Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Tru Oil, how much?

I'm placing an order and wish to order once. Brownells largest bottle is eight ounces. I'm planning on doing a Sako 75 stock. will the 8oz bottle be sufficient for multiple coats?

I'm thinking between 5-8 coats.

Thanks-

Wade

The 3 oz is plenty.

+1

IMHO, regardless of how much you use, always get the 3 oz. bottle. You want to be always opening a fresh one.

DF

Fresh bottle makes sense. Perhaps I'll order two of the smaller bottles as I may want to do a second stock project if all goes well with the first.

While on the subject, I've been looking French Red as a filler. What difference can I expect between the clear and walnut filler before applying the oil?

I wish to get the best finish possible.

Thanks

Wade

Early on, I tried those fillers. Don't use them now.

Got this from a master stock maker. Take Custom Pro Oil from Brownells. After wood prep, put on a heavy coat and let dry overnight. Put on another Pro Oil coat and use 400 wet or dry paper cut into small pieces. With the index finger, work with circular motions until a slurry is formed. You'll know because it gets slimy feeling. Wipe off across grain with a blue shop towel. This slurry of Oil and sanded residue becomes your filler.

Let dry overnight then start putting on Tru Oil coats until the grain is filled, usually 10-15 coats. Use 4-0 steel wool between Tru Oil coats. When the grain is filled, apply a Pro Oil coat, then lightly wipe off excess with a blue shop towel, single thickness. Let dry and you have a professional finish with a sheen. It's tougher than a straight Tru Oil finish. People pay thousands of dollars for this guy to do his thing on fine guns and this is his process. Of course, he has technique that can't be keyboarded onto a screen...

DF

I appreciate the advice DF. I'll look into this method. I read about this slurry method using Tru Oil as well.

Wade

I was taught to use Tru-oil in gunsmithing school, however I find Pro Custom Oil much easier to use and the results are superior to Tru-oil.

i was by a friends house this week that builds custom bench muzzleloaders and has gone to using the same stuff. his reason for stopping using regular tru-oil was that it gets real hard and if you run a screw into the wood it will break around the screw head. i may have to try it on my next project.

I've tried the slurry method with Tru-Oil. It sets up too fast and gets too thick too quick. Pro-Oil is the way to go with the slurry technique. The only thing I use Tru Oil for is as a grain filler. It dries faster than Pro Oil and seems better for hand rubbing into the grain. The last coat with Pro Oil, applied as I suggested, leaves a wonderful sheen that doesn't need to be touched. Tru Oil dries too shiny and needs to be worked down to a sheen. And, Pro Oil is harder and tougher than Tru Oil. It wears better and is easy to repair.

DF

I usually cut tru-oil 50/50 with mineral spirits to make it a bit thinner; requires more coats, but I think the absorbtion is better. I agree that using the slurry method improves results with tru-oil, or any rubbed in finish.

I use Tru-Oil as well. Haven't tried the Pro Oil, but I am going to be doing a M70 bedding and refinish here shortly. Might have to order some of the oil, I have read Northern Dave's bedding thread, very extensive! and well executed. Gave me the courage to give it a try on my winne! I don't know how many owners this rifle has had, but it has been abused and torn up! The trigger was all screwed up,
and was beyond repair. My smith buddy recommended a Rifle Basix replacement, so that was what I did. it has gone from 6lbs12oz, to 20oz! So as I said a bedding job and refinish are next and then maybe it will put five shots in a circle smaller than 3" at 100 yards! It's a 22-250 BTW, so it should do much better than that! This is it now.

,

You can't see it too well but the stock is scraped up good on both sides, this is what I do to rifle bolts.

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Takes about nine hours to do a bolt this size! But it looks good!
So I will show you what it looks like as I get started and go through the process! Doug

Incredibly funny that anyone would call Pro-oil "harder and tougher" than Tru-Oil... Not that Pro-Oil is not hard and tough... but rather that the same stuff, Tru-Oil, is somehow lacking. Gaseous colloids being blown up ticklish orifii...

No one that makes a sample board with sanded slurry and likes it should be allowed to vote... It is an absolute no-brainer. It takes mere minutes and is definitive. High end builders get away with it because they are using very tight pored wood. Everybody else is either fooling themselves or an idiot.

There is more... But let some more experts crawl from the "woodwork" for a while...

Since your suggestion, I've been reading up on the pro oil. I think I'll go that route.

Thanks for the replies-

Wade

I've read one of your heated debates on this topic during a search. 2009 circa I believe I've seen some beautiful finishes from each product. I suppose the secret is putting the time in.

Sounds like I stepped on a Claymore trip wire. Not trying to pull anyone's string, just relating what I've learned from one of the best and what I've experienced over 50 yrs of wood work. Trying to help, not agitate anyone...

DF

I use "oil finishes" a lot in furniture building and the projects I undertake for the school. I do like them, but I gave up long ago on using them for something like a gunstock that will be handled a lot and exposed to inclement weather. For that, nothing beats a barrier finish- varnish, epoxy, etc, take your pick. For that nice warm "hand rubbed oil finish" look, properly rub out the final coat of the barrier finish and voil�, people will admire your new "oil finished" stock.

Take Art's advice and do a test board with various types of finishes, set it outside for a while, and get back to us as to which one you want on your pride and joy.

It don't much matter what material is used for the filler after the grain is raised and struck off. Could be spar varnish cut 1:1 with turpentine, Tru-Oil cut the same, tung oil, or Pro-Oil reduced with mineral spirits, or even polyurethane floor finish. What makes the difference is how it's applied and struck off.

The finish itself needs the same treatment, thin coats rubbed flat, wet sanded with reduced finish with ever finer grits from 320 to 600. Once all the grain is filled it's gotta dry for at least a week, better a month, before being polished and waxed. It's the preparation and effort expended on getting it right that works wonders, not so much the material. I've even seen stocks with spray automotive lacquer finishes that looked good.

Wood laminate stocks are easier, the laminating adhesive prevents deep penetration of any sealer/finish, so once the wood grain becomes as shiny as the glue lines - it's done.

I've not personally tried it, but when I quizzed the Shiloh Sharps folks they reported using a sanded in tung oil finish on their higher quality stocks. I am very impressed with their work. I'm working up a stock for 6.5 build right now and will give it a try.

I've done several stocks with hand rubbed Tru-oil but never attempted any wet sanding.

Regardless of your approach, let us know how things go.

My only advice is to be very patient.

I have the time in the world for this project. It is an extra Sako stock I have laying around and I want to do it justice. I seen one Sako project finished with Tru Oil and it was beautiful.

What possible advantage is there in adding solvents to oil? If oil is too thick to use as is it should be thrown out or saved for non-critical projects. Adding solvents is a mistake without benefit and it will increase telegraphing later. And that is extremely easy to prove.

Wood filled with oil will eventually telegraph the pores. Slurry in the pores will not change that.

Sample boards are very fast and easy to make... I have never seen anyone choose a sanded slurry finish when compared to the same finish without slurry... and I have seen dozens compared...