First build with a finishing question

[brik]

So I'm just finishing up my first build and boy was it a learning experience. Day 1, I got the kit from jim, opened it and was very excited to get started. I started inletting the tang and breach plug following the instructions but I apparently made it to tight and got the lollipop tang stuck. So I thought, well I'll just tap it from underneath and knock it out. That went bad fast lol, I bent the tang. Its ok I thought dont panic just bend it back. Lol wrong, snap. Day 1 less than hour into it I broke the tang haha. So I call up Jim  (great guy and his entire family was amazing with great customer service throughout) and he invites me down. I spent the 2nd day of my build at Jim's getting a new part and watching him put a gun together. After I got back I finished inletting the barrel tang and got it fit to where it looked good. Next I put the trigger in which went surprisingly easy. Then to the trigger guard. Inletting this did not go as easy bc of the curve. I finally figured I could just use the back of the razor as a scrapper and slowly remove wood untill it fit. Well $#@*, I didn't straighten the trigger guard before inlettinging and after I straighted it out it didn't fit right. Now that I think about it I did see jim do this before Inletting it. Whoops. After that i moved on to the butt plate which went rather smoothly.  Ok on to the barrel tennons which i read about in dixons book and watched jim do. Just take a 3 side file make one side safe and clean out the pre cut spots. I finished first tennon and it is a little loose but that's ok I'll just take a cold chisel and hit it like jim showed me. Bang and out it flies bouncing on my garage floor. What the heck. Now what? So I call jim and he says I can just solder it on so I move on. Well let's just say that 3 out of the 4 barrel tennons are now soldered on. Now it is at this point that all the extra stuff I was going to make like a nose cap, entry pipe, patch box and inlays may not be in the cards for my first build lol. I've rambled on long enough and my wife has already told me no one wants to read about my continued mistakes so I'll get to my reason for posting.
    I am finishing the stock with lmf sealer and I followed the directions on the can. I liberally applied a coat and let it sit for 10-15 mins wiped off then let dry over night. Did another coat the next day let it dry for 5 hours and then did this last coat and let it dry over night. It looks great and if I wipe my hand over it it feels dry but if I hold it for a few secs it gets tacky. Now I read on here that some use 0000 steel wool and wipe it back but in dixons book it said that steel wool can freckle the stock? So after my 3rd coat of the sealer where do I go to get it to where I can shoot it without messing up the finish?  Thanks to all who took the time to read this.

[brik]

I forgot to mention I'm not home right now and will post pictures when I get home if I can figure out how.

[n stephenson]

Sounds like it needs to completely dry , then rub it back or apply more finish, etc. JMHO  Nate

[Daryl]

I found with most finishes, I needed to give a full 24 hours, sometimes 48 hours for the first coat to dry AND harden completely. Failure to do this, sometimes results in the first coat not fully hardening, then the next coats cannot dry/harden properly as well. The finish then feels GREEN, and never really hardens for years, maybe.  The finish SMELL is generally also quite strong if not hardened completely.

[brik]

[brik]

So as promised I got some pictures up. It didn't feel as tacky now but still a little. I put the gun together earlier bc when I just touched stock it felt dry not till after I got it together and held it did I notice the tacky feeling. I figured since I only put one coat or the sealer in the barrel channel and all the inletting parts I thought it would be safe to let dry while still together since it is just the outside that isn't dry. Maybe that is wrong too. Thanks for the replies guys. Daryl if that is the case what do you suggest I Do?

[brik]

The broken tang on day 1



My dog making sure mail lady doesn't sneak up on me while I work lol.

[54ball]

Brik,

 Before going further you need the stock to be fully dry. Since the rifle is together I would place it in the sun to dry. It may take a few days for it to fully cure.
 Be careful taking the rifle apart. Since a coat was applied to the inside....it may be stuck together. Just keep that in mind and be careful with it.

 The sun or dry sunny room should do the trick. If not any better in a week or so there's other options but hopefully it will fully cure.

[TommyG]

Hey Brik,  Read your posts and have to agree with Nate & Daryl - It needs to dry completely.  Maybe you are in an area where the humidity is high and that will slow your cure time as well.  I don't know about others, but I always give 24 hrs, sometimes more between topcoats.   And the "freckles" thing with steel wool, I've never had a problem between topcoats using steel wool as long as it is not a water based topcoat(which I don't know of any gun finishes that are).  I think you would get these"freckles" if using steel wool to whisker your stock with water.  I will use steel wool to level between my first and second coat.  After that I use rottenstone mixed with parafin oil on a soft toothbrush to level between coats.  Another thing I do is I wax all my furniture and finish with it in the stock(after the initial seal coat), this prevents my hardware from being "glued" into the stock with finish.  TomG

[brik]

Thanks for the reply 54. I was worried about taking it apart too but I only put the first coat on the inside stuff and it seemed really dry but since I worry I popped the barrel off and a ram rod pipe to see if it stick. It did not barrel came off easily. Since it came off so easily I felt better keeping the entire gun together just makes me worry less about the stock and a accident happening. My wife and dog tend to have accidents lol. Maybe it was the wrong choice I don't know someone here let me know if I should take it back apart. So while I wait for it to completely dry I have handled it some to check and see if it was dry but no finger prints were on the gun then I wiped it off I hope that is ok too and I didn't mess anything else up. Thanks again. This has been really fun and I'm looking forward to a new build just hopefully I do better at it lol.

[brik]

Tommy thanks for replying too. I am in South western pa and the humidity is usually pretty high here. In hindsight I wish I would've came here and read this stuff b4 doing my finishing but I was excited to be so close to the end of first build so I just went by the directions on back of the can and took it no further. I did let it dry over night after the first coat and that seemed really dry but between the 2nd and 3rd coat I only let dry 5 or so hours. Then after 3rd coat I left over night but it is going on 30 some hours and still tacky. Hopefully it is just taking more time bc it is humid and I only waited 5 hours between 2nd and 3rd coat. That is a good idea with the wax on parts I will have to do that if it isn't dry in morning. I wasn't planning on putting on another coat after this does that sound right? 3 total coats or tmf sealer.

[TommyG]

Brik,  I think other guys here would be more qualified to help you with the LMF.  I only use Chambers gunstock finish.  I put on 8 -10 coats.  First coat with a brush to seal, usually heavy, the rest are thin coats applied with my finger.  I think you need to let the finish tell you when it is enough.  Also, 6 thin coats would be better than 3 heavy coats.  How are you applying the finish?

[brik]

Well once again wish I came here first but did not and I applied all 3 coats the same way with a brush i got at dixons. I wish I would've put the last 2 coats on with a hand rub or a cloth. In my defense on the can it just repeat 1 or 2 more times so i did blindly without looking in to it more thinking all along yes I'll get to shoot it Sunday lol.  What are you looking for to decide if the gun has had enough?

[TommyG]

I like to see my finish have some depth to it, but to much as it looks plastic or polymerized.  Just some depth with a nice low sheen, which I can get by rubbing it back with the rottenstone if it is too shiny.

[TommyG]

Brik, don't beat yourself up too bad about this either.  Just learn from it.  The first build is always a learning experience, as is #2, 5 & 25, etc..  My first was a disaster, but it shoots well.  Get her finished up and go out and enjoy shooting & hunting with it.

[n stephenson]

Brik, this really isn't a big deal .Just be patient, it will dry . As most of us have done at some point , you just rushed it a little. I`ve told students before, " the time is gonna pass , whether you get in a hurry or not". In a worst case scenario you may have to rub it back[ after completely dry] and apply some more coats , which, if you do I`m sure , you will give it enough time to dry!! LOL!!  To you this is a big deal but, trust me , keep building , and you will run up on another  bump in the road that will make this seem like nothing .  Keep Going!!   Nate

[brik]

Tommy thanks. I'm not really sure what you mean by depth. I'm not really a artistic person either so I'll probably never be as good a builder as the guys on this forum. I'm more of a bull in China shop person as my wife always says lol. I'm not really expecting to make the works of art I see here but I enjoyed making it so much that I'd like to make more and my wife would kill me if I kept dropping 700-1000 on kits to build so eventually I'd like to be able to at least sell one to pay for the next one but who knows lol.
   Nate thanks for the reply and yeah I get I have to be patient and I like to think I was up to that point then it was so close to being able to hunt I got excited. Lol. I watched Mr kibler put one together in like 4 hours and it took me a month lol. I'd really like to take a class sometime but I don't drive currently and closest class I know of is like 4 hours away so unless someone let's me camp in there yard I got to stick to books, forums and the 50 or so phone calls i made to jim haha.
         So I went and checked it today and it feels dry but then I thought it was dry b4 lol. I mean i have a gun i bought at dixions and it feels like that i think. Is it possible it is dry? I put the last coat on sat afternoon.
   Thanks again guys.

[WadePatton]

Brik, nothing I can tell you that these guys haven't already, but that I'm thinking you've got enough finish on it to protect the wood already and to just go ahead and shoot/hunt with it and then take it back down and add more finish after season if you think it needs it.

It's like making bbq or bread, lots of variables and you just have to flow with them. "Recipes" with strict time/temp limits are always subject to modification to adapt to what is ACTUALLY happening with the process-IF you're going to get the best results.

Finishing wood is that funny process where rushing the first step slows all subsequent steps. Hang in there. It's dry when it's hard.

[brik]

Wade thanks and I can do that? Add on to it after the season? That sounds like a winner to me lol. I read on this forum I think it was B. Shipman said the first coat pretty much seals it. I wish I read that thread b4 I started this process then I wouldn't be in this situation lol but I didn't. I wasn't sure if I would be able to add more after the season without stripping down everything I put on the stock already. Thanks for replies

[TommyG]

Brik - Sound advice from Wade.  Also he is spot on with the recipe analogy, but next time, work up your recipe ahead of time on some scrap, or even in the barrel channel will work.  Just be diligent in recording what you did and include any variables such as high humidity, temp., etc.., then do that finish on the gun exactly the same way.  Like all the guys said earlier, no biggie.  Let it dry and enjoy shooting and hunting with it.

[bob in the woods]

Leave it out in direct sunlight for a day or so. That has always worked for me.

[brik]

Tommy I'm taking away more than a few things to do different next time lol.
 Bob I wish I could but it is raining here and not looking good for tomorrow either. If it is still tacky Friday I'll put it outside then. If it is still tacky in a week maybe a torch lol.

[deepcreekdale]

One building tip. Do not let your German Shepherd(s) bring their ball into the shop to play while you are finishing the stock, especially before it has dried. Do not ask me how I know this.

[brik]

I can only imagine  lol. When she is ready to play she is relentless till you play with her. Haha

[Daryl]

brik, 54Ball, Wade and Bob-in-the-woods have good ideas. I would try the sun trick first and if that did not work, I'd strip it down and re-finish - after the season if I needed it for this one we're in.