Yep, all the curly maple that I have had has been soft maple. There is hard maple, but seems to me it would be pretty heavy for a stock? I have a 3" benchrest stock here I made from soft curly maple, Its about 4 pounds as it is. I dont see hard maple as very useful in making stocks. Maybe some use it, but thats got to be a heavy stock. Staining soft woods like maple or pine makes them blotchy. Wood dye is the key."Soft woods like Maple."? Bowling pins are made of maple. Are you looking to darken the wood or leave it the natural color that it is, but with 'protection' from the elements? Both Red Maple and Sugar Maple are harder than several of the species of walnuts. And, it depends on where the tree is grown.
Try this:Built a stock out of Curly Maple. Practice finishing a couple extra boards I had left over. Didn't like either. What the suggestion for finishing this stock?
Thanks
I've been making stocks for 25yrs. Hard Maple is no heavier than a good piece of English Walnut. Red maple is considered "soft', but it is far from it. It is just considered to be "softer" than Sugar Hard Maple. Many times, depending on where it was grown, Red maple is on par with Black Walnut. The 'preferred' stock wood for the Pennsylvania Long Rifle.Yep, all the curly maple that I have had has been soft maple. There is hard maple, but seems to me it would be pretty heavy for a stock? I have a 3" benchrest stock here I made from soft curly maple, Its about 4 pounds as it is. I dont see hard maple as very useful in making stocks. Maybe some use it, but thats got to be a heavy stock. Staining soft woods like maple or pine makes them blotchy. Wood dye is the key.
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Wet sand with Permalyn Sealer to fill the pores (it shouldn't take much to fill the pores). Mix with stain if desired. Finish with Pro Custom Oil, it beats the daylights out of boiled linseed.Will try the linseed oil and dye finish on an extra boards I have and see what happens.
Thanks for all the responses. When I finish I'll post a pic.
I've been making stocks for 25yrs. Hard Maple is no heavier than a good piece of English Walnut. Red maple is considered "soft', but it is far from it. It is just considered to be "softer" than Sugar Hard Maple. Many times, depending on where it was grown, Red maple is on par with Black Walnut. The 'preferred' stock wood for the Pennsylvania Long Rifle.
It's been too long ago for me to remember. I typically just add a few drops of something pretty dark, just to color the sealer coats, then go to straight permalyn or, as shortgrass mentioned..pro custom, for the rest of the job.What stain did you use. I have a stock I will have finished soon and like the color on yours.
Holy crap that's pretty!Yep, all the curly maple that I have had has been soft maple. There is hard maple, but seems to me it would be pretty heavy for a stock? I have a 3" benchrest stock here I made from soft curly maple, Its about 4 pounds as it is. I dont see hard maple as very useful in making stocks. Maybe some use it, but thats got to be a heavy stock. Staining soft woods like maple or pine makes them blotchy. Wood dye is the key.
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