Lets see that pretty wood

[Pookie]

I'm a sucker for pretty wood. I have my share of composite too, I get it. I just really like the classic wood look, with fit, figure and character. How could you not?

Let's see those safe queens, heirlooms and ones that get used.

I'll start. I have several Coopers. Here's one with AA+ French walnut. It has some minor field battle scars. Always good to get the first scratch behind ya.

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I regret selling mine

 

[Steve300xcw]

Good source of tools here
The basics:
1) a spacing cutter handle and a double cutter blade or three. I like 22lpi or even 20lpi.
2) a single line cutter
3) a grease pencil
4) some clear, stiff acetate plastic to make a 60* angle template and a flexible straight edge.
5) auto detailing pinstripe tape in 1/8” and 1/4”. Plastic label-making tape can be nice too for straight lines. Both help tape off borders and set your master lines. Not strictly necessary but really helpful.
6) an old throwaway walnut stock from the throwaway bin at the local gun shop to practice on (or finish your own piece of scrap wood to practice on.)

@Steve300xcw if its helpful shoot me your email and I am pretty sure I can send you a instruction guide with pictures that a friend of mine did.

Thank you.

Results of my late night shopping spree are about 8 weeks out. I'll hit you up after my lumber gets here

 

[bielenbm]

How many coats of tung oil should I do on a new stock?

 

[Macintosh]

Depends entirely on the wood and what you want out of the finish and how you apply it. Ie it will vary significantly depending on the individual piece of wood, as well as on how you apply it. Probably more than 5, probably less than 25.

 

[bielenbm]

Probably more than 5, probably less than 25.

This made me laugh but I completely understand what you mean.

 

[Macintosh]

I actually wasnt trying to be snarky, sorry if it came out that way. A really nice tight-grained piece of wood might fill and finish quickly even with a very thinned finish. But I have had very open-pored blanks that just drank up finish like a thirsty camel, and took multiple dozens of coats to get the finish I wanted—in that case I probably should have filled the grain differently to cut out a lot of work…but hindsight being 20:20 and all…. It will also depend a lot on exactly what finish, if you thin it, etc. You really have to treat every piece of wood as an individual and let the wood and how the finish is building, tell you what its going to take.

 

[fshaw]

WOOD

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Golly!

 

[bielenbm]

I did not read it to be snarky at all. I’m oiling my first stock, so I’m just trying to get an idea.