Question abput worm holes

[Gary Tucker]

I have a really nice curly ash stock that Freddie Harrison gave me years ago and I am building a southern rifle with it.  The problem is it has a few worm holes and couple of "trenches" along one side of the forestock.  I am curious as to how some of you fellas handle these.  I have in mind trying to mix the dark Titiebond woodglue with wood dust and filling the voids with it  What do you guys think?

[ken]

I use round tooth pick from the dinner. Good luck they work for me and blend in well ken

[bedbugbilly]

I don't know if this will be of any help or not.  I had a custom millwork and cabinet shop and would sometimes run in to this with white ash.  On case goods, I would finish first - then address the holes with the correct color nail head filler putty.

The thing you have to remember is it depends on the final finish you are going to put on the stock.  I also used to teach shop - back when everyone was teaching mixing glue with sawdust, etc.  The problem is, the glue will not absorb stain and it will stick out like a sore thumb.  You don't state if you are going to stain your stock or not . . and if you do . . what type of stain and what type of sealer . . i.e. BLO, varnish, etc.

Another thing I'll mention is that to me, and this is my own personal opinion, each piece of wood is a "natural wonder" - nothing is perfect.  If I was using ash, I guess it would depend on how bad the tunnels are, where they are located, etc.  Personally, if they weren't overlay "offensive", I'd probably be inclined to let them be as it's part of what you get when working with that species and it just adds character to the finished piece.

Ash, like a lot of other species, can vary in density and each piece will accept stains differently.  If you fill with a "dark" filler with the idea that the stain you are using is supposed to be "dark" .. . . you might be surprised to find that your wood,  when stained, takes on a lighter shade than you intended - thus your repairs "stand out".  

I just mention these things as they are things to consider.  I hope you'll post photos of your rifle when you finish it - I'd love to see it!  I like southern rifles and I've seen some nice ones stocked in Ash.  Ash is a nice species to work with.  Whatever you do, it will turn out just fine.  Good luck and I hope you'll post some photos!  

[B.Habermehl]

How close are you to finish dimensions? The last time I dealt with worm holes I used colored epoxy and stained the stock rather dark to match. They showed, but I really wasn't trying to hide them as just doing a workmanlike fix. BJH

[Ed Wenger]

Gary,

Just a thought, and I don't know what you're going for relative to appearance, but you might consider doing nothing to them.  I think worm holes, defects, etc., if not too bad, can add a good deal of character to a piece, especially if you're going for something with a little "age" to it.  Again, just a thought...


      Ed

[Gary Tucker]

Thanks guys.  The holes are a little too large for toothpicks, although I've certainly used them from time to time.  If I just had the round worm holes I would just leave them, but the tunnels are what I'm really concerned with.  The Titebond is available dark colored and I was thinking about staining wood dust then mixing with the glue.  I have the slabs I cut off the forestock to practice with.  I'll try filling the holes before I finish and then after to see how it goes.  I'll let you know.  Thanks fellas for your input. 

[A.Merrill]

    If the holes are to big for toothpicks you can buy hard wood dowlrods at hobby shops or Rule King has a big selection. Good luck.    Alan.

[David R. Pennington]

I was at a show and saw the dealer gouging on a really pretty curly maple stock blank with a pocket knife and I remarked that I hadn't seen any one whittle out a long rifle with a pocket knife yet. "Aw", he replied," I just noticed the worm holes in this blank and I was wondering how deep they went". I started looking at it and ended up buying it for a really good price.
All the worm holes worked out around the lock area and there are only two remaining in around the cheek piece and I like them. I think they add a little charm in southern style rifle.

[woodburner]

G. T., you may consider using a plug of you ash wood to match.  If you spray
the area with lacquer you can use clear superglue type adhesive.  Lacquer keeps the glue from penetrating where it is not intended.  Sand to blend in.  Finish.
Try a couple techniques on scrap ash and see what you get.  Tim

[bob in the woods]

You can fill a defect, be it a large hole or knot or just a cross grain break that is glued, and make these almost disappear.
From a piece of the same  wood, use a gouge and cut out a shallow strip . Then do the same over the defect on the repair stock. Now glue in the good strip [ I use titebond]  clamp and then scrape when dry.  I fixed a shattered cherry stocked fowling gun and you would have to really look to find the repairs , or more properly ...the camouflaged repairs. The feathered ends of the strips blend in better with the grain.  You can use a fine tipped  artist paint brush to apply stain to help with blending in the new piece or pieces if you want to.

[okawbow]

If you fix the holes and tracks with matching wood and clear glue; you can then finish the stock with colored violin varnish. You'll never see the repairs. I think many original rifles had a varnish finish.

[Curtis]

If you decide they gotta be fixed, I think Bob in the woods had an excellent suggestion! Just my 2 pennies worth.

Curtis

[HIB]

G.T.   Add me to the "Do nothing list".  Your questioned allowed me to review several 18th Century originals and one powder horn. The three originals [2 rifles and a Charlieville] have a small number of worm holes. The Powder Horn has a tunnel.

As stated already it is all about 'Character'. Regards,  HIB

[Kenny]

if you don't want them to show, Bob in the woods hit the nail on the head, IMHO

[Mark Elliott]

Even very nice old guns had worm holes and bark inclusions that were either left as is or patched with a wood insert that was fairly obvious.   I would just leave the worm holes alone.   If you age the gun,   you can use the aging to blend in the worm holes.   I did this for a bark inclusion on my last gun.   No one here ever noticed it in the pictures.   

[David R. Pennington]

I made a band saw goof on a cherry stock and glued the woops up with resin glue and everyone who notices it thinks it's a bark inclusion.

[Gary Tucker]

Thanks for all the input guys.  I think I will try bobinthewoods method and see if I can pull it off on a scrap piece.  I tried mixing stained wood dust with hide glue.  Didn't like the results.  Way too brittle.  By the way , I used a stain on the ash called "Transfast", early American maple.  We had used it on a curly maple kitchen table and loved the color.  A lot of orange in it.  I tried it on the curly ash and really like the color.  A little darker than on the maple, but still has some orange to it.  It is a powdered stain that I picked up at Woodcraft.