Mr Dick Dastardly ,
I don't have one of them thar fandangled shaper-carver tools you gots in your arsenal of gun tricks, so I just take the old grips make the pattern on my blank , cut it close with Jap bladed jig-saw to 1/4" over and then hand beltsand to near perfect, then hand sand to perfect. I always do my flats of the frame first to fit then shape the rest . Remington I do the round area that fits the frame first, a must on a Remington . I don't use a moto-tool for anything on guns excpet inletting actions of rifles . Small hand held belt sanders are my ticket to a good time . Be very carefull , oops happens quickly
. The Remington round part I use hand files . Go slow , fit fit fit fit many many times to get perfect .
After I have fitted the grips to perfect I then drill for estchutsens and only then . I learned that the hard way
Then when tis all done , finish on , etc , etc , I drill the grips frame for 1/8 roll pin to hold panels firm , just in case they move around when fireing . I have found that is easiest for me .
Yes, brass lends itself well for Maple , lookey here . And the grips are not in place yet on this one they are curing on the gun before I roll pinned it . I had a slight curve in one panel of grip and I had to try to take it out . It worked . If you don't get enoughfinish on the back of your grip warping is possible . ALways finish the inside of your grips too
Especially on your first coat of oil or it can warp it from the moisture of the oils just being onthe one side .
Have fun and I would do them by hand even if I had a machine .
Please post a pic when your done too I want to see your work .
Alabama