Custom Stocks for Springers
- Thread starter Deadeye Dick
- Start date
I had no idea it was so complex of an ordeal
Thank you for sharing your experience. That's a very, very nice stock. Flawless satin finish.That wood is not American walnut of any sorts..I’ve owned many of them and sold each one( the stock only) as I replaced them with my own.. Webley used some over seas wood, that unless filled pulled the snot out of your beard .. As for finishing, you can’t get the proper finish in three days.
If you want to get the chatoyance of the woods potential..its not a oil sealed sand in.. it’s much more complicated. Unless your lucky enough to have worked with the stock makers of the 70‘s .. you just won’t get it.. A true glass finish with pores microscopically filled ,yet satin sheen..
This is a $1500 fiddleback exhibition Claro blank I did ,15 years back. Sealer IS SPAR varnish/ spirits/ first 3 coats.. Then Spar/turps/tunge oil blend . When complete glassed over and pores filled, the fun starts. Dry sand down with 320/400 to remove most surface finish, leaving big pores filled. Wet sanding of tunge oil blends starts and the slurry fills micro pores and grain giving the start of the color. This transpires several times wiping the slurry less and less. With paper towel or burlap .. Then it’s 400 with wet oil to smooth over and dry wipe, depending on wood could be 4 to five times. Each coat needing at least 12 hrs to dry and fall INTO the wood.. Now it’s palm rub time.. another 4 to 5 times.. drying each time.. After you get the deep stare into the wood look and any figure pops like a 3 d (chatoyance) cats eye . You let it sit 1 week..
your close but not there yet.
Time for rotten stone and oil to even smooth it all together.. then the final coat is BLO . Then you maintain it with BLO EVERY NOW AND then. If your working on it every day it’s usually 30 days…
oh yeah.. Checkering.. have to wait 30 days minimum after finishing to make sure woods stabilized and hardened so you don’t get fuzzy diamonds. Another long expensive ordeal..
THIS WILL GIVE YOU A WEATHERPROOF wood stock that will not warp or crack . Pending your wood was properly aged and ready..
Ps ..for the record ,I wouldn’t put Macarri oil on my dogs house…
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The Custom Stock website says they use American Walnut and they did make Theoben stocks. I never really cared for the blocky cheek piece they do.
I like yours a lot better
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Air Rifle Headquarters stocks were very reasonable for what you got. Something like $220 shipped I think. It's been a while. Anything's better than those billboard stocks. HW50 Edit: $231 shipped
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A.G.R., I am glad you were not offended as that was not my intention.
No doubt a poor choice of words on my part.
I have zero knowledge of wood working of any kind, so when I started to research products to put on my stocks, I quickly became bewildered. I then saw the Macarri oil with the same process, or similar at least as you described. It gave the product some credibility in my mind. So I tried some and am very pleased with the results.
What pleases me likely would not please someone well versed in stock making.
It is also likely that what I consider a nice piece of wood, you wouldn’t use to build a dog house. That’s fine as I will be the first to say I am not worthy of being in the same room as a $1500 blank. Bad things happ to wood that gets near me.
So I over reacted to your PS discrediting the Macarri oiil.
Instead I should have asked why you said that.
I apologize for being rude.
I was happy with the result of a 10 minute application of a product on my completely unprepared stocks. I don’t like gloss of any kind.
I am also not a collector or connoisseur of such.
No doubt a poor choice of words on my part.
I have zero knowledge of wood working of any kind, so when I started to research products to put on my stocks, I quickly became bewildered. I then saw the Macarri oil with the same process, or similar at least as you described. It gave the product some credibility in my mind. So I tried some and am very pleased with the results.
What pleases me likely would not please someone well versed in stock making.
It is also likely that what I consider a nice piece of wood, you wouldn’t use to build a dog house. That’s fine as I will be the first to say I am not worthy of being in the same room as a $1500 blank. Bad things happ to wood that gets near me.
So I over reacted to your PS discrediting the Macarri oiil.
Instead I should have asked why you said that.
I apologize for being rude.
I was happy with the result of a 10 minute application of a product on my completely unprepared stocks. I don’t like gloss of any kind.
I am also not a collector or connoisseur of such.
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No need to apologize.. it’s the internet.. a place where your passion can be misconstrued at will.. only to be bested by a text… ..
At the end of the day , if your happy.. THATS all that matters.. .
I have several nice strait grained walnut stocks.. Function and hunting field use..
I also have a few expensive blanks that ended up as ashtrays and pen blanks from my errors in learning ..
Nothing teaches you faster than truth and reality of failure.. Truth is, measure twice, cut once.. don’t assume your memory will remember. Dry time is reality..and you really can’t see that, put your magnifiers on.
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Thank you, internet or not, I do not condone rudeness from myself or others. I read my reply this morning and was very disappointed in myself.
In the process you describe, how do you deal with the checkering? You can’t really paint it with SPAR and then sand it off. How do you keep it looking consistent with the rest of the finish?
In the process you describe, how do you deal with the checkering? You can’t really paint it with SPAR and then sand it off. How do you keep it looking consistent with the rest of the finish?
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A new Stocks Checkering is done last, after the whole stock is finished. If you’re refinishing an existing stock it’s actually a bit more work than doing a new stock. Checkering is usually taped over with masking tape while you’re stripping and sanding. Then you use a mild solution with a toothbrush to get the Checkering softened. Usually it’s re-pointed after you refinished. Most airguns you see are pressed checkered or laser cut. No manufacture does true diamonds.
Minnelli does 90% of all airgun stocks for the big three it’s all CNC.
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Don't own one but a gentleman named Tom Davies in the UK does custom gunstocks out of pretty much anything you might well want, laminate or wood. He has a Fakebook page by the name of Daviesbuilt gunstocks showing off stocks and grip sets he's made along with himself and owners he made stocks for posting on a couple UK gun forums. Maybe one worth at least half a look.
No clue if the OP is even interested, but I also haven't seen mention of custom made laminates mentioned yet so figured I would. Couple places that come to mind are Lukas Parsley, which AoA sells or at least used to and he makes some gorgeous ones. There's also Craftsman Vit that makes any number of them and he might well make you something in wood but you'd have to email to ask.
craftsmanvit.com
No clue if the OP is even interested, but I also haven't seen mention of custom made laminates mentioned yet so figured I would. Couple places that come to mind are Lukas Parsley, which AoA sells or at least used to and he makes some gorgeous ones. There's also Craftsman Vit that makes any number of them and he might well make you something in wood but you'd have to email to ask.
Laminated stocks and bullpup kits
Air Rifle conversion kits, bullpup conversion kits, bullpup kits, laminated stocks, custom stocks
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Back in the 80's I decided to rework a break action single barrel Stevens 20 Ga., a $25 shotgun. Sanded several different times using different grit paper, finished with 000 steel wool and it was very smooth. After 8 or 9 coats of Tru Oil (sanding between) I had a very nice looking stock and forearm grip. Used cold blue on the barrel and I was finished. Once completed and around 35 hours of work I turned that $25 shotgun into the nicest looking $35 shotgun around. However to me it was worth ten times that amount. My 2¢ worth I guess
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Well with the cost of the sandpaper, steel wool, and pint of Tru oil, you didn't go negative.
Semper Fi,
Smitty
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I find people don’t understand what go’s into beautiful wood work. I tip my hat to you, that’s really niceStock making is a dying art. Your remark, ”snobbish” exemplifies it.. No insult felt but it’s why many talented guys got out of it.. The air gun industry is full of Mediocratites. , oh that’s good enough for me, that cost to much.. I wouldn't waste that much time…
What you call snobbish, I call , integrity, and loyalty to the knowledge and protection of the years garnered of it..
I was polite and recommended two guys, good ones to.. I responded to KWK ABOUT THE SIMPLE NESS OF A 3 day finish job.. if it sounded snobbish my apologies.. sardonic, maybe.
oh yeah to those who asked.. I’d rather do three walnut stocks twice than one beech stock..
unless you know dyes and have spray equipment. It’s blotch city..
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I have several Custom Stocks from England. I now order them plain. I put a good finish on them, and send them out for a good checker job.
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I have used Ahlman's and Custom Diamonds in the past with great results.
Plan on being patient, neither one of these companies are fast.
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