FX Bobcat walnut stock project: #4

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DaveG

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Apr 1, 2015
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I have been working on several concepts to get a walnut stock on my FX Bobcat. I'm sure some of you already know all about it, but with the start of this new forum, thought I would take the opportunity to update the progress. This is the 4th concept that I have come up with -



The actual silhouette or profile is very close to the factory synthetic, but the stock would be more sculpted, and slimmer over all. Hand positioning through the wrist and trigger finger are also altered to allow for a quicker "point" and shoulder.

For those that may be interested in following the progress of this project, I have started a Facebook group where I will be doing regular updates. I hope to be able to share every step, every detail from start to finish on not only this, but many different projects - in a way I have not been able to just with posts on a forum. Before I actually get to cutting wood on this project, I will be doing some other stuff, like anodizing, assembly of complete actions, trigger work, all of which I will openly share with group members to watch, and ask questions/talk about. If interested, please do come join the group! 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1495365260702518/

For those not interested in the day to day, I will continue to post the broad strokes when I get there ;-)
 
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Dave, I think you have stumbled on to a whole new design genre. The subtle and unpredictable changes in angle and pitch give this stock a 'gnarled' look - like manzanita wood. I really think that the ripples created by your work could turn into waves for the industry. Having watched things evolve for the past 5 years, I know that this is how change happens. Thanks for taking us all along for the ride.
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Manzanita wood:
 
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Ted, I worked in a highly competitive graphic arts field for many years. Ground was always being broken into new types of art, and illustration, and styles became very recognizable among the top dogs. Copy writes were also always a kind of big deal, and law suits were kind of common place for infringement. I was successful in that field for about 20 years before giving it up to care for my wife. Ran several very big art departments, and companies used to call me from all over the country to offer jobs, etc... I got very good at recognizing the base art, and where the influence had originated. I have also witnessed the same sort of thing in the stock/airgun business as well, over say the last 15 years or so... it is the nature of things.

When I first started doing illustrations just for giggles on the old airgun letter forum(before the yellow) there was a guy I used to chat with frequently as I was designing in public(on the forum) - when a maker asked if I wanted to collaborate on designing a new stock for them. We could not come to terms on a deal that would work, and I passed on the job. So, the guy I had been chatting with, took the illustrations I posted on the forum, and then sold them to the company as his own. They simplified what I had done, but there was enough similarities that it was obvious... Several years passed, and the guy that took the illustrations off the forum, saw a photo of a stock that I had hand cut. He e-mailed me, and asked a few questions about where I go the inspiration from, and we talked back and forth a few times. He then accused me of ripping off HIS design! I laughed, and laughed as I assembled all the old e-mails I had from the first experience we had together, along with all the old picts that were date stamped on my hard drive,and promptly sent them off to him... Never heard another word from him...

I have had a manufacturer ask to design for them. Did a stock, and shipped it off to them, thinking it would be a starting point, and that we would modify the design according to their needs. Never heard a word from them. Never said thanks, never got paid, never even said, "hey, we go it" To this day I still see them producing stocks based on that design. They modified it a little, as was my intention in the first place, but I still recognize what I did - in what they are putting out. 

I have seen it all, my friend.

I do appreciate the kind words, and hope to continue to push the envelope a bit!
 
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Dave what do you think would be one of the easier ways to lighten the Bobcat? As the stock doesn't weigh much, the scope rail seems like it could lose some weight,and the air tube probably has some weight I have not taken mine off yet. Do you think the shroud design offers any advantage by using the scope rail or could you just make a one piece shroud and do away with the rail or shorten it up. Looks like they did it on the Wildcat.
 
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The Bobcat started as the Royale, and then was converted to a Bullpup. In that regard, it is what it is. Yes, the large diameter, and long air tube is quite heavy compared to a 1.25" tube. The rail could be done a different way, but we are talking maybe a of couple ounces, at best. The fill set up, and gauge could drop some additional weight, as they are kind of large for the task...

The Wildcat is a different animal altogether. It was designed from day one to be what it is - with no compromises in design based on the fact that it also had to be something else. They are also working with all new machinery that gives then capabilities they didn't have before, and based on what I can see they are taking full advantage of that!
 
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AZBobcat, yep, I have thought about all of those things, with one exception- I can do the air tube myself, and would not need to bother Chip. Where my dilemma begins is the fact that once I start making parts, where do I start, and then stop? If I make an air tube, with new filler set up, to ditch the factory stuff , well, I can also add another inch or so to the trigger forward bar, new linkage, and a lighter scope rail... But, when I am cutting plug to fill the hole in the breech where the gauge was, I think I could make a smaller breech block to reduce the weight, and foot print in the stock... Shoot, I can make the entire thing smaller, lighter, oops, but I could also by a Wildcat ;-) to save myself the machine time.

Just keeping the project practical, my intention is to leave the action alone, minus changing the filler fitting on some of the concepts, and replacing the scope rail (which for me is about the ergonomics), and just concentrate on getting wood cut. They will be unique simply because they exist.

I actually have a Multi-shot Bullpup action made, and finished (completely anodized, and assembled -reg installed and set) but am missing a stock for it. My action weighs 4.5 lbs with 360cc's of air stored in twin tubes, (one above the other).
 
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I wish I had the equipment and skill to do some of this custom stuff. It's looks like a lot of fun and it would be great to be able to make my perfect airgun instead of putting up with someone else's idea. The pics in this thread look awesome!

It is easy to understand the appeal of FX guns and the loyalty people have for the brand. They fix obvious design problems where other companies just accept them. For example, there is really no reason why bullpup side levers need to be stuck in your arm pit. If they can make extension arms for the trigger linkage, they could easily do the same for the side lever on any gun. Only FX bothered to solve it. For $1300 - $2500, I think we should expect a little more innovation and design work. The FX Wildcat is noticeably lighter too. Other bullpups are the same weight as full sized rifles for the most part. They can't even seem to save much weight with their synthetic stocks...

I would like to see more use of premium materials in high-end guns too. Most of us don't like plastic on any air gun but especially not on a $1500 one (even if they call it "composite"). For light-weight, strong and scratch resistant stocks, carbon fiber is the obvious choice for a hunting rifle. It works very well in other premium products that need to be strong and light. It is easy to work with too. For the metal parts, titanium would make more sense. Heavy steel tubes weighing down the front of the gun is just wrong. Some brands like Parker Hale, Airforce and FX put the air at the back but there is still room for weight savings. Carbon fiber and titanium are expensive but not that expensive considering the price these guns retail for. I made a carbon fiber stock at home for less than $60 worth of materials. It is certainly no more expensive than walnut.

Also, brass should be phased out for all fill probes. It's too delicate and it belongs nowhere near a high end PCP. For $1500, give us a long lasting high carbon steel. For some reason, airgun companies think that stainless steel and aluminum are prescious metals. They aren't. We would never accept these cheap metals in expensive golf clubs so we shouldn't here either. 

I'm surprised that there aren't more aftermarket upgrade options for things like titanium air reservoirs. 



 
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