Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Thinned Acra-Glas Topcoat?

I have an old gunstock with beautiful wood that I put about 20 coats of tru-oil on, reducing the finish to level each time. The final coat makes the thing pretty, but the oil finish is really soft. Anyone tried thinned Acra-Glas for the final, hard, finish?

Wayne

I'm afraid I can't give you an answer, but my impression is that what you are contemplating is the reverse of the usual sequence of combining those finishes. Sitka Deer has written quite a bit here on using epoxy as a base coat, with oil as a finish coat.

I'm interested because I'm getting ready to finish a stock that way. I don't really understand what you mean when you say the Tru-oil is soft. It may not be as hard as some finishes, but it never seemed particularly fragile to me. I have a walnut kitchen knife rack that I made and finished with Tru-oil more than 40 years ago, and it still looks good. Not saying that proves anything.

I will be interested in responses to your question. Still, if I were in your position I would probably leave things alone. Sounds like you did a nice job on your rifle already.

Edited to add: My limited understanding is that the base coat(s) is more of a determining factor in the overall durability of the finish than the top coat(s).

Paul

How long has it been drying/curing? The only time I had an issue with Tru Oil was when I used some that I had around for a while. It took a long time to dry/cure. It hadn't hardened up in the container, but I think it's "shelf life" may have expired.

Yep, it's a matter of degree, I agree. When I say "hard finish", I mean something like the gloss, rock hard finish on a Weatherby. True oil can be dug around even with a fingernail. I want a finish that won't dent when dinged around just handling the gun, looking at it.

Wayne

Then you chose the wrong finish.

Epoxy on top now will flex with the oil and then seperate. Oil on top will just give and the epoxy below will remain rigid. Oil between two harder media, wood and epoxy, is asking for trouble.

Your best choice now may be spar varnish with expectations of repairs, easily done in the future.
art

I'm convinced. It stays the way it is. It's very attractive the way it is and, "If it ain't broke ...".

Wayne

For anyone wantitng to to try Acra-Glas as a stock finish foundation, the procedure is detailed here:

http://doublegunshop.com/stokeld1.htm

RWO

Good link, RWO.

Folks, read the warning at the end of the article about the dangers of breathing the sanding dust. I have reactive airway disease, a form of asthma, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was caused, at least in part, by epoxy and wood dust. Walnut dust is one of the worst, from what I understand.

Be careful out there.

Paul

RWO
My father and I started using epoxy for finish a lot of years ago. He wrote an article published in G&A (IIRC) describing the process at least 25 years ago. We made a number of significant changes to the process and materials after that time. I have spent much time testing samples to verify which steps make the most sense and which were counterproductive.

After reading the link you posted I have to say there is little there I agree with. His system will work and well, but it is far from the best and for waterproofing the stock it will fail terribly compared to the system I use. It will also be considerably softer because he uses acraglass rather than a slow-set epoxy and then compromises it with heat.

There are other issues raised there I have posted about previously also.
art

I have used Fuller-O'Brien "Fuller Plast" many times. It is a Catalyzed Varnish and duplicates the Weatherby finish. I heard years ago the this is the product Weatherby actually used. I have no proof of this, but it sure does look the same. The nice thing about it is that you can mix up a small batch and after you coat your stock, put what is left in the freezer and it will last quite a long time.