Finishing Schedule

[Jerry Bruette]

I've got a gunstock I'm going to strip and refinish. Here's my proposed finishing schedule what would you change?

1. Strip stock and sand sand flat to 220 grit.
2. Stain. I'll be using a alcohol based dye.
3. Wash coat of dewaxed shellac.
4. Pore filler. Mohawk brand medium walnut.
6. Wash coat of dewaxed shellac.
7. Finish with Waterlox.

[Edward Weber]

The Waterlox (penetrating oil finish) isn't going to work properly, since you've already put on two separate coats of shellac ( a sealer and top coat)

[John TenEyck]

Yes, skip the shellac. Just make sure your dye is not resoluble in the diluent of the grain filler.

John

[Jerry Bruette]

Yes, skip the shellac. Just make sure your dye is not resoluble in the diluent of the grain filler.

John

Just ordered the dye and filler. The filler is oil based and I'll test it on some sample before using on the gunstock. If the filler lifts the dye I should be able to use a wash coat of shellac?

[John TenEyck]

Only if you spray it. Alcohol soluble dye will be soluble in shellac, so if you brush or wipe it on it will lift some of the dye. If you spray that won't happen. But if your filler is oil based all should be fine w/o the need for shellac.

John

[Prashun Patel]

Waterlox Original Sealer Finish is a phenolic resin varnish.
It dries and cures (in reasonable time) unlike an oil finish.
It bonds to dewaxed shellac fine and will work fine.