Which oil is the best to work with for your airgun stock

[sniper]

I was doing some more R&D on finishing oil since the last time I did about a month ago or so.
Hi-Speed linseed oil is not really a good one, got to work fast and do not stroke more than once, regardless good or bad you got to wait untill it dries before re-redoing it. Usually about 9 - 12 hours to dry completely.
The result is if you like a very shiny finish like glass.
Problem sometime it would bubbles, I had to re-do it over 8 times to get it perfect without bubble, on another stock upto 18 times.

Tru-oil, is a very similar to linseed oil but no need to work in a hurry but it does dry in 2 hours or so. Also it would bubble, before last coat I sand it down with Circa steel wool (the best to work with) and do the last coat with the spray Tru-oil ..... the result is very good, no bubble and it's not as shiny as hi-speed linseed oil.

Tung oil is about the best there is to work with and there are verity of finish shinyness you can achive. Take your time to apply it, no rush, no worries making a mistake, re-stroke it if need it to, after covering the whole stock with it wait 10 minutes and wipe the whole stock with clean rag .... 20 minutes wipe again then wait untill the next day to re-do it again. 5 coats is more than enough and the result is beautiful and not shiny.
If you like shiny finish, do not wipe and just let it dry .....
I would recommend it to anybody for professional finish look and easy to use.

[canshooter]

A friend of mine has taken a template off my XSB50 and is cutting me a blank stock, with thumbhole, out of cherrywood. I was thinking about the tung oil finish, so thanks very much for this info.

[RossB]

Most tung oil products are mixures of various oils and varnishes.
Some are just diluted varnishes.
Some actually contain tung oil.
The only source of real tung oil that I have found is Lee Valley Tools.
Their tung oil is expensive.
I found pure tung oil application to be labour intensive.
Sanding, sanding, sanding.
I use the polymerized version - less sanding.

There is a very good writeup on oil finishes at
www.popularwoodworking.com/features/finish2.html

[canshooter]

Thanks once again I love this about this site!

[sniper]

Circa 1850 is very cheap, if I wasn't wrong that one is only $7.00 and will do many stocks. Also good to Circa 000 synthetic steel wool is only a couple bucks and works excellent. Circa Tung oil is very easy to use and gives professional finish look. To apply I found that is better to use clean cotton rag, something like from used HANES undershirt .....lol....truely.


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[sniper]

[Wrong Way]

This is a topic I might know a thing or two about...LOL.

What it all comes down to, is the type of wood you are finishing. Maple, for instance, never looks as good as when a linseed based varnish is used. Make your own, (This is "Ryans secret formula")
1 part boiled linseed oil, 1 part turpentine, 1 part spar varnish

Apply heavily, let soak for 20 minutes applying more as required to keep the stock wet. After 20 minutes, buff dry. Note: If the cloth is sticking to the stock, re-apply another coat and wipe down immediately. Leave to dry overnight, and repeat. Once the finish has cured, (3 days) rub it down with XF steel wool untill the whole surface is uniformly dull, then apply a coat of paste wax according to the dirctions.

Walnut, on the other hand requires pore-filling to be truly beautiful, and benefits from the tung-oil. For a proffesional hand-rubbed finish, follow these directions: Sand the stock to 220 grit, and KEEP any of the dust you make and the worn out 220 sandpaper. Proceed to sand to 320 then 400.
Wipe the stock down with a soaking wet rag, and allow it to dry for a couple hours. Re-sand sarting at 220, 320, 400 and then wet it down again. repeat the sanding process. The stock will be shiny at this point, even without finish.

Make up a 50/50 mix of tung oil finish (not pure oil) and mineral spirits.

Now fill the pores: Mix a small amount of your 50/50 finish with the sawdust you kept. If you have access to plaster of paris, mix in he same amount as the sawdust you have (give or take, ratios not important). What you want to end up with is a mixture that is thick, but not a heavy paste. (similar to mayo). put a bunch of the paste on the worn out 220 paper and rub it in circular motions, getting the slurry into the wood. Going across the grain, wipe off any obvious excess and allow to dry to a haze. Buff it down with burlap or similar rough fabric, then apply a coat of un-diluted tung oil finish. allow to penetrate for 5 minutes or so, then buff dry.

A coat of wax and your done.

Ryan

[TCooper]

Hi Sniper,

I don't think it's possible to get bubbles with Tru-Oil if you hand rub the stuff. Try dunking two fingers in the bottle and rub the oil on the stock. Push it around until you get as thin a coat as possible. Use 0000 steel wool between coats. After 5-6 coats you should have all the grain filled and a thin micro layer on top. Leave it as is if you desire high gloss. For low gloss you can cut the shine with rottenstone. I have used Tru-Oil in this manner for about 20 or more stocks and have had great results. With a quality piece of walnut I prefer to use Birchwood Casey walnut toned filler prior to the Tru-Oil. A completed stock looks like a piece of expensive furniture.

Todd

[bobv]

I agree with Todd , you shouldn't get bubbles with Tru-oil . I use to apply it with my fingers also but didn't like to have to clean my sticky fingers after So now I use a lint free cloth and apply very thin coats about 2 twice a day for a week or so . Then I cut it down with Punice to even out the finish and take away some sheen, then I rub it down again with Rottenstone to give the finish a satin sheen ,after I apply a coat of wax and buff. By the way I use a piece of felt to rub on the punice and Rottenstone. But I still like Tung Oil for a really nice stock ( Walnut)
Bob[url="http://www.hunt101.com/?p=370500&c=500&z=1"][/url]

[sniper]

Hi Todd & Bob,

That's what everybody were telling me. Darn I don't know how did I get those bubbles, perhaps you right I should've used my fingers instead of rags. .... some bubbles I can see them forming as I was applying it and some burst and disappeared. I certainly like the Spray True-Oil, it's too easy to use and great result.

[TCooper]

Never shake container because this makes bubbles. Bubbles mean you are applying too thick a coat. A single short dunk with one finger tip should be applied and spread as thin as possible. Continue with finger dunks until the stock is all shiny. After a couple of coats you will be shocked at how far a single dunking will go. You are almost "stretching" the stuff across the stock surface. The trick is to get it micro thin and apply many thin coats.

HTH,
Todd