Finish question

[Robby]

I never thought I would go this far, but I have got to try this, making my own finish. I've been trying to remember all I have read on the subject and have hopefully synthesized it down to a simple process I can do from the things I have at hand. I have some "Behlen" "Pure tung oil, contains no dryers or thinners", A can of "gum spirits strictly pure turpentine" (conforms with the provisions of the U.S. Naval Stores act of March 3, 1923) The can is old, real old! If I take the Tuprs and pour some into a shallow pan and let sit for a few days, add it to the tung oil about 1/3 to 2/3 respectively, throw in some dross from casting lead balls, and boil (carefully), to the consistency of 30 wt. motor oil, will I get something that will make a good finish, and will I have to let it sit in direct sunlight to make it dry all the way. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Robby

[keweenaw]

I think what you're describing would work ok for linseed oil but I doubt it would for tung oil which is quite different.  My guess is that when you turned the heat off you would have a block of solids.  Remember that with linseed oil that boiling is at about 400 degrees.

Tom

[jwh1947]

Just keep in mind what you are trying to accomplish in operational terms.  You want not only attractiveness in your finish but also resistance to the elements...rain, snow, mud, blood, and sunlight.  Also, if you go for a high-gloss, furniture showroom finish, you might be sorry the first time it kisses a rock or tree trunk.

If all the jobs in gunsmithing, I know of no other that that allows for as many ways to get the job done satisfactorily.  Turning me loose in an art supply store is like turning Imelda Marcos loose at Super Shoes. 

[Robby]

jwh1947,
               I use the guns I make, and offer them no pardon. I don't abuse them, but they are neither held so close as to not earn their scars honestly. What I am looking for is a finish like I remember on guns that were already old when I was a kid. A finish that looks like it was a part of the wood, not a synthetic wrapper that seems apart from it.  Durable enough to to withstand a foul day afield and forgiving enough to rebound with proper care that evening. Something that will heal a wound with nothing more than a little linseed oil, and paste wax.
 Snyder,
             I do have some linseed oil, but I thought I remember reading, the same process could be done with Tung oil, thinking it might be a bit more durable. I just plain don't know.
Robby

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record......Chambers Traditional Oil varnish will save you a lot of hassle a...and you can rub it in and then back with rottenstone and get the look you want...

[LRB]

  I'll second that. Robby you're too skilled to be wasteing your time mixing witches brews. Try the Chambers finish.

[Pete G.]

Just apply the tung oil and save the rest of the stuff for something else. You can't get anything better.

[Mark Elliott]

I guess that I have to do things the hard way.   I mix my oil finish up using  one third boiled linseed oil, one third pure tung oil, and one third Danish oil.   The last time I mixed this up I did it in a pint jar.   I added one half once of Japan Drier to the pint.  I really don't want to put lead in my finish so you have to use the Japan Drier or something similar from the art supply store.    This formula actually came from Keith Casteel.   It has worked fine for me for years so I never saw a reason to change.  It builds up quickly and dries enough to apply another coat in three or four hours.    It actually looks like lacquer on maple or oak after a couple of coats.  You can get anywhere from a satin to a semi-gloss finish with it.   You do have to sand or rub it back if you put a bit too much on with a given coat.    Just wipe on, leave a minute or two and wipe off to dry.   Lots of thins coats are best.   If you do that, it is hard to mess it up and can be easily repaired.

My newest fascination is with violin varnish which is mostly seedlac with a couple other resins.   It is quicker and easier than the oil and you can stain and finish in one step.   Of course, the color wears off with the varnish.  I might just use the varnish as a sealer and put oil over top.   

Mark E.

 

[Robby]

Thanks fellows, I guess I am trying to oversimplify a complex stew of which there are many variations of recipe. My only experience with chemistry is to figure out how many cherry peppers to put on my half of my wife's home made pizza. Dr.Tim and LRB, I am going to buy some of Jim Chambers oil. In the mean time, I'll break out the lab coat and fire up the bunsen burner. Thanks again!
Robby

[keweenaw]

That finish you remember on Remingtons and Winchesters from when you were a kid was an oil based varnish.  Varnishes have resins in them as well as the drying oil.  As for Japan driers, most of them have lead or other heavy metals in them so no big gain in safety there.

Tom

[jwh1947]

Maybe I am missing something, but applying finish to a gun is like applying frosting to a cake.  It is not work, just fun.  The work is over.  I like to experiment, abandon procedures and try new things.  Linda from Uganda just showed me a way to draw brown stain from Datura stalks.  Incidentally, this will floor y'all.  She used a 3/5 ratio for her pottery in Africa.  Add that to the Golden Mean book.  She adds not only class to the shop but raises the aggregate IQ by 50% the moment she walks in.  Looks like a jet black tulip in bloom and smells like fresh cut heather and saffron.  Smile from ear to ear, just happy to be here in USA with a bunch of nice guys. 

[Robby]

     Well jwh, I can honestly say without reservation, there is no aspect of planning and making a flintlock rifle that I do not enjoy, save one. Once the aquafortis has been cooked off, and it is ready for the finish, I find myself wishing I had minions well schooled in that alchemistical discipline. Maybe its a control issue!
     Just a curious aside, do you have a brother that calls himself Pinyone?

[Robby]

Brief up date. The day before yesterday I threw a little linseed oil, a little less tung oil, and some turps that I had sitting in an uncovered pan, that had thickened to about 30 wt. motor oil, and some lead scrap from ball castings, into an old tinned, solid, copper fry pan and covered with foil. I was going to cook it up today. I uncovered the pan this A.M. and there was already a skin formed, even without cooking, so I may be on to something. The bad news is that the tinning on the pan is almost nonexistent, thats why it now resides in  my shop. Something in my brew reacted with exposed copper and my formula has a heavy green tint to it. Its a pretty green, but not suitable for the job at hand. I'll try again, in the mean time, does anyone know of an outfit that re-tins copper pots and pans?
Robby

[Robby]

To the one person that might be mildly curious about my saga. I boiled up my green slop in a cast iron fry pan. Wonder of wonders, it turned a bronze color. I applied it to some hard maple test strips, untreated, and treated with one coat of, over the counter, boiled linseed oil, that claims to have some dryers in it. This morning the untreated appears to have absorbed the brew,I think that is a good thing. The linseed treated test strip, is dry and seems to be a nice hard varnish.
Robby

[bgf]

Well, there's probably more than one.  I for one am glad that you went ahead with the experiment.  Seems like in the old days, they would have used it for something, and even if it hadn't turned out so well (.e.g., stayed green), today we would all be in awe of the master Doofenschmertz's grand "Green Rifle".  Slap it on and see how it holds up.