Some years ago, I did a "series karma" of refinishing folks surplus rifle stocks. That is one area of refinishing, and then there is just straight finishing.

There are some commonalities between the two:

Patience.

Patience.

Preparation

Cleanliness

Lighting

Dedicated space

Correct tools

And Patience.


Refinishing surplus rifle stocks is a lot of fun, because people get bent that you're destroying history. Mainly, the idea is to not sand, and to do the work without disturbing markings. This is absolutely possible.

Whether refinishing a surplus or modern stock, skip all the other methods, do it outside with a water source, and use paint stripper, or my preference, vinyl tile stripper.

Remove as much hardware as possible, but I've not yet had an issue with metals being attacked. Incidentally, if you want to get cosmoline out of a stock....

After stripping, there is a product called "after wash" to neutralize any remaining stripper after a rinse. Then rinse again, then again. Then leave it alone, for days.

Patience.

When the stock is dry, you'll still want to wipe it with mineral spirits, and then let that dry.

Starting with a raw stock, be it new or old, resist the urge to aggressively sand. You can actually raise grain and fuck up more than you're fixing.

I recommend just sanding any obvious trouble spots, wiping with mineral spirits, let dry, and move to first coat.

The first coat is cut with, something. Mineral spirits, Naptha, whatever. It's a penetrating and sealing coat.

Depending on what you're doing, this coat dries fully, or not.

If you're refinishing a surplus stock, you're not going to sand, so continue on. If you've got a new stock, then you have a choice.

You can go "sanding slurry," or you can sand the furry stuff after the initial coat, wipe down, and continue.

The more thin coats the better. Of almost any product.

My experience means I don't bother with BLO or any product related. Soft, and too humidity/sweat attack prone. If you go BLO, you'll be waxing too.

If I'm doing a surplus stock, it's Tung all the way.

Pure Tung and the "Tung Oil Finish" from a Home Depot aren't the same. You can use that hardware store stuff if you're not experienced, it's OK.

In my quest for a tough brush on clear finish, I have made a discovery. First, if you want a tough finish, you're not buying it from a non-professional store.

The toughest thing you can by from a homeownery store, is called "Spar Varnish."

Ok, fine. If you read my previous posts on "Varnish," you'll know that it is a proper term, but also a generic term.

The toughest brushable marine finishes, almost all contain tung oil, alkyd, and non earth friendly chemicals. The polyurethane from Ace Hardware, is not the same, not by a long shot.

If you want really tough, then you're spraying an automotive finish. That is a whole other thread.

The most available and best products I've found:

Old Masters

Rust Oleum Marine Coatings

Epifanes Varnish

Total Boat Gleam 2.0

Now, if you aren't doing a rifle stock, or even if you are, then I'd highly recommend the Old Masters product. The primary difference between it and the rest, is Tung Oil. The reality is that Tung Oil is the additive that allows varnishes to resist UV, and the primary difference between interior and exterior varnishes.

If you want something water based... you've read too far, there is nothing for you here.

So, onward.

To finish, or refinish anything, you really need a temperature and humidity controlled space, with limited air movement. You need to be able to stop it from being a piece of fly paper for dust. You can work down to 50 degrees, but high humidity is a more serious problem.

You need to learn the set time, and then how long before sanding is needed, of your chosen finish. Either work within that, or just let it sit. Patience, if you rush this, it's going to show.

You'll want to wear a respirator. Unless you have a large volume of interior space, opening a window or door doesn't really go with a perfect finish. You need to choose a space where it can off-gas, that can be ventilated after it's no longer open.

You'll want Nitrile gloves, and appropriate brushes, and cleaning. Do not work from the cans, use any kind of disposable cup, from store bought to cut off liter bottles.

Do NOT throw away rags, hang them to dry, or put them in a metal container that you remove from the building.

There are so many things to know and to learn, and really, most of them you'll have to fuck up for yourself. The reality is, that almost all finish fuckups are fixable. Except two.

Glue, and blood.

Virtually everything else won't permanently bone your project. Causing some sort of problem that needs to be mechanically sanded, is omitted because you need to be more careful, jackass.

This thread comes to mind when addressing type of wood and look or finish desired. Whether you expect to see open grain, or something more uniform. Whether stain is involved.

My current 10/22 build involves a laminate stock. Whether to fill or not is still a choice. I will not be filling. Which just means that voids will be full of finish, and it will appear "deep."

I think you are making it more sound more difficult than it is. Humidity controlled room? I respectfully disagree. Drying times can differ with humidity so adjust accordingly.

Another thing that should be mentioned is that Pure Tung Oil NEVER dries! If you do manage to get ahold of real, pure Tung Oil don't forget that you'll have to use a catalyst. Also Tung Oil especially pure Tung Oil can cause strong allergic reactions so just be careful at first and use something else if you find that you are allergic.........

I'm trying not to write a book here.

The idea is that you just don't want wild swings in temperature or humidity, and that high humidity is a pita.

If I'm making it sound more difficult than it is, then perhaps I've got it about right.

Because it's not as easy as people think it is, nor as difficult. Yet, the array of variables mean that only individual trial and error prevail.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
Because it's not as easy as people think it is, nor as difficult.

I haven't been drinking enough tonight (yet) for that to make sense to me.


;-)

What I'm trying to mean to say, is that no matter how much you read on the internet, or in books if people still do that, you're only going to get good results after you fuck up some stocks.

There are so many variables, choice of materials and equipment, location, desired results, skill level, whether someone is a moron or not, how can we account for everything?

I do think that people can overcomplicate something, either with ignorance or enthusiasm, or both.

Certainly the primary mistake to be made in this, is being in a rush.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
What I'm trying to mean to say, is that no matter how much you read on the internet, or in books if people still do that, you're only going to get good results after you fuck up some stocks.

Again I have to respectfully disagree. I haven't F'd up any stocks, nor did the stockmakers I trained at a small custom rifle maker.

I do strongly AGREE that you CAN quite easily Mess up stocks so maybe I was fortunate enough to come across a relatively easy and sound system and also had prior woodworking experience.

Also you might prefer a different type of finish that I do and the results you prefer might me more difficult to achieve.

I don't like Glossy "Weatherby" style finishes or the glossy varnish types you used to see on Remington 700 BDL's for example. I don't do those so I can't comment on how difficult they might be to achieve.

But a nice Oil finish is really not too hard to do if you can simply wait long enough between coats for the oil to really harden.

https://www.amazon.com/Digest-...=riflesmithing+books

This book has in it Custom Riflesmith Sterling Davenports method. I pretty much use it with the exception of using a Penetrating Epoxy Sealer 1st coat to seal the wood extremely well and cut the number of sand in coats by 1/2. It's really not too awful hard to do in about any garage you aren't freezing to death in............dj

I'd say it's highly likely both of us are outside of average.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
I'd say it's highly likely both of us are outside of average.

LOL


I've noted over the years that we seem to buy a lot of the same guns or very close! :-)

I hope my discussion here doesn't in anyway seem petty or argumentative. I do respect your opinions.

No, no it doesn't.

I try to style my threads like this to be most useful to people who are getting started. I'm not sure if it works or if it's even necessary.

We do appear to have similar tastes and experiences, which may just mean we're both assholes.

I do think that something like finishing/refinishing can rapidly get way deeper into carpentry/craftsmanship than some thought they would be.

Just a silly anecdote. In the vein of similar rifles while noticing you building your Why Not Ruger 10/22 I was also in the process of building up a totally unnecessary but fun 10/22. Mine was going to be a takedown that used the Magpul stock.

I ordered the stock and went to a gunshow looking for the cheapest stainless 10/22 takedown to harvest the action and stick it in my Magpul FDE stock. I managed to find one $75 cheaper than any I'd seen with only one issue... It was PINK! LOL what did I care since I was going to replace the stock anyway. I gladly plopped down my $75 less than normal and headed home.

...... I made it about 5 feet past my fiancé when she saw my lovely little Pink 10/22 and she decided it was just the cutest thing she'd ever seen and that I sure better not change the stock on it!


So anyway as you might guess my Fiancé has a lovely new PINK 10/22 takedown and I'm out the cash for ANOTHER 10/22 stainless takedown to harvest for my Magpul stock. LOL found a cool OD barrel to go with the FDE stock. Hope to find out if it shoots worth a darn tomorrow.


Yours being a fixed barrel will probably shoot better but the projects are kinda fun as long as they shoot at least pretty good........ :-D :-D

When the 10/22 takedown appeared at my local fun store, it is what brought me back into .22s.

Everyone needs at least one 10/22 takedown.

So, I've been working on this for a while, and it's about done.

I'm confident now, that I can do a mean stock, in natural oil, or a synthetic urethane or alkyd.

I've actually upped my game as far as sanding and finishing just because of the complexity of this stock. A typical rifle stock is child's play compared to the contours of this accursed thing.

It looks better in person, and is so smooth you'd want to fuck it.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
No, no it doesn't.

I try to style my threads like this to be most useful to people who are getting started. I'm not sure if it works or if it's even necessary.

I have it bookmarked in case my Mauser project ever gets going.