I just received a Brownell's synthetic stock for my little Savage SA .308 Win. Was described as "unfinished." Boy, THAT is an understatement! Surface appears to be a gel coat like material.

Need some guidance on sanding, filling, and priming this synthetic stock. Would be interested in any information on surface texturing so that I can make the forearm more grippy.

Have lots of grades of sandpaper as I make knives.

Also have West Epoxy systems epoxy, microbubbles, and colorant from car work. Acetone is available for cleaning things. Have DuraCoat camo colors and an air brush for the final paint.

Sure would appreciate the help! Thank you.

The first step is to thoroghly clean the stock before touching it with sandpaper. DuPont 3812 enamel reducer is tops for this. Wipe clean with one rag and wipe dry with another. Then use 80 grit sandpaper to rough up the stock, making sure that all shiny spots are sanded. Apply any lacquer primer and allow to thoroughly dry. Scuff with 220 grit sandpaper, clean again with 3812, and use a tack rag just before applying finish.

For a textured finish, simply use a stone fleck paint, which can be found in spray cans at Wal-Mart. I use a grayish paint, so I use gray primer. It doesn't take much paint to achieve coverage. After a couple of coats, allowing plenty of time to dry between coats. Then finish with a with clear topcoat. Two to three coats will be plenty.

You will wind up with a textured finish that looks good and offers plenty of grip. The best part is the ease in touching up the chips and scratches that are inevitable in the field. For any repairs, simply spray a little of the stone fleck paint on a piece of cardboard (to use as a hod), and touch up by using the frayed end of a bookmatch as a brush. When that dries, add a little clear to protect it.

Sam,

Is acetone a reasonable substitute for the DuPont enamel reducer?

What is a Tack rag?

Thanks,

Sam & ms,

An interesting topic I'd like to join in and ask for some assistance too.

I've a Bell & Carlson stock that I cut the top of the action part off with a flex and re-built with Acra Steel from Right-Hand to Left-Hand to accomodate a L/H Mauser action. As I was re-building/re-modelling the action area I also filled in the bolt cut, and re-cut another on the port side, glass bedded the action with (steel flocking added to the Acra-Glass) completely; tang, trigger inlett, magazine well, action, barrel channel (free floated) and installed two crossbolts (it's a 9.3x62, not a bruiser but wanted some strength in the right places and quite frankly, think they just look - well, Cool!) and added some glass to the grip area for a palm swell. I was pleased with the results (except it looks a mess without paint) and I must have done a reasonable job because it shoots excellently.

That part worked fine. Then I used a quick 120 grain "scratch" over for the entire stock and spray painted with a matte black auto primer, as you mentioned Sam; with just enough to prime the stock, no serious "Spray" job, it only took a couple of quick coats. It covered the grey Acra-Steel completely and blended it in with the basic black stock. You couldn't see any of the Glassed/Steel bedded areas on the stock. That dried quickly & easily in the sunlight for two days. It was pretty robust in my opinion and has stood the test of time.

Now comes the "sticky" bit and I mean it literally. At our Wal-Mart (yes, Germany has them too!) I found a spray can of black/grey/white paint that is a sort of "Pebble" effect. Says on the label it is intended for metal outdoor furniture and appliances, fencing, etc. It looks really cool! The problem is that the paint never really dries or sets, when it is damp outside the paint also has a damp, sticky feeling to it and over the period of about one year has started rubbing off in many places (the primer is O.K.)

I tried putting the stock on a hot radiator for a week, putting it under a window in extremely hot sunlight for a while. The paint is fine when warm but as soon as it gets damp - it gets a "sticky" feeling to it.

Is there anything else I need to do to "set", cure or dry the paint? Or will I have to go to another paint type? I purchased a clear cover coat for it but have not used it as I figured there was no hope as long as the paint underneath wasn't completly set or cured anyway.

I do have an Auto Paint shop in my village and considered asking the proprietor if he could cure the gunstock with auto parts? Would that work?

Bye the way I also tried ordering the Pebble Finish Stock Paint from Brownell's. They won't ship overseas. When I was back in the States ordered it from Brownell's and the baggage handlers at the airport took it out of my baggage! Ugh! So I've been jinxed that way also!

Thanks for listening and I'd appreciate any advice.

Mike

Acetone will work fine as a cleaner. Be careful as acetone is stronger than enamel thinner and may soften the gel coat if left on to long.The stone fleck paint that SST mentioned works very well.
Do you want a painted stock? There is a custom stock re finisher close to you that offers wood grain refinishing.

Gerry
Sounds like you got a bad can of paint. I would get a new can and try it on something else. You may have to strip your stock and start over.
Be careful heating a B&C stock. The way that they skim coat before painting will blister if got to hot.

James

Forgot Tack Cloth

A Tack Cloth is a treated cloth used to clean dust, dirt and sanding residue from surfaces before applying finish. They can be picked at any automotive paint/parts store.

James

Just a quick add.
Gerry, That stickiness sometimes occurs from
1 Not shaking the can enough
2 Spraying a second coat before the first is 100% dry
3 Applying the spray over contaminants like oil from your hands.

If none of those apply, I agree you got some bad paint.
Frank

Rather than using Acetone which is very toxic and soaks through your skin to be accumulated in your fatty cells for life, You may want to try de-glosser or a medium solvent like brush conditioner first. Be sure to wear chemical resistant gloves and I also wear a cartridge mask due to constant exposure.

I will add that MStarling has posted some info re: acetone that everyone should read. The following here is from a simple report re: Avetone use. You will have to use your own discretion. Frank


How can acetone affect my health?

If you are exposed to acetone, it goes into your blood which then carries it to all the organs in your body. If it is a small amount, the liver breaks it down to chemicals that are not harmful and uses these chemicals to make energy for normal body functions. Breathing moderate- to-high levels of acetone for short periods of time, however, can cause nose, throat, lung, and eye irritation; headaches; light-headedness; confusion; increased pulse rate; effects on blood; nausea; vomiting; unconsciousness and possibly coma; and shortening of the menstrual cycle in women.

Swallowing very high levels of acetone can result in unconsciousness and damage to the skin in your mouth. Skin contact can result in irritation and damage to your skin.

The smell and respiratory irritation or burning eyes that occur from moderate levels are excellent warning signs that can help you avoid breathing damaging levels of acetone.

Health effects from long-term exposures are known mostly from animal studies. Kidney, liver, and nerve damage, increased birth defects, and lowered ability to reproduce (males only) occurred in animals exposed long-term. It is not known if people would have these same effects.
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How likely is acetone to cause cancer?

The Department of Health and Human Services, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not classified acetone for carcinogenicity.

Acetone does not cause skin cancer in animals when applied to the skin. We don't know if breathing or swallowing acetone for long periods will cause cancer. Studies of workers exposed to it found no significant risk of death from cancer.

Frank,

I'm a Ph.D. chemist. I can deal with acetone. I think you have it confused with something else. Please see:

[URL=Acetone MSDS]http://www.bu.edu/es/labsafety/ESMSDSs/MSAcetone.html[/URL]

or [URL=2nd MSDS]http://ptcl.chem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/PR/propanone.html[/URL]

Acetone is not good to breath but it is not very toxic to skin contact (grams/kilogram).

Frank, James, Mike & Sam,

Thank you all for your comments & suggestions, very helpful.

The stock has already been completely re-sanded and I took a Dremel tool wire accessory brush to the insides of the action area to remove everything I could there as well.

I'll do what you've all suggested, after final sanding, use brush conditioner with protective gloves and face mask, ensure I don't contanimate the stock with my gubby little fingers.

First coat with grey (good idea Sam!) matte primer, complete dry; followed by a NEW can of paint (well shaken - not stirred) appropriate drying time and clear cover to finsih.

Thanks alot!