Prototypes complete - final product in cherry wood - need opinions on finish

Finish


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howe0001

USMC6345
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 13, 2014
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Johnson City, TN
Completed my prototypes for my Rem 700 action and Savage MkII FV. Made the first ones in pine (obviously prototype) Making second set now (cnc) in ten year old aged cherry that is laminated in .38" slices. I'm trying to decide which direction to go on finish - Tru-Oil (linseed oil) or polyurethane and whether or not to use a stain at all since this is cherry (since cherry will darken over time).

Thoughts from the gallery?

The picture here shows the pine prototypes.
20220204_224335.jpg
 
I’d recommend Timberluxe for those, but you won’t go wrong with tru-oil.

What glue did you use? I’ve never had fully cured glue joints delaminate using oil or water based polyurethane.

I don’t think stain would be necessary on those unless you want to make them more red.

Oil based poly ambers with time.

Wipe some mineral spirits on a spot and that should give you a pretty good idea of what the finished product will look like.
 
I’d recommend Timberluxe for those, but you won’t go wrong with tru-oil.

What glue did you use? I’ve never had fully cured glue joints delaminate using oil or water based polyurethane.

I don’t think stain would be necessary on those unless you want to make them more red.

Oil based poly ambers with time.

Wipe some mineral spirits on a spot and that should give you a pretty good idea of what the finished product will look like.
I used Tru-Oil. Probably 8 - 10 coats each, 400 sanding in between. Pretty happy with these. I'll see how they shoot on Saturday.
 
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I’d recommend Timberluxe for those, but you won’t go wrong with tru-oil.

What glue did you use? I’ve never had fully cured glue joints delaminate using oil or water based polyurethane.

I don’t think stain would be necessary on those unless you want to make them more red.

Oil based poly ambers with time.

Wipe some mineral spirits on a spot and that should give you a pretty good idea of what the finished product will look like.
TiteBond 3 is what I used for laminating.
 
Completed my prototypes for my Rem 700 action and Savage MkII FV. Made the first ones in pine (obviously prototype) Making second set now (cnc) in ten year old aged cherry that is laminated in .38" slices. I'm trying to decide which direction to go on finish - Tru-Oil (linseed oil) or polyurethane and whether or not to use a stain at all since this is cherry (since cherry will darken over time).

Thoughts from the gallery?

The picture here shows the pine prototypes.
View attachment 7809713
Laurel Mountain Permalyn. Its a polymerized oil, I believe, and while it can be sprayed on, it can also be sanded in as a "finish in the wood" hand finish like an oil but with none of the downsides of oil.


Tru Oil is also a polymerized oil, I believe.
 
Beautiful sticks! Great idea, well executed. Whether oil or poly, cherry will darken with time anyway. Don’t stain that nice wood.

Fwiw, I’ve never had poly cause delamination and that’s mostly what I use for projects.
 
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So, new year, new project. Since I had pretty good success with the cherry wood stocks, I thought I would try my hand with a new material. Phenolic (linen micarta). Yes, I'm copying Foundations Stocks. Just want to get that out of the way, I'm definitely copying their stock. This is for personal use, I have no intention of selling any of this. It's for my own personal gratification in the process of making it. I love making stuff like this. I love my previous stocks. They have held up very well over the past year and I have very few complaints about them. I did make some design changes, for example, the cheek risers were too thick. This caused me to "tilt" my head to the side (neck strain) to align with the scope. So I reshaped the shooters side of the riser so that it is relieved allowing my neck to remain straight when I'm behind the rifle. I also realize I needed a thumb rest "area" on the wrist of the stock, so that is now incorporated into the design. Also, my method of CNC'ing the whole thing will be changed from a four sided operation from a solid stock blank to a two sided operation creating two halves that will be bonded/epoxied together with guide pins once the sides are cut from the blanks. This allows for a "lower to the CNC bed" operation and I won't have to raise my CNC to deal with the top and bottom jobs of a four sided operation.

But on to my actual question I'm hoping some of the smart people out here can help me understand. It appears that there are many materials (fabrics in my case) I can use for this project. Canvas, Linen and other permeable fabrics that would allow the resin to saturate easily. I was in search of those fabrics I might be able to use so that I can go on a shopping spree and source those fabrics when I discovered the site: http://sterlingplasticsinc.com/materials/le-phenolic-linen-base-phenolic-resin/

I was amazed to see that the properties of paper were nearly equivalent to canvas and linen with regard to tensil, compression and shear. For a personal project like this (since I'm not selling it to anyone), paper is cheap, abundant and comes in many cool colors like khaki, brown, green, black and maybe some OD 3 or OD 7. I don't plan on painting this if I can use materials that give me the color(s) I like.

Does anyone out there have any experience with these three materials and have personal experience with the pros/cons of each as it might apply to such a project? (canvas, linen, paper)

Hope this post is interesting to someone.
 
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I’ve always used Boiled linseed oil and then Johnson wax. Old school and Yes, it seeps out over time but it holds up well and when waxed properly is very pretty good in the rain.

I’ve used try-oil when we made our bed. 10 coats on walnut and man was it nice. Smells awesome too. Obviously, it’s not been outside 😏
 
Linseed oil is good, I use a product called Rubio Monocote for tables. It's a linseed oil product. Originally designed for wood floors. Only needs a couple coats and a little bit goes a long ways.
 
So, new year, new project. Since I had pretty good success with the cherry wood stocks, I thought I would try my hand with a new material. Phenolic (linen micarta). Yes, I'm copying Foundations Stocks. Just want to get that out of the way, I'm definitely copying their stock. This is for personal use, I have no intention of selling any of this. It's for my own personal gratification in the process of making it. I love making stuff like this. I love my previous stocks. They have held up very well over the past year and I have very few complaints about them. I did make some design changes, for example, the cheek risers were too thick. This caused me to "tilt" my head to the side (neck strain) to align with the scope. So I reshaped the shooters side of the riser so that it is relieved allowing my neck to remain straight when I'm behind the rifle. I also realize I needed a thumb rest "area" on the wrist of the stock, so that is now incorporated into the design. Also, my method of CNC'ing the whole thing will be changed from a four sided operation from a solid stock blank to a two sided operation creating two halves that will be bonded/epoxied together with guide pins once the sides are cut from the blanks. This allows for a "lower to the CNC bed" operation and I won't have to raise my CNC to deal with the top and bottom jobs of a four sided operation.

But on to my actual question I'm hoping some of the smart people out here can help me understand. It appears that there are many materials (fabrics in my case) I can use for this project. Canvas, Linen and other permeable fabrics that would allow the resin to saturate easily. I was in search of those fabrics I might be able to use so that I can go on a shopping spree and source those fabrics when I discovered the site: http://sterlingplasticsinc.com/materials/le-phenolic-linen-base-phenolic-resin/

I was amazed to see that the properties of paper were nearly equivalent to canvas and linen with regard to tensil, compression and shear. For a personal project like this (since I'm not selling it to anyone), paper is cheap, abundant and comes in many cool colors like khaki, brown, green, black and maybe some OD 3 or OD 7. I don't plan on painting this if I can use materials that give me the color(s) I like.

Does anyone out there have any experience with these three materials and have personal experience with the pros/cons of each as it might apply to such a project? (canvas, linen, paper)

Hope this post is interesting to someone.
Start a new thread lol. People still talking about linseed oil
 
tung oil. first 2 coats cut 50/50 with turpentine. subsequent coats sanded in wet with progressively finer grit. Final coat, about the 10th one, finished with your callouses.
 
Completed my prototypes for my Rem 700 action and Savage MkII FV. Made the first ones in pine (obviously prototype) Making second set now (cnc) in ten year old aged cherry that is laminated in .38" slices. I'm trying to decide which direction to go on finish - Tru-Oil (linseed oil) or polyurethane and whether or not to use a stain at all since this is cherry (since cherry will darken over time).

Thoughts from the gallery?

The picture here shows the pine prototypes.
View attachment 7809713

Will you do one for the Howa action?

That is fucking HOT!