Okay I've got this stock of a Ruger M77 that I'm redoing and its in need of some sanding to smooth out some blemishes. I will also need to fill the grain before I start applying the finish. I'd read on here where folks have used Turpentine in place of water to do the wet sanding after finish has been applied to help fill the pores. My question is can I use the turpentine process before I apply any finish and just use the slurry thats created to fill the pores, then start applying finish?

I would add a touch of finish to the Turpentine to help the slurry stay in the pores.

Also use steam to raise any blems you can.

Stay away from turpentine if you think anything of your liver.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
Stay away from turpentine if you think anything of your liver.

Nobody advised DRINKING it!

Several years back a well known stockmaker had some trouble and they couldn't figure out what it was. Come to find out his finish was being absorbed through his fingertips and attacked his liver. That's at least an ounce of experience.

I was sitting in a bar in Southern Indiana many years ago.

There was a skinny blonde (from Kentucky) sitting @ the table.

She said. "When we was young'uns,our Daddy useta give us a spoonful of turpentine wunst a week so'st we wouldn' get worms.

She was real skinny, but I guess she never had worms!

Whats the best process to use to raise the grain and should I do that first before trying to fill the pores? I've always just wet sanded with water but I thought someone told me to use something besides water.

I think you're talking about wet sanding with finish cut with a reducer like turpentine. It stays wet longer than straight oil so you can work it into a sludge that wipes into the pores. Turpentine alone is going to wash out of the pores when you start rubbing oil into the wood.

You can whisker the stock with water to raise the grain before you wet sand it with the cut finish to fill the pores.

I have had nothing but bad luck filling pores with sanding slurry of any kind. It won't stay in the pores reliably over time, and also tends to shrink down further into the pores with time, in my experience. The only way to abrogate that is to put a barrier finish on top (such as varnish), and if you're going to do that you might as well just go with a barrier finish right off the bat, applying and sanding between coats until the pores are filled flush with the surface. Then you can proceed with the 'oil' finish content in the knowledge that the pores are permanently filled. Or, continue on building a few coats of the barrier finish and then rubbing it out to achieve a look not dissimilar to an 'oil' finish, that provides a many times better moisture barrier to boot.

Everyone has a pet finishing method, that is merely mine.

quote:

Originally posted by gnoahhh:
I have had nothing but bad luck filling pores with sanding slurry of any kind.

I've had very good results using turpentine to wet my wet-or-dry sandpaper when using this stuff.




Don't use too much turpentine, just enough to act as a lubricant.

Let the slurry dry thoroughly & wipe off the haze. Don't rub too hard though.

Rub on another coat. If the pores need more filling, repeat. If not, you are finished.

It's been over a year since I finished the stock on my "Oberndorf Classic" style 8X57 W/this stuff & no sign of shrinkage in the pores.

quote:

Originally posted by cobrajet:
Whats the best process to use to raise the grain and should I do that first before trying to fill the pores? I've always just wet sanded with water but I thought someone told me to use something besides water.

Rubbing alcohol works better & faster than water.

I am no expert, but in my experience the best thing you can do to fill the grain is to make sure that you have thoroughly sanded the stock before applying the finish. Get the surface as smooth and even as you can. I sand down to 320 to 400 grit depending on the wood and then start applying the finish.

When sanding always use a a block, I have a collection of wood blocks, dowels and pieces of hard rubber. Using your bare hand will round edges and leave ripples.

I have tried many finishes and am still looking for the magic finish, but I have had my best results with minwax wipe on poly, it fills the grain quickly and leaves a nice uniform finish. I have added a coat of Lin-Speed on top to achieve a oil finish look with good results.

I know that this is not directly answering your question but I thought I would throw it out there.

Brad has it right. The Minwax Wipe On Poly is wonderful (comes in matte and gloss). Mask off the checkering with Scotch automotive blue masking tape.
After you have sanded down through 400 WET, then tack the stock (tack rag) and put a small amount of the matte poly on 600 WET. Sand in a circular motion to create a slurry and fill the grain. Let a layer build up on the wood. Give it a day to dry (more if humid) and sand with 600 WET with the grain just enouth to remove the excess dried slurry. The stock should now be filled and as smooth as a baby's bottom. Tack again and apply the poly with your finger. Spread it enough to still be wet but don't rub it in. I like to do one side of the stock at a time and let it dry laying flat (watch for drips). Depending on the wood 4-6 coats do a fine job. Toothbrush in one coat unto the checkering (if unrecut). You can use it in a few days but if you want to knock it down to a satin as with Brownells 5F and linseed oil, I wait about 6 months. On highly figured wood I happen to like high gloss stocks, so most are left alone.
Two examples:
A Ruger # 1 375 H&H done with the Pilkington Red English stain (Brownells) and a 721B 30-06 done with MinWax stain (my own blend of several colors). Both finished with the high gloss wipe on poly.

I have been an amateur stocker for many years and I used to use oils that required endless coats that were applied, cut down with 0000 steel wool and reapplied to build up the finish in the wood's pores. I have in recent years sanded to 400 grit followed by wet sanding. I don't whisker the wood, as the wet sanding will take care of that issue. I can fill the pores of any wood in one wet-sanded coat if I don't miss a spot. I make sure that the sanding slurry is removed from the wood before it fully hardens, as it is a total bitch to remove once hardened. I work in small areas. After wet sanding, I use more of the finish to wet the slurry and then take off the excess above the pores with a coarse rag across the grain. The next day I work down the wood with 0000 steel wool and apply 2-3 coats with my bare hands, rubbed in well and steel wooled between coats. If it is damaged in the field the finish is easy to repair. I use a commercial finish to which I add a gelling agent and an oxidizer.

I don't find it hard to fill the pores with slurry as long all subsequent wet sanding between coats is done with water. If you wet sand dried slurry, the solvent disolves a portion of the fill in the pores. Two steps forward, one back. Water sanding looks like crap between coats but finishes out fine in the end.

Nother question. If you get some finish in the checkering, whats the best way to knock the gloss off of it? Steel wool, soft brass brush?

Toothbrush with solvent specific to the finish used.