HANG" FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND BE RE-CHECKED WITH THE PLUG GAUGE TO DETERMINE IF THE WOOD HAS MOVED.
HERE IS THE "TEST PLUG" WHICH MUST PASS THRU THE HANDLE STOCK WITH A SLIGHT RESISTANCE. IN THE TRADE, WE CALL IT A "THUMB PUSH" FIT. THE TEST BAR IS EXACTLY .750", WHICH WILL BE THE SAME SIZE AS THE CORE. THE CORE HOLE IS .758" TO ALLOW FOR A GLUE LINE AND SLIGHT SWELLING OF THE THE WOOD WHEN GLUED. IF THE TEST BAR HAS TO BE FORCED THRU THE HOLE, THE HOLE IS REBORED AND THE PIECE OF WOOD HUNG FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND THEN RE-CHECKED WITH THE TEST BAR. IF THE BAR CANNOT PASS THRU THE HOLE, THE PIECE IS SCRAPPED OR CUT INTO PIECES FOR TRIM RINGS OR BUTT SLEEVES. THIS PIECE OF AFZELIA WAS BORED ON 10/18/06 AND THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN ON 10/30/2007. THE FIT WAS A PERFECT "THUMB PUSH".
HERE YOU CAN SEE THE "STOP RING" FITTED INTO AN EBONY FOREARM. THE HANDLE SLEEVE WILL NOW BUTT UP TO THE "STOP RING" AND WILL BE LOCKED-IN BY THE THREADED BUTT CAP.
