DIY, converting a VZ58 fixed stock to a folder.
- Thread starter Curtton
- Start date
after making room for the folder , btw, make sure the top front of the stock is level with the hinge of the folder.
i installed the rear swivel, i used a nail to hold it in and made grooves for the nail, see pic below.
after much thought about how to attach the two sides , i decided the kiss method is best , i used allen cap screws #8-32 simply bcos the heads wasnt too large and it doesnt need to be painted black altho i'll have to paint the nuts.
on a drill press, i drilled thru the back of the metal folder, i then assembled one of the sides and using the drilled hole as a guide i drilled thru the one side, then i assembled both sides and again drilled thru the hole thru both sides. i repeated this process for the other two holes.
next time, i'll drill two holes thru the arm of the metal folder , one in the front and one in the back, this will give it more rigidity.
i glued pieces of compressed wood biscuits to the inside walls to stop the wobbling.
the folder buttplate is smaller than the standard buttplate so the back end will sit higher , i simple let it protrude and block the openning with electrician tape.
i filed the sharp edges, all the high sections were filed down to level both sides , i then sprayed "minwax fast-drying polyurethane clear gloss" to give it the shine.
so there it is, its really comfy to use. alittle more work than i thought , next time i will invest in a new dremel. lol.
i cant wait to try it on a real wood stock.
i installed the rear swivel, i used a nail to hold it in and made grooves for the nail, see pic below.
after much thought about how to attach the two sides , i decided the kiss method is best , i used allen cap screws #8-32 simply bcos the heads wasnt too large and it doesnt need to be painted black altho i'll have to paint the nuts.
on a drill press, i drilled thru the back of the metal folder, i then assembled one of the sides and using the drilled hole as a guide i drilled thru the one side, then i assembled both sides and again drilled thru the hole thru both sides. i repeated this process for the other two holes.
next time, i'll drill two holes thru the arm of the metal folder , one in the front and one in the back, this will give it more rigidity.
i glued pieces of compressed wood biscuits to the inside walls to stop the wobbling.
the folder buttplate is smaller than the standard buttplate so the back end will sit higher , i simple let it protrude and block the openning with electrician tape.
i filed the sharp edges, all the high sections were filed down to level both sides , i then sprayed "minwax fast-drying polyurethane clear gloss" to give it the shine.
so there it is, its really comfy to use. alittle more work than i thought , next time i will invest in a new dremel. lol.
i cant wait to try it on a real wood stock.
Last edited:
after making room for the folder , btw, make sure the top front of the stock is level with the hinge of the folder.
i installed the rear swivel, i used a nail to hold it in and made grooves for the nail, see pic below.
after much thought about how to attach the two sides , i decided the kiss method is best , i used allen cap screws #8-32 simply bcos the heads wasnt too large and it doesnt need to be painted black altho i'll have to paint the nuts.
on a drill press, i drilled thru the back of the metal folder, i then assembled one of the sides and using the drilled hole as a guide i drilled thru the one side, then i assembled both sides and again drilled thru the hole thru both sides. i repeated this process for the other two holes.
next time, i'll drill two holes thru the arm of the metal folder , one in the front and one in the back, this will give it more rigidity.
i glued pieces of compressed wood biscuits to the inside walls to stop the wobbling.
the folder buttplate is smaller than the standard buttplate so the back end will sit higher , i simple let it protrude and block the openning with electrician tape.
i filed the sharp edges, even the high section i filed it down to level both the sides , i then sprayed "minwax fast-drying polyurethane clear gloss" to give it back the shine.
so there it is, its really comfy to use. alittle more work than i thought , next time i will invest in a new dremel. lol.
i cant wait to try it on a real wood stock.
Very nice curtton, you are always coming up with the coolest ####!!!!
you ALWAYS seem to impress.
If someone wanted to try that, bring your stock to a friend with a wood shop. Use a bandsaw to cut the stock in two. 9/16" is a lot of material to lose when cutting this in half and a bandsaw can do this with maybe 1/16" material loss. That might be enough to match the width of the metal butt piece (or be wider depending on what you want to do).
If the width is still too narrow, you can add some filler strips of wood to thicken the stock so it'll be wider than the metal folding stock.
If the folder is a little longer than the wooden stock, then you could add on some extra wood on the butt end of the wood stock and recess the metal butt piece into it. Trying to match the colour of the wood extension to the factory wood stock could be tricky, so it might be best to go for a contrast. Paint the extension bit black or blue-grey like the rest of the metal on the rifle. Same goes for any strips of wood to widen the stock (if required). Match the existing colour or go for an intentional contrast.
If you wanted the wood stock to retain a full wood look at the butt end, then add on your extension bit to the front of the stock by the folding hinge. Once again, if you can't match the colour, go for an intentional contrast.
- Location
- Edmonton Alberta
very cool, would you be able to flip the folder over somehow so that a right handed shooter could access the controls? that would be my only issue with this awesome mod..
i think i can improve it abit but ya gotta realize there is a difference in sizes but next time i will try to center it , it will require me to bend the folder arm .
im sure it can be done if i had a wood/metal work shop but all i had was hand tools.
i may be able to solve the access to the safety lever when i convert real wood cos i think they are made of solid wood so i can carved out piece near the grip.
round two - real wood version
working with real wood was far more forgiving than the red wood chip version. i have over come some of the deficiencies from the earlier version with the help from a wood carving set and a dremel i purchased.
1. how to connect the two sides .
2. improve/blend the buttplate .
3. getting access to trigger when folded.
this time i had the wood stock cut a wee bit thicker , about 1/16" more than the 3/4" of the red wood chip version and that is bcos i removed the previous finish by circa 1850 and sanding. its too difficult to match the existing shade so its best to go natural .
to line up the buttplate it drop the front end by an 1/8" , to correct that i had to bend the arm up with the help of a torch and a 2 lb hammer, donot over bend bcos it will get in the way of the cocking handle.
the folder buttplate is shorter than the normal buttplate so i unfolded the buttplate edges. i gain 1/4" at each ends.
this time i was careful to remove minimal of material. this ensured tightness and ridigity.
-then the two sides was glued and clamped.
-with a grinder , the buttplate was grounded down to size.
-palm sanded and brushed a couple coats of poly.
heres the two versions. left side view.
top view.
bottom view.
heres on the rifle :
hope you liked the wood version . thanks to everybody for their suggestions and ideas.
working with real wood was far more forgiving than the red wood chip version. i have over come some of the deficiencies from the earlier version with the help from a wood carving set and a dremel i purchased.
1. how to connect the two sides .
2. improve/blend the buttplate .
3. getting access to trigger when folded.
this time i had the wood stock cut a wee bit thicker , about 1/16" more than the 3/4" of the red wood chip version and that is bcos i removed the previous finish by circa 1850 and sanding. its too difficult to match the existing shade so its best to go natural .
to line up the buttplate it drop the front end by an 1/8" , to correct that i had to bend the arm up with the help of a torch and a 2 lb hammer, donot over bend bcos it will get in the way of the cocking handle.
the folder buttplate is shorter than the normal buttplate so i unfolded the buttplate edges. i gain 1/4" at each ends.
this time i was careful to remove minimal of material. this ensured tightness and ridigity.
-then the two sides was glued and clamped.
-with a grinder , the buttplate was grounded down to size.
-palm sanded and brushed a couple coats of poly.
heres the two versions. left side view.
top view.
bottom view.
heres on the rifle :
hope you liked the wood version . thanks to everybody for their suggestions and ideas.
Last edited:
- Location
- Shushwap Valley, British Columbia
Now buy all alluminium furnature, and paint every thing black. Lol jk. Interesting projects, they both turned out awsome. I really like the blonde wood folder. Impressive wood working skills.
