It’s satisfying to make your speargun, and even better when it puts a sumptuous dinner on your table. But if you plan to customize your speargun, you need to refresh your basic woodworking and joinery skills, enabling you to build a lovely, solid wood speargun that will stand the test of time. You’ll also need a hand drill, chisels, drill press, router, and a table saw for your endeavor.
You’ll need oily hardwood such as teak, rosewood, or mahogany as your choice of wood. This type of wood will give your speargun a beautiful look and prevent your speargun from absorbing water during fishing. You may also need glue, power bands, a line anchor, and different types of epoxy. For other components you will need, you may go here and shop for the items to make your customizing project successful.
And to help you better, the following steps should help you build a custom-made speargun for your spearfishing expeditions.
Prepare The Wood
First, cut your wood to manageable sizes. For example, for a 45-inch gun, you’ll cut your wood slightly above 45 inches as room for error. Cut it into strips and scrape them using a hand plane, card scraper, or drum sander. Be careful when cutting the wood to avoid infections. Once the wood strips are smooth, wipe them with denatured alcohol to remove surface oil and let them dry. By removing the surface oil, the glue will effectively bond the strips together, ensuring continuity. Consider using water-rated glue for hardwood to prevent future problems.
Binding the strips with glue requires some bit of strategy. Organize them to counteract one another to maintain the stalk’s flatness. You’re likely to have a bent gun if you make them face in one direction. Then cut the piece to its final length (45 inches in this case).
Mortise The Trigger Mechanism
When you buy the mortise, it’s usually measured and marked out, and most people prefer triggers that are relatively cheap and easy to install. You may want to visit stores if you need a customized trigger for your gun. Mark the cross pins, then use the drill press to drill the fastening areas and the line release. Then check to confirm if the mechanism works on a dry fit before proceeding to the next step.
Make The Stock And The Grip
To make the stock of your speargun, you’ll use the table saw with the dado stack or a router table to cut the track. Make a pass to the end of the trigger pocket, then turn the stock to the opposite side and pass it from the trigger pocket to the muzzle. It will guarantee that the track is even and centered.
Cut the grip to an angle using the meter gauge and the mortise, then clean it up with chisels. Use the table saw, meter gauge, and tenoning jig to cut and shape the tenon for the grip. The small part above the grip is placed perpendicular to the mortise.
Modify The Trigger Mechanism And Fine-Tune The Grip
Use a power carving disk on the angle grinder to fine-tune the grip. It will mold it to a size that can fit your hand, then smoothen it with sandpaper. The next step is to drill a hole in the grip to connect the grip to the dowel. Insert the dowel through the hole and trim the excess protruding part.
The trigger system is commonly made for spearguns with extra-long triggers. And for it to fit behind the trigger guard, cut it with an angle grinder, then fine-tune it with a file. Use some offcuts to make a trigger guard and glue it to the trigger pocket.
Apply The Finish
For the finish, begin with the penetrating epoxy to establish a barrier that allows other layers to be applied uniformly and protect and maintain the wood. Then use a 2:1 epoxy on the protective coating to improve the gun’s external appearance. Finally, apply a spar or bristol finish to give it a beautiful silky sheen and an extra layer of protection. Remember to wait for at least one hour before applying one finish layer to the next.
Mount the Reel And Trigger Mechanism
Before mounting, you’ve to cut the cross pins to a length equal to the trigger mech. To achieve equal length, measure the cross pins by using a pick. Then, mark the length with tape, transfer it to the stainless cross pin, and cut. You can do this process using other means; however, marking and transferring it makes sense.
Mount the cross pins by fixing the machined end first to avoid the risk of damage during sanding and filing when the end of the cross pin exits the hole. Finally, line the cross pins with friction fits, mount the reel, and screw it with stainless screws.
Conclusion
So far, you know what it takes to build and customize your speargun successfully. Making it in a hurry may not produce perfect results, so ensure that you follow this guide with attention to detail. Once you’re done, please give it a test and enjoy using your custom-made speargun in your spearfishing activities.
