Wood stock painting

[Chet]

I am in final stages of completing my wood stock from a block of hardwood aged since 1985. so I am looking for some ideas on primers for bare wood and I am planning on some type of cobweb finish if I can do that from a spray can. any tips or pics from users who painted some stocks by them selves.

Chet

 

[Dusty Stevens]

velva seal from dupont is what I use on a painted wood stock. do not use some kind of non- automotive finish on there first like stain or wood sealer if you want to put a paint job on it besides just clearing it.

 

[TomD]

I am in final stages of completing my wood stock from a block of hardwood aged since 1985. so I am looking for some ideas on primers for bare wood and I am planning on some type of cobweb finish if I can do that from a spray can. any tips or pics from users who painted some stocks by them selves.

Chet

You could fill many books with what I don't know about stock making so allow me to ask--

Why make a stock from hardwood and then paint it? If you want to paint, why not fiberglass or carbon fiber? Aren't they just as strong as HW and much lighter? To me the appeal of HW is its beauty.

What functional advantage does HW have over composite?

 

[Chet]

Tom

that was my original plan to finish the wood with a stain and then clear coat it, when I had the bottom side in the mill I had a few people around looking to see what a stock was going to look like and asking questions, and as I was milling I went too far and took the part of the wood off where the palm swell was going to be, so I just continued to make the stock and I used marine tex to create a palm swell, so now I have to primer and paint.

Chet

 

[Chet]

velva seal from dupont is what I use on a painted wood stock. do not use some kind of non- automotive finish on there first like stain or wood sealer if you want to put a paint job on it besides just clearing it.

Dusty

About velva seal, does it dry fast, I have some deep mahogany grain that will need to be filled.

Chet

 

[TomD]

Tom

that was my original plan to finish the wood with a stain and then clear coat it, when I had the bottom side in the mill I had a few people around looking to see what a stock was going to look like and asking questions, and as I was milling I went too far and took the part of the wood off where the palm swell was going to be, so I just continued to make the stock and I used marine tex to create a palm swell, so now I have to primer and paint.

Chet

Now that was a heart breaker. 1985 huh? Little hard to start over.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

its like any other automotive paint product- it all depends on the components used, temp, humidity, coverage, moon phase and so on. but if it matters, it will be ready for the next coat in avg. 20mins. don't try to rush good paint- it'll shrink and show all the grains about 6 months later if you do. dupont makes a primer sealer I use. it is a hi build called fil n sand. you reduce it with lacquer thinner so according to which one you use it is sandable in 20 minutes. 2 coats of that and that mahogany will be smooth.

 

[katokoch]

Chet, you could paint the pistol grip area black and do your wood finish on the rest of the stock. A lot of older Anschutz and other European target rifles were done that way and they look pretty good. Usually the grip area is stippled for a bit of grip and it also makes the quality of paint not too critical in that area.

I used a Krylon textured paint called "Make it Stone" to have the same effect. It's a matte black paint with flecks of gray and white that feels about the same as stippling but looks better in my opinion. Prime and seal the wood as you normally would, apply a couple thin coats of the stone paint (otherwise it builds up fast and gets gunky on the stock) and then a couple layers of a matte laquer. The downside to this particular textured paint is that it is not waterproof and isn't the most durable, but works well with a clear coat over the top.