SpudFiles

I'm starting to get into some more aesthetic attachments for some of my guns, so I want to get into some serious woodworking (stocks, grips, handles, etc...) The problem is, I have very little experience with this sort of thing. I think I can work on the skills myself with some practice and some time, but I don't really know what tools I need. I currently have a dremel, a hand drill, and an oscillating tool, but I was thinking I need to invest in some chisels, files, stains, and such. I'm just look to you all to point me in the right direction on what to buy for my purposes.

You're basically looking for big bulky shapes with not a lot of fine detail work then?

Minimum equipment to make life easy based on my experience:
Jigsaw (an expensive one if possible!)
Sanding drums that you can put in a drill
Rasps / a couple planers
Brutal 20-grit sand paper + finer grits up to 500 or so.
Some chisels and sharp knives. You can make knives cheaply out of files, since they only need to be sharp and controllable, not pretty. Get some knives that have a small blade and a grip that fits your entire hand.

Better equipment:
Belt and drum sander
Bandsaw with a blade to match what you're cutting. Thinner blades turn corners better.
Some drill bits that are actually designed for wood.
An angle grinder with a 20-grit buffer pad for quickly removing large amounts of wood. You can literally watch the growth rings melt away with every pass.

Stains and polyurethane is up to you. Avoid the both-in-one-can stuff.
Look up what type of clamps you should use if you plan on gluing stuff. You can often improvise special clamps from random shop clutter. The pros do this often.

Have a look at http://lumberjocks.com/ for more valuable advice than mine. There are some really skilled people over there.



Edit: or you could do the shaping while it's still alive.

A router is what your looking for. I once got one at a yard aale for 10 bucks. There is a link below. Have a look.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Router_(woodworking)

Yeah all the tools mentioned seems right in order to build handles. The Router Matty is talking about will give you that nice custom smooth edge around the handle, so once you cut out the shop with preferably a skill saw, then you router the edges that are not against the gun. should look good and hopefully we can see some pics down the road.

All that stuff is pretty good advice. I would get a table saw or handheld circular saw for cutting long, straight cuts (really nice for plywood and mdf) and a scroll saw instead of a jigsaw for intricate or inside cuts. Bandsaws are nice, but unnecessary unless you are cutting really thick wood or need to cut quickly. And you can make your own bandsaw out of wood. Get yourself a good sander, either a bench mount disk sander or a belt sander. Use a random orbit sander instead of planers. And you dont need a router for rounding the edges of your handles, just use a belt sander.
Good sandpaper is a must, from 20 all the way through 200 or so.
I've never found a use for chisels, planers, and knives that can't be done as good or better with something else, and I think they are much harder to use.
A good drill press is nice, to make sure your holes are straight, but not necessary.

How about buying wood and start making chips Its the fastest way to gaining experience and realizing what tools you really need.

Apart from what you already have I would definitely invest in a decent router with some attachments. It can serve as a jigsaw, drill press and it leaves a good finish so it negates the need for heavy sanding (belt sander).

Also check what attachments are available for your dremel. I would suggest a quality wood cutting wheel, router attachment for small routing jobs and a flex shaft for detail work.

You need a good knife, axe and sandpaper, maybe a saw if you like making things HiTech

I wouldn't use a router for shaping, I think its better suited for hiding components inside wood.