Finishing off a laminate stock?

[Elwood]

My Joel Russo laminate stock has finally arrived, but it's needs in my opinion a little bit of work doing to it as there are a few machine marks on it, most noticeably around the tang area. The tang hasn't been machined out yet so some of these marks will disappear with luck!

So I'm presuming that a very fine sand paper is what I need? unless there's something better?

 

I also need to know what protective coating I should use, the colours at the moment are very dull and really need bringing out to turn this stock into a stunner, but I would like to avoid a gloss finish.

The colour in the bottom photo is not a true likeness.

 

I have emailed Joel asking him the same questions, but if anyone here has some advice I would welcome it, I know Baldiedave has a Joel Russo stock.

 

[Ronin]

Hi Ian

 

 

lovely stock.

 

 

It needs the tang machining first, then clean up the marks in the pistol grip, then coat numerous times with varnish or oil.

 

Ive used Yayht (sp) varnish on my own laminate stocks before, I know Dave uses a specific type on his stocks.

 

 

Once the varnish is dry, then bed it, obviously removing the varnish in the inlett area for adhesion.

 

 

This is the way I have been advised to go in the past, it worked for me.

[shootingbags]

Hi Ian,

 

With my Shehane tracker stock I used a small modellers airbrush which uses cans of compressed air . I applied 4 coats of matt yacht varnish and rubbed down with wire wool between coats.

[baldie]

Hi Ian, here,s how i would go at this one.

First job would be to fully inlet the action, so you can see what repairs need to be made around the tang. You dont say what action is going in it ?

I would then install pillars, and then the floorplate, so the wood can be removed from the underside to get the correct pillar height for a magazine system if you are using one. It also allows you to sink a floorplate in, exactly flush.

Do all this first, so you can sit the action in, and get everything in, and working. There is nothing worse than finishing a stock, and finding out it doesn,t feed properly from the mag.

Those marks on the grip are where the router/copier has vibrated, and "bit". If it is having something like a bat, in, then most will be removed, as they have a very wide tang. If its a remmy clone, then you are going to have some filling to do.

What i would do personally, is to carve a thumb "choil" into the stock. The pistol grip is almost vertical, and will suit the "thumb up " style perfectly [most target airgun stocks have this feature] its very comfortable, and improves trigger technique....and it will take a lot of the damage out.

If you have any filling to do, you need a bottle of pva wood glue from b+q. Sand the stock with some paper, and collect the sawdust. Mix this with the glue, and apply in thin coats, building it up over a few days. It wont be invisible, but the colour will be very similar, and about the best you can do, without removing a section, and inletting a new piece.

Do whatever carving and shaping you require, like finger grooves etc, with a dremel, and drum sander.

When you have finally got it to your required shape, you can start bedding.

I always bed before finishing, as you can ladle it on, and get a perfect finish on the top, by sanding the bedding and stock at the same time. If you use devcon, it will look like a laminate stripe in the stock. Get all that done, and then get a couple of new stanley blades.

If you know what a cabinet scraper is, you will understand the next step, if not, you need to pull the blade, held at a right angle to the stock, towards you, and use it as a scraper. You will quickly find the correct angle, and it removes a fine shaving, very rapidly. Always work with the grain, as the copier will have cut across it, leaving marks. The scraper will remove these.

Once they are all gone, you can start with the paper. You need a cork block, or synthetic similar , and some 150/180 grit wet and dry. Do all the stock, using the block, again with the grain, and dispense with the block in curved areas. The block will help keep lines straight, that should be.

Then switch to 320 grade paper, and do it all again.

Then 600 grit paper, and do it all again

You will quickly learn to spot the little marks across the grain that shouldn,t be there.Get rid of them all, because they stand out like a sore ###### under the final finish.

Next you want a couple of Tack rags, available again from b+q, or any car spares shop, and wipe the stock down to remove all dust.

Then you want a can or bottle of "sanding sealer" which is basically a filler, suspended in a cellulose laquer. You pour a large dollop on the side of the stock and damn quickly rub it in with your fingers, as it sets like lightning. Cover the entire stock, and leave overnight, dont worry about runs. Next day, sand it down again with 600 grit paper, and then apply another coat of sealer, and dry, and sand again.

By now, the stock will be sealed, and the true colour will be evident. You can now use the final finish of your choice, and the lads have given a couple of good one there. My personal favourite, is birchwood casey tru-oil. Its a linseed prep, with a quick drying varnish additive.You get a dollop [small] on your fingers and rub it in. Do the whole stock, making sure you leave no dry spots, or runs...a little rubs in a fair way. Let it dry overnight, and then flat down with "oooo" grade steel wool.

Use your tack rag to wipe down again, and then reapply another coat. Repeat the process again the next day, and after 3 to 4 coats, the finish will resemble glass.

Birchwood casey do a kit, which contains the sanding sealer, a walnut stain [which is unused] and a product called stock burnish, and finisher.

Once the stock is hard after a couple of days, this last product [which looks like milk ] is rubbed in, and it actually levels, and ever so slightly dulls the finish, leaving it lustrous, and blemish free. You just need a bottle of tru-oil with it too.

I think Hannams do it, as we get ours there. Its a great kit, and inexpensive. The beauty of it, is it can be touched up in minutes, if scratched.

Laminates are a great introduction to stock work, as they are simplicity itself to get right, are pretty quick to do, and give a pleasing end result.

To do the work outlined here, would take a couple of days, non stop, which obviously doesnt include any drying time for the bedding etc. Allowing for all that, give it a week to ten days. Dont leave it in a cold damp garage, or shed overnight, until its been sealed, as it will absorb moisure.

 

 

Then lets see some pics.....

[Elwood]

F**k me Dave that's a pretty comprehensive reply, for which I thank you, and it should be made a sticky.

 

The action is a Stiller Viper, which has a pretty wide tang and no magazine so of course no floor plate, so a lot of the imperfection should be taken out. I like the idea of the thumb choil, you're the second person to suggest it.

 

http://www.viperactions.com/