Folks,

I am in the planning stage of making my second homemade gun. The first was from a 50 year old plus single block of mahogany. The grain was good so we did not bother with cutting it into plies to laminate them together. The gun has worked great with no warping or bending.

I am about start a second one to be built from teak. I again have a solid block with good grain. I see a bunch threads talking about laminating plies together and aging the block. My question is whether this is a must do step or whether I can just use the block of teak. I want to do it right though.

Is the laminating plies step used if you either have suspect grain or are not starting from a block big enough to make the gun out of or is it to make sure the gun can withstand the pressure and should be done regardless of the piece of wood you start out with?

If I have to do the plies, what would you use for the laminate?

Thanks for all the help?

I am also pretty new to gun building and have a lot to learn myself but I dont think the wood NEEDS to be laminated. I have laminated all the gun stocks I have built so far just because I am too scared it will warp after a couple dive trips. Use west systems epoxy.

I don't know much about laminating stocks, just what I've read. I think it would be great to be able to use just one piece and avoid the lamination work. I'd rather pay more up front and avoid the hassle. If you have a straight solid piece you still have to run it through the saw a few times. When you do this you change the balance of the wood piece. Depending on how much you take off the wood may then warp to acquire balance again. I'm waiting to see the replies of the more experienced guys.

SpearEasy is right about cutting the wood and having it change. I found a nice piece of mahogany type wood floating in the ocean about 12 years ago, I think it is called madera, looks like mahogany but harder and heavier.
It was about 3 inches by 4 inches and about 6 feet long. I let it sit around for about 6 months then decided to build a longer stock for the old Sea Hornet.
When I cut it I made the rough cuts bigger than I wanted and was glad I did that because as soon as I cut it, it warped.
I was able to take enough off the center on one side and the ends of the other to make it straight again.
Been using the gun ever since and it is still straight.

I would laminate it. I use a "T" design. I think it is much more stable. You can Google about what glue to use. You might be surpised that the most expensive laminate is far from the best on oily teak.

Kahuna can you give me some tips on the "T" laminating? Like do you laminate the vertical then plane and laminate the horizontal on top of it or do you do it all at once?

The horizontal "piece" on mine is on the bottom because I am cutting the track on the top and would make it kinda usless. This batch of guns is 5 pieces verically and the botom piece horizontal. Although when I laminate and clamp the the gun is basically upside down so that the horizonal piece is pushing down on the other pieces to help line them up. I use 20-30 clamps and do it all at once. Look at spirotiki's site and his blanks. That will give you the idea. You must do it all at once or you will have a mess.

I'll post pictures later but right now gotta work and the camera is out doing its real estate duties.