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mhiltz
Advanced Member
USA
643 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 09 2012 : 17:30:45
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I just purchased a new stock for a Browning A bolt that I have. I have wanted to do this for a couple of years now, but didn't have the extra time.
I ordered a Boyds pepper laminate stock. While ordering it I read that it would have to be finished. Once I get the barreled action inleted, and install the hinge plate, which I hope will go well, I will then need to finish the stock. I don't know how to do that, and thought maybe some of you might tell me what you use to do that. I ordered Birchwood Casey Tru Oil finishing kit, is that all I need to finish the wood?
Thanks |
"It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" Captain Call Texas Ranger
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Bobo7mmmag
Advanced Member
2396 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2012 : 18:27:39
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| Some fine sand paper and steel wool may be needed. |
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nifrand
New Member
17 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2012 : 16:10:29
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Get on the net.There is a lot of good info.
Put stock finishing in your search.
I"ve done a couple from Boyds and they turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.
Randy |
Semper Fi |
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Onondaga
Advanced Member
USA
1416 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2012 : 20:56:16
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I have done professional stock finishing. Birchwood Casey Tru-oil is my favorite finish. I never use steel wool, it will imbed in the wood and cause spotting.
New stock finishers generally go much finer in progressive grit size than needed. I don't go finer than 320 grit even for $1,000 showpiece stock finishes.
Patience and sanding with the grain are so important. Removing waves with block sanding in important.
Application of Tru-oil sounds simple, few people do it correctly. I apply 1-3 drops and spread it out as far as it will go with my clean palm, rubbing hard with the grain till the oil gets hot and tacky. Then apply to the next adjacent area the same way and so on till stock has one coat. Don't go back and touch up. let each coat set before applying the next and sand lightly between coats. Do not sand through a coat when sanding. It takes a delicate touch to just break a finish.
Read up on "whiskering" and filling a stock. You may wish to do that depending on the quality and depth of finish you desire
Military finishes are 4 coats, Sport finishes are usually 10 coats . Deluxe finishes are 20 or more coats and completely level fill the grain.
The only thing not in the kit is enough sandpaper, and i prefer emery cloth anyway. I also use Flours of Pumice on a wet towel to break the shine of the final coat by rubbing. This gives an egg shell finish that can be waxed in one week. I only use Johnson's Paste Wax for a final luster on the eggshell finish and do not prefer a very glass-like shine.
Gary |
Fine rifles are never really owned. |
Edited by - Onondaga on Jun 11 2012 21:01:53 |
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Wolfgang
Advanced Member
3006 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2012 : 02:52:57
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Sandpaper is for other-than-wood materials and cheap production line furniture, fine wood products should be finished with a scraper and/or burnishing as per the job requirements. The quick and dirty is that sandpaper breaks and shreds the wood fibers rather than cleanly cutting them which makes all the difference in the world to the end result. The following quote comes from a blog I wrote on the subject of gunstock finishing and finishes:
quote:
I have to interject a short history lesson to provide the proper perspective on wood finishing techniques. The first production made coated abrasives (sandpaper) weren't invented until late 1833 and consisted of ground glass affixed to parchment which was ineffective on hardwoods and metal. Modern style sandpaper did not come into widespread use until the early 20th century which is why there is such admiration of wood items built in the 19th century or earlier. Sandpaper functions by the sharp edges of the abrasive tearing and shredding the natural wood fibers forever destroying their structural integrity and appearance resulting in a flat appearance of natural colored wood and a muddy appearance on stained wood. No type or amount of oil, resin or synthetic material can reverse the damage sandpaper does to the wood fibers which is why the wood will never achieve the same appearance characteristics as seen on pre-20th century works. - Link: http://bpgunsmith.blogspot.com/p/wood-finishing-refinishing-gun-stocks.html
I'll second the advice to avoid steel wool. Also have to point out that Tru-Oil is far from either containing less than 11% Linseed oil and greater than 56% petroleum hydrocarbon solvent. Now, before someone shouts out "BLO" (Boiled Linseed Oil), it's only fair to show that a common store-shelf product labeled "Boiled Linseed Oil" is actually composed of: Hydrotreated Petroleum Distillate; Medium Aliphatic Petroleum Solvent; Modified Petroleum Hydrocarbon; Amorphous silica; Dipropylene Glycol Methyl Ether; Styrene; >3% Linseed oil; >1% Cobalt.
I prefer using only certified first-press Tung oil, used for centuries and it still remains the most durable natural curing oil and exceeds the protection and durability of 99.99% of all synthetic, semi-synthetic and "blended" finishes, especially the modern "lead-free" and "low-VOC" mixtures. Couple exceptions on the non-traditional side are extremely durable moisture/water proof full-synthetic finishes that will handle thermal cycling from -30°F to +280°F and 10% dimensional plane variations without failing but you're not going to find them at the local hardware or big box store and they definitely ain't easy on the wallet either.
Perilla oil is an alternative if you don't like or happen to be allergic to Tung oil. Perilla oil requires a little different prepolymerization processing method than is common to Tung and Linseed but it's a close second place to Tung oil for durability. Walnut oil is another option although less durable than Tung or Perilla it's more durable than Linseed and one of the most flexible of the natural curing oils provided it's properly prepared. "Unrefined virgin walnut oil" is the kind you want for culinary uses except during the actual cooking as it'll bitter-out with heat ... "Refined virgin Walnut oil" is what is to be used for wood finishing.
(Side note on allergies: Many modern oil/finish blends now contain D-Limonene and snyone who is scent/chemical sensitive will often have problems with products that contain even a small amount D-Limonene.)
Not to bust on Gary but I'm a gunmaker and do restorations & customizing on gunstocks and all other sorts of stuff. A $1000 will just about cover the cost of basic set of traditional muzzleloader parts then add 70+ hours of labor for assembly. A pretty domestic grown quarter-sawn plank runs $300-$600 depending on it's "prettiness factor" and a properly procured exotic plank can easily exceed $1500 by itself. |
Carry the battle to them. Don't let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive and don't ever apologize for anything."
Harry S. Truman
mark@fire-iron.biz
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nifrand
New Member
17 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2012 : 11:01:09
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Good info on this thread.Thanks Wolfgang and Onondaga.
Randy |
Semper Fi |
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mhiltz
Advanced Member
USA
643 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2012 : 02:15:20
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I will second that nifrand. Good stuff there guys. I just got home from work a bit ago to find the new stock already here. I shall start tomorrow.
Thanks for taking the time to explain this in such detail. |
"It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" Captain Call Texas Ranger
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mhiltz
Advanced Member
USA
643 Posts |
Posted - Jan 24 2013 : 15:25:55
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I thought I would follow up on this since I have some time on my hands. Thanks to Onandaga, and Wolfgang on sharing their knowledge.
This stock took me a couple months to do. I was pretty slow at it. I had a lot of fun doing it, and it looks alright. I think it is a pretty rifle now. It shoots very good. I glass bedded the action, and free floated the barrel. One of the hardest things to do was to correctly install the sling studs. I look forward to doing this again soon on one of my Savages. |
"It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" Captain Call Texas Ranger
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bigpower
Senior Member
USA
401 Posts |
Posted - Jan 24 2013 : 23:19:31
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| Sweet, been eyeballin one them Boyds stocks. Think I'm gonna bite. |
Yeah, I'm a "G" man...Girls, Guns and Guitars............ |
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Shastaboat
Advanced Member
USA
2788 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2013 : 12:20:03
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| Not sure if anyone covered this but I always fit the trigger guard and floor plate first before bedding the action. |
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New stock on it's way
