What would be the best topcoat?
What would be the best topcoat?
A lot of folks like to use TruOil for this application. I have zero experience with it, however. It's a drying oil.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Some people use a product called lin-speed oil. The last stock I did I used waterlox. It was a walnut stock and I used a process where you dip sandpaper in the waterlox and sand a small area, maybe 3 sq. inches, to make a slurry. When you have the slurry you wipe it across the grain like a pore filler then move to another area and repeat. After you have the pores filled you can rub on one or two coats of just waterlox to finish. It was tedious and time consuming but the stock looks good.
Confidence: The feeling you experience before you fully understand the situation
Agree with using True oil. Scratches do not show white.
I love the TruOil. I haven't finished a gun stock with it but a friend used it on his first gunstock made from walnut and was VERY pleased with the result - looked and felt quite professional. I found a finish method for him but, rats, didn't write it down. It involved several applications with fine sanding and pumice at stages. You can probably find it with google.
I've used TruOil on a number of woodturned projects. One warning, the stuff WILL set up fairly quickly in the bottle once opened and exposed to air. I suspect that's one reason you can buy it in very small bottles!
I lost several partially-used bottles this way until I figured out how to control the problem. Secret: when closing the bottle displace the air with an inert gas. Bloxygen sells a can of argon that does this and although expensive, will treat a lot of bottles and cans. I keep a tank in the shop and use either nitrogen or argon - the gas is cheap but the tank and regulator are not. I displace the air in every single finish container every time I close it up - Watco oil, varnishes, etc.
JKJ
John, I envy your argon set up. I’ve looked into a small tank and regulator, and can probably do it for under $300. With the price of Bloxygen, it’s very tempting.
I bought tanks and regulators long ago and over a number of years, all when the cost was much less than I see today. I think I have 7 or 8 of the largest the gas company will sell, "Q" I think, and two or three smaller tanks, everything larger is for lease only. Two are on TIG and MIG welding machine, one is O2 with a oxy-acetylene torch, one by the lathe, two with helium, and a couple of spares in case I run out while welding. Standing back and looking, this seems a little excessive for hobby but real helpful around the farm!
Check with a large industrial gas supplier if one is in your area. Some welding suppliers carry tanks. Might even be able to find a used tank on Craigslist or such. You might check that the hydro test date is not expired but the large gas supplier I use never even looks at the tanks I drop off for exchange. They simply take the old tank and trade for a full one. Their volume is so high they just put all tanks aside that need testing and do a bunch at a time. A smaller distributor might charge a fee for the test. The regulators are expensive but sometimes available used.
BTW, Bloxygen is now pure argon, according to their web site. Some years ago they used a mix of nitrogen, argon, and C02 but found the C02 reacted with some chemicals in finishes. On the first, and only, can I bought:
bloxygen_contents.jpg
JKJ