Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Another Slimmed Tikka T3

Liking this and dubing it Mountain Flectone. Have had about a 50:50 feedback if it's too dense or busy and that's all good, can be either way. This is all Duracoat's Flat Tactical colors, OD Green base with Beige, and Black. There a a few speckles that are a mix of green (or black) and beige but they really don't show up. Pics 3, 4, and 5 show the slimming which took about three hours more than simply painting. Didn't toast the grip cap this time. Still getting the hang of the new camera...

Nice work.

What are you using to slim the grip down?

I have a tikka that I love, but am getting ready to paint the stock to give it some grip. Stock is too dang slick for my liking.

Also, from my earlier attempts at this I have another question, how many coats for the base and what are you using to clearcoat? I did one where after the first couple uses, the paint started scuffing away a fair amount.

I like it and think the flecks are just right. Nicely done!

Well, it's all proprietary... Here's a giant of a paragraphical explainantionantionannnn LOL... Actually, it's just a matter of time and effort and I'm generally happy to share. LOL. This is what it took... Disassemble. Use a small bench belt sander with 60 grit, then clean up with a Simmons Nucut file, then sand with 120 then 220 with an orbital sander... Clean up all the form lines, on the rails, everywhere. Touch up with 150 grit by hand. Scrubbed with a cleanser specifically made for prepping plastic for paint, automotive industry stuff. Something to consider - there are multiple kinds of plastic... Dry. Mask the interior. No fewer than ten layers to this. A couple coats of Bulldog adhesion promoter. Sanding primer - this one has Duracoat's Durafil primer that worked like a charm. Usually use 2k automotive urethane, really it's the same category of stuff. So far I have avoided epoxy primers because I want to sand out some edges. Let it cure. Dry and wet sand with 320 and beige/tan ScotchBrite. Dry if needed. Blow off and wipe down (lightly) with alcohol to remove dust.. Then there's roughly 3 coats of the OD Green Duracoat base to get full coverage, flashing off between coats, and then the specks... On this one, I saw no need for clearcoat, it's uniform as is. Reassemble. I did not use any additional texturizing steps. It has good grip as is. It is absolutely not bumpy as I have seen some 'pro' stocks. I'd prefer my bumps under the basecoat personally... I use the following for topcoats: Duracoat Matte clear - it's great. It is as good as any paint is going to get. Cerakote air-cure clear another - I am not 100% confident about this stuff yet, I think the base needs to cure fully before using... It is a one-part Ceramic. 2K automotive clear, bomber stuff but harder to get a matte look, usually have to scuff up some with a Mr Clean Magic Eraser to knock down the shine. I will eventually get a matte automotive clear to use but most of the industry is geared toward gloss. I have some soft touch matte topcoat coming and think it'll be uber, and it should be for the price... I recently handled some and like it, a lot. I recently used oven cure Cerakote matte clear over some Duracoat w/webbing and it is super bomber. I put it on a plastic hard hat that gets banged up a lot, and it has handled it well... Certainly can do it on a poly stock but some plastics reportedly sweat mold release agents when heated.... I have had zero adhesion issues since starting to use adhesion promoter specifically made for plastic. I'd not bake fiberglass. I do not currently do full Cerakote finishes specifically as it specifies media blasting.... Anyways, to finally address your question: If rattlecanning, definitely need clearcoat in my experience and the Rustoleum cans that say 2X on them are very good for a 1 part product.... A major incompatibility is 2k automotive clear over rattlecan clear - that is a forsure no go unless you want a phuqk'd up mess. For a rattlecan job at home: Scuff up enough to obtain a uniform dull appearance. Scrub the hell out of it with something like Comet, dry, wipe down with alcohol (for plastic), a couple light coats and then a full wet coat of color, or two... Let it flash off fully, maybe an hour. Then clearcoat a little bit or a little more. Let dry a couple days somewhere nice and warm. Don't put it in a vice for at least few days! It'll be ok but never as good as properly applied catalyzed coatings. I don't think anything will withstand being drug (dragged?) through rocks and such. A DIY guy with plans to do a few might consider buying a spray can of adhesion promoter, generally an autoparts place will have some. The Tikka is by far the best plastic, no pinholes whatsoever, not too gooey, firm, stiff... Sorry to be so long-winded but hope the info will help. It's all good. Folks here have helped me a bunch! Happy hunting.

You wouldn't have any pictures of the spray cans would you

Holy schit you have some time on your hands.....

Carl:

Sure enough looks like another masterpiece to me.

After reading your processes, it's no wonder that mine look like sheet.

Best,

Bob

Sorry, I was busy trying to take a picture of my camera... I think Krylon webbing is the only spray can product I use anymore, then just when wanting a heavy webbing... But did quite a few before and what the heck its fairly fun to do if you want to mess with it. All the dozens upon dozens of threads here in Hunting Rifles over the years really peaked my interest to get back into stock work...

Here's some CAN pictures LOL...

Usually at the autoparts place they'll have a paint area. Any adhesion promoter that specifies for use on plastic is not going to hurt. I use a brand called Bulldog, generally I have not seen it other than at automotive paint stores. Kinda the same idea as using an etching primer on bare metal, start from the start, get it done right. It sucks bigtime to get it all done up and have your paint job slough off...

But, I bet if you start with Krylon Fusion or another paint that is plastic-specific it'd not be needed to use an adhesion promoter necessarily. The Krylon and Rustoleum "camo colors" flat paints are sure bets for color IME.

If you get screwing around with files and sandpaper etc using a sanding primer (or sandable filler), again that is specific to plastic, is really helpful! This was a big lesson learned. If you just try to hide surface flaws and chit with your color coat it could end up a mess. TOO thick is bad. This way you fill the flaws and do a light sanding to smooth it all up and your color coat will lay down nice and even without having to go TOO heavy. If your surface is good to go - skip this and save time. I can not really tell any 'functional' difference between the rattlecan sanding primers and the 2k urethane automotive sanding primer.... As always I suspect the 2k is greatly superior or it would not exist as such.

Then put down a color. Then maybe some webbing....

And, whatever the reason, with rattlecan use a clearcoat. Anytime I have skipped it I regretted it. Other's experience may vary on this.... BTW: have had zero issues blending Krylon and Rustoleum brands...

Also, this stuff or Krylon's equivalent is a good way to get a little texture. I don't think either are plastic-specific so should use a primer. Read the cans. The first layer on the surface must be for that surface material, from then on paint sticks to paint.... I don't like the looks by itself (of the Multicolor Texture) but had good luck using it under my color base colors. It works ok to hide MINOR surface flaws but it'll go on toooo heavy and it takes days to dry if used heavy. I dicc'd up so many projects trying to put stuff back together tooo soon after rattlecanning... Got a nice tight bedding job? Rattlecanning heavy is a surefire way to dicc-it-up. This stuff will sag too if used too heavy. It dries to a pretty tough finish...



Final thought. What the hell are 2K finishes? My simple understanding: Well, generally they're superior to anything in a rattlecan. Two-part catalyzed coatings will chemically CURE, chemically bonding into a different molecule. Whereas, a one-part paint will simply DRY, the carrier (or solvent or whatever) will evaporate out of it. You add another solvent to it and it'll re-liquefy! 2k stuff doesn't (shouldn't) readily do that. That's why you can get a bit of gasoline on your truck and it'll not rub off your clearcoat. So - if you might have some chemicals around, sweaty hands, blood, piss, or whatever near your rifle, a good professional stock FINISH job may be worth it. Shameless plug. Cheers.

No chit - I'm starting to wonder!

I was pretty busy earlier - but I'm at work now....

I really like it, nice job.

Greg

I just learned in the Deer Hunting forum to be better at acknowledgements... I am happy for feedback.


Thanks man - love the high desert!



Thanks - your handle is like how I shoot shotguns!!! Thought about GrouseChuckles but went with MB....

You have a lot of talent Carl.

That stock looks fantastic!

Thanks again Bob, hope you'll like it.... The OD Green is much more obvious in person BTW...

Thanks - I agree! Oh wait - I am supposed to work on my Campfire humility... WhelenAway - You are awesome and usually totally correct about these things so I will follow your lead!

Norm.......this is work for when it's raining outside

Looks great....I'm thinking we need to name the process kinda like 16bore's talley ring mod


Mtnboomer Trim

Hell, I know where's there's a mill for sale and he can do the whole shebang.

Ummmm Trim...

About 1/3 call me Norman and about 1/3 call me Carl, and the rest call me @#$%&! At school and at work, they've generally called me to the office.

Mitch, Next time you are up this way....

Looks great !

That's a ver nice looking stock. Thanks for sharing.