stock finishing

[hoene72]

Hello Everyone
I just ordered a new laminated stock today. Done a search found lots of post. Was wondering about the clear coat finish. Called napa and asked if they had auto clear in spray can they do carry some. Was needing to know what kind to get or if there is different kinds the person I talked to didn't seem to know much about it. Or is there an easier way to get a glass like finish this is my first attempt at doing this so I need all the help I can get.

THANKS

 

[gamma]

This is something Ive been wondering about myself. Look forward to some good replies on this.

 

[Nodak7mm]

Good subject guys that has been asked several times, myself included. Do a simple search and you ought to come up with enough reading material to suffice till one of the guys who know the subject will chime in.

I do know that auto clear coat is the way to go for getting the clear finish wanted. Stay away from 'poly in a can' from the lumberyard as that will cause yellowing.

I have a stock that I am anxiously awaiting that I had shot with auto clear and sanded, shot, sanded, shot, sanded..... Buffed.. Had it done by the stockmaker cause I dont have the equipment to do it properly; decent paint gun, etc & supplies. To get it done the way I wanted, it would have cost me just as much to do it myself as have someone do it for me.

More will chime in I am sure.

Nodak

 

[3dtestify]

Brownell's carries a product from Chem-Pak called Gun-Sav'r Custom oil finish, an aerosol can stock finish in hunter satin or high gloss. It's a mix of natural oils and urethane & their tech dept. rates it a 5 star. It's very easy to apply & I've used it on several laminated stocks with great success, no drips, runs or sags & I'm a novice to gunsmithing but it made me look like a pro. Just follow the enclosed instructions & you'll be very impressed.

 

[watercam]

I've hand rubbed Tru-oil on four laminated stocks with good success. You can do three coats in a day which is all you need if one has sanded properly. Go four or more coats for glossy. Much more control than spraying I think.

 

[Preacher]

All I use these days is NAPA crossfire blended 4 to 1 and it does a super job, I buy it by the gallon and replace that into mason jars that seal good so it keeps for a long time..
I use Gorilla glue to seal the wood and fill the little depressions, and then apply as many coats of Auto Clear as it needs to make it look like liquid glass..... Lots of wet sanding up to 1500 grit between coats..
A few more coats and this one will start to shine

 

[PaperSniper999]

Hello Everyone
......... Was wondering about the clear coat finish........

THANKS

I wish I could remember what I used on my Richard's laminated stock. I think it was something recommended on their web page, you might try there. Whatever it was was not exotic, and I got it at the local Home Depot. It was a urethane of some sort. It's claim to fame was it would not yellow, and it has not.

The secret to ANY good finish is preparation and the work you do between coats. Expect to put on at least 12-15 coats if you want that clear, deep looking stock finish. It takes a LOT of work. Use very, very fine sandpaper and/or those foam sanding pads and very fine steel wool, and before you apply that first coat you want the wood as smooth as possible. That means hours and hours of sanding.....but it will be worth it! My last laminate I finished feels almost wet it is so smooth! In between coats you will sand more with very, very fine sandpaper.....sometimes used wet. The urethane dries quickly as you will only be applying thin coats.

I wish I remembered more but that last laminated stock I did was 5 years ago! But check Richard's site for recommendations and this one.

Those clear finishes can be hand rubbed or applied with a high quality brush. I have used both on different stocks, and the former is messier,hands) but both do a fine job. It does take a little more practice with a brush to get the finish totally sag free. Sometimes it helps a lot to thin down the oil/urethane so it doesn't sag/thicken anyway. You can remove those with sandpaper or course, but it's much easier to not have them in the first place. You will need to do the finishing in a room that doesn't get much traffic as otherwise you will get dust, etc in the finish that it nearly impossible to remove. I speak for experience there!

 

[swglenn]

Preacher
Can you give us some details on how you use Gorilla Glue to seal the wood surface?

 

[RJinTexas]

I also use Gorilla Glue for a sealer after hearing about it from Russo & Preacher on this suite. I also found another product someone recommended here on 6mmBR called Arrow Wood Finish, it's a oil based finish with sealer and natural filler, which gives you a great finish like you use to see on high end hand rubbed oil stained stocks, try it and you'll never go back to Tru-Oil. This finish can be used as is or clear coated over. I first do the necessary sanding then applied the Gorilla Glue and sanded again then applied seven sanded and hand rubbed coats of Arrow wood finish and the stock looked almost to good to cover up but I gave in and gave it to a custom car painter friend,I leave the spraying to the pros) he shot seven coats of auto clear and polished it so that clear coat over the walnut grain looks to be a inch deep. It turned out to be one of the most rewarding project I have ever done.

Regards
RJ

 

[peewee]

I have done this many times, however I never use anything on the wood for a sealer.. From my experience anything used as a wood sealer will yellow over time if you use an automotive clear as the top coat..

I use 2 different types of Automotive clear. The first is a 2K thick heavy clear from Dupont. This clear is used to seal the stock.. I shoot 3 coats of this clear in Medium Heavy coats. The wood will soak up most of it, but I have never needed more than 3 coats to seal.. Then I wet sand with 320 grit..

The second clear is also from Dupont and is a thin finishing clear. I usually spray 15 thin light coats for a total of 18 coats of clear.. Make sure to let the clear flash 15 minutes between each coat.. After drying for 24 hrs I start wet sanding with 1500 then 2000 grit sandpaper.. Finally I buff the clear with an automotive polishing compound to get the final scratches out..

You can finish several stocks with a pint of each clear.. 1 sheet of sand paper of the following grits 80,120,320,400,1500,2000 Cost about $80.00, looks fantastic

 

[Preacher]

The Gorilla glue is not used so much as a sealer but for filling the tiny depressions in the wood quicker. It's sanded back down to bare wood and very little is left on the stock depending on the wood. I have a few stocks with 4-5 years of hard use in the sun and none of them have changed color on me with this method.......

 

[k0wtz]

im not understanding this gorrilla glue concept. can you explain your process.

thanks

bob

 

[Preacher]

Just apply it all over the stock and when it's cured sand the whole thing back to bare wood, thats it !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JoelRusso]

Do yourself a favor, and apply a very thin coat..

 

[sdean]

I don't know about the rest of ya'll,sure would like a couple more tips from JoelRusso.