In answer to the question of Automotive clears and pot life. Generally two hours before they really start to thicken. I have extended pot life for days by putting the mixed clear coat in a cold refrigerator, but you'll have to add reducer before spraying and that can make for some issues. If you're clever, it can work, but really there is no reason to NOT apply several coats and move on to the cut and polish stage after it cures.
Clear coat costs a small fortune, but you may be able to buy a small quantity from a auto body shop. There are usually several ingredients, base, hardener, accelerator, reducer, and they're all expensive in shop quantities typically available.
I seriously considered this route for my Richards Micro Fit stock, but quickly discarded it and instead purchased some of the best varnish I could find, Captains 1015 Varnish from Petit.
I brushed on several coats, decided I didn't like the result and sanded it thoroughly with 600 grit after drying several weeks and then sprayed on a good coat slightly reduced.
Result was fantastic. Beautiful, deep amber clear finish on the birch and walnut "tiger" wood laminate. When I take it to the range, I am frequently asked by another shooter if they can photograph it. My ugly mug is probably all over the 'net by now..LOL
FYI; If you do some research you find that traditional BWC "True Oil" finish is a mixture of varnish, tung oil, linseed oil, and solvent. The quality of finish you achieve with it, is a direct result of the quality of ingredients used in making it. You can get the same thing in Minwax Tung Oil Finish, not the best, but it does work well.
If you really want the highest quality finish, you can mix your own from quality ingredients purchased separately.
A bit of history.
True Oil and similar finishes were designed for solid hard wood stocks, to improve weather resistance and swelling from moisture that causes accuracy issues as well as premature aging. They were developed for use on old growth hardwoods commonly found in days gone by, but rare today. These were penetrating finishes meant to be easily repaired years later if necessary. Functionality was paramount, beauty second, but not to take away anything from the craftsmen who can really make it work beautifully, elevating the process to an art form, and at substantial cost of course. Six months of work on a finish alone was once considered "rushing it" for an oil type finish. A year or two for really incredible finishes, mostly due to the very slow penetration of the wood and evaporation drying of the oils.
For laminate stocks, oil type finishes are not advised. In a laminate stock you have very thin layers of hardwood, all with the grain oriented in parallel planes, interspersed with impenetrable
urethane glues. The beauty of the stock is generally directly related to the quantity and design of feather edged layers of the laminate, with the dark glue adding contrast to the colored wood. It is at these boundaries of glue and wood that traditional oil causes the wood to swell and stress crack along the glue lines. That is why a "sit on top" type of finish like varnish or urethane, as opposed to a penetrating oil type finish is desirable.
Sorry for the rant, that was more than I intended. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
Clear coat costs a small fortune, but you may be able to buy a small quantity from a auto body shop. There are usually several ingredients, base, hardener, accelerator, reducer, and they're all expensive in shop quantities typically available.
I seriously considered this route for my Richards Micro Fit stock, but quickly discarded it and instead purchased some of the best varnish I could find, Captains 1015 Varnish from Petit.
I brushed on several coats, decided I didn't like the result and sanded it thoroughly with 600 grit after drying several weeks and then sprayed on a good coat slightly reduced.
Result was fantastic. Beautiful, deep amber clear finish on the birch and walnut "tiger" wood laminate. When I take it to the range, I am frequently asked by another shooter if they can photograph it. My ugly mug is probably all over the 'net by now..LOL
FYI; If you do some research you find that traditional BWC "True Oil" finish is a mixture of varnish, tung oil, linseed oil, and solvent. The quality of finish you achieve with it, is a direct result of the quality of ingredients used in making it. You can get the same thing in Minwax Tung Oil Finish, not the best, but it does work well.
If you really want the highest quality finish, you can mix your own from quality ingredients purchased separately.
A bit of history.
True Oil and similar finishes were designed for solid hard wood stocks, to improve weather resistance and swelling from moisture that causes accuracy issues as well as premature aging. They were developed for use on old growth hardwoods commonly found in days gone by, but rare today. These were penetrating finishes meant to be easily repaired years later if necessary. Functionality was paramount, beauty second, but not to take away anything from the craftsmen who can really make it work beautifully, elevating the process to an art form, and at substantial cost of course. Six months of work on a finish alone was once considered "rushing it" for an oil type finish. A year or two for really incredible finishes, mostly due to the very slow penetration of the wood and evaporation drying of the oils.
For laminate stocks, oil type finishes are not advised. In a laminate stock you have very thin layers of hardwood, all with the grain oriented in parallel planes, interspersed with impenetrable
urethane glues. The beauty of the stock is generally directly related to the quantity and design of feather edged layers of the laminate, with the dark glue adding contrast to the colored wood. It is at these boundaries of glue and wood that traditional oil causes the wood to swell and stress crack along the glue lines. That is why a "sit on top" type of finish like varnish or urethane, as opposed to a penetrating oil type finish is desirable.
Sorry for the rant, that was more than I intended. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
.................... Reading the tech specs LOTS of additional good benefits too. ......... Hmmmm , Royal Jacaranda, Pepper, yellow jacket .......................?????
