Okay Spike, I'm getting suspicious. What is that compliment going to cost me? [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]<P>JJ, try this site- http:www.gunstocks.50megs.com/<P>Whatever you do, don't use steel wool on your stock. I've seen stocks where the little metal slivers rusted under the finish and it looks pretty bad. Use Scotch pads for the finish sanding after going with 100, 200, 320, 400, and 600 if you are ambitious enough. Then use super fine wet/dry paper of 600 grit or so and rub in a good oil finish mixed 50/50 with mineral spirits until it won't take any more finish. If it looks dry after about an hour, it needs more. Once you get to this point, the stock is completely sealed from moisture- let it dry for at least 30 days to completely cure.<P>After the curing, add very thin coats of oil with a very soft rag or your finger tips. A thimble full should be enough for the whole stock. Then let it dry for a few days. This may take a while as you are trying to build up the finish and let it cure completely between coats. Once you have enough finish on, (10-20 coats), look to see if all the "orange peel" is completely gone. If it is all flat and even with no dull spots when inspecting it in the sunlight, then get some rottenstone at a paint supply store, mix with whatever oil you are using, and rub it carefully over the entire stock until the desired finish is reached, removing the rottenstone and oil residue between rubbings and polishing slightly with a cloth. You'll know when it is right.<P>I probably don't need to tell you this, but the wood preparation is the most important thing in the whole project. If you leave a scratch in the wood anywhere, from damage, dings, or the early grades of sanding paper, it will show in the finished product. Take your time at this stage and you won't be refinishing at the final stages. Don't ask me how I know this. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]<P>Recoil pads are actually fairly easy to install. First, you need to determine your Length of Pull. For most guys, this is about 13 5/8" or so. Put the action in the stock, measure back from your trigger face to a point where your LOP will be. You will need to deduct the thickness of the pad from this measurement before preceeding. Do this before you start work on shaping the stock in case you chip the stock slightly when making this cut. You can then hopefully have enough material left to repair any small chips the saw may take out while shaping and sanding. <P> When you have the stock to the final dimension you wish to work to, buy a Recoil pad of your liking,(I like the Old English and the Pachmeyer's the best) of the size closest oversize to your stock size. Use a very sharp razor to open the rubber over the screw holes but cutting a small X in the rear of the recoil pad. Hold the recoil pad over the buttstock in the final position, reach through the screw holes with a thin nail or awl and mark the rear of the stock where the screws will be installed. Remove the pad and drill a couple of holes the appropriate size for the pad screws supplied with the pad. Put some masking tape on the front surface of the pad (the side against the stock). Install the pad with the screws, very carefully so as not to enlarge the holes in the rear of the pad. Using a good pen or pencil, mark around the stock on the tape on the pad where it meets the stock and remove the pad. Take the pad to a belt sander and remove the material on the sides only being sure to keep the sides square, not the bottom (pointed part) of the pad, until you have about a 1/16" of pad around the line. Reinstall the pad, and using the belt sander, sand all the way to the wood along all sides of the pad. You will see now is the time to shape the bottom point of the pad, so you can continue the bottom line of the stock down to a taper instead of straight back which would not look professional. Once you are happy with the finished shape, carefully remove it and set it aside. Repair and sand the spots where the sander touched the stock, and finish as above. The pad then is installed last, after all the other finishing is done. Don't forget to seal the wood under the pad and in the inletted areas. <P>Installing the tip material and cap material is a little more involved, so if you are contemplating doing this yourself, let me know and I can walk you through it. <P>Any other questions, let me know. You have my number. Another great resource for these tips is Ray Atkinson. In fact, I stole a lot of this information from his tips on other boards, especially where it was the same or better than my own techniques. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] -Sheister
