I'm sure somebody has used Tru oil in spray. I was doing a stock with Tru oil in the bottle, used it many times, just curious about the spray. I'm getting lazy in my old age.

I used it once. It wasn't easy to work with. It had a tendancy to run, even with very light coats. The spray pattern was very wide, lots of overspray, meaning lots of waste. Never used it again.

It's been about 35 years since I tried any Tru Oil spray. I recall it as being less satisfactory than the liquid and no easier to apply.

I always just dipped two fingers into the liquid and rubbed it on the stock. It seems to be nicely self-levelling and cleans off of your hands with something like Goop or similar waterless hand cleaner.

I have used Tru oil in both forms for about 25 years now.

I use Flecto #66 Varathane to seal the wood and then wet sand the first couple coats of it in to fill the pores. Let it sit for a day between coats to cure. Wet sand with Flecto one more time and wipe it down.

Now that the pores are filled. I use 4/0 steel wool to clean the surface, and apply by hand. Steel wool between coats and use compressed air to blow off the remants of the wool. Then use a tack rag to clean off your fingerprints and lint.
Apply enough coats of Tru Oil by hand to build it up smooth.

The last 2 or 3 coats I put on with the spray can. You steel wool as before, taking pains not to leave finger prints. Blow off with air and use the tack rag. Hang in a drying box for a while to allow the dust to settle in the room. Then apply a medium coat of Tru Oil spray to the stock. It really helps to have a dowel inthe barrel channel or a long wooden wedge thru the magazine mortise.

You can hang on to the dowel or wedge and watch the carrier evaporate. Slowly turn the stock around if you see a run starting.

Some more tricks.

Be sure your finger prints are not on the stock, The oil in the fingerprint will let the finish not adhere and you will see your prints when the finish is dry.

Always use medium coats of the spray, too thick and it will run.

I have a drying box that is 23" x 23" x 48" tall, I only put one sprayed coat on a day. I will steel wool it in the afternnon and tack rag it down then put it alway in the box. Before going to bed I will come into the room and tack rag it again and the spray a coat onto the stock.

The delay allows the dust and lint to settle in the room and hopefully not on the stock as you are spraying it.

Blow out the nozzle of the spray can when you are done. They have a bad problem of plugging up.

Rubbing the stock down I use the Flecto #66 as the lubricant, and when I have it were I want it for a dull finish then wipe it down with a soft cloth making sure of no fingerprints and then put the stock away in the drying box overnight.

Jim Wisner