fyrd Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 Just for fun, please share what you consider your best 'secret' idea or technique for working on guns. Something that you do that you don't hear much about. For me, it is bedding a rifle. Years ago I worked for a place that had a diamond wheel grinder. I got a quart of the very fine steel filings, basically fine steel dust. I mix this with Acraglas gel when bedding an action into a stock. I can't say how much, if any, it improves the quality of the bedding, but it makes me feel like it works better. Fyrd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdm1962 Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 Mine is to let more talented people ( Clemson, Don or Tangelwood ) do the work that require skills I don't have. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted December 26, 2015 Report Share Posted December 26, 2015 I have to agree with RDM, I just don't have the patience I did when I was younger. Question about using the steel filings, does it attract rust? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyrd Posted December 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2015 "Question about using the steel filings, does it attract rust?" It hasn't yet and I have one gun that I bedded over 30 years ago. The filings were taken from a machine with that white coolant and are coated with that in the glass jar I keep them in. Once mixed with the Acraglas gel, they are also covered. Fyrd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted December 26, 2015 Report Share Posted December 26, 2015 Guess it would work well. Several years ago I used some JB Weld to bed a mag assembly. I don't know what kind of metal flakes are used in JB Weld. I horse traded the rifle away but best I remember there wasn't any rust on the JB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken98k Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 Question about using the steel filings, does it attract rust?Rust is oxidation which requires oxygen. Steel that's encapsulated in sealers like epoxy has no exposure to oxygen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clemson Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 Here is a "secret" for you: Minwax Wipe On Poly is an astoundingly good stock finish. I use the "Clear Satin." Bill Jacobs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 Here is a "secret" for you: Minwax Wipe On Poly is an astoundingly good stock finish. I use the "Clear Satin." Bill Jacobs I've used the wipe on poly on two. Not sure if it is Miniwax brand but it worked well using it the same as Tru-Oil. I steel wooled down a few overnight dried coats and wiped on another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobVZ Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 That's a great tip. I also learned from my gun repair training that you can re-coat polyurethane as soon as it gets tacky. Thin coats usually get tacky in 15-30 minutes. I have applied as many as 7 coats of poly to gun stocks in 2 hrs. This way you don't have to sand between coats; just sand and polish the last coat after curing. Once the cure starts the coat will cure hard regardless of whether it is covered by another coat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Hess Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 I've used the Minwax Poly satin as well. I use an airbrush to put it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 About 30 or more years ago I used what was (or still is) named Lin-Speed wipe on finish. I didn't do a rifle stock but did some handgun grips. Over the years the finish has got a cloudy look to it but the stuff is rock hard and stayed put. I haven't noticed any chips or peeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clemson Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 It's a polyurethane. I was not aware of anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsefly Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Only work on guns when your in the mood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spec4 e4 Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Have great lighting and know your limits. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powdr Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Projects hardly ever go as planned, especially time wise. That 2 hour job usually turns into 3-4 hours. I've found over the years when I start a job and am hell bent on getting it finished in one setting...I usually mess something up. If you find yourself in this dilemma just stop where you are and quit for the night. Go drink a beer, take a hot shower and get some rest. The problem will still be there in the morning and you'll be able to diagnose your mess-up much better and finish the job. I don't know how many times I've tried to muscle on thru and messed something up instead of walking away from the job at hand and facing it with a clear mind and a fresh set of eyes the next day. Remember, when you feel things are going south...stop, put it down and wait till tomorrow. powdr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Hess Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 I find that regardless of what I'm working on, cars, bikes, boom sticks, whatever, when I get tired and start making mistakes, that's time to quit for the day. Oh, and everything takes 2x my initial already inflated time estimate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted February 4, 2016 Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 Oh, and everything takes 2x my initial already inflated time estimate. If that ain't the truth, even worse is the cost. Every project be it car, rifle, home improvement etc usually costs about 3 or times more than estimated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorgansBoss Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 My best secret is timing purchases so the UPS man comes on days my wife is not going to be home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyrd Posted May 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2016 That is a good secret, Fyrd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted May 12, 2016 Report Share Posted May 12, 2016 My best secret is timing purchases so the UPS man comes on days my wife is not going to be home. GOOD GRIEF!! Morgan where you been?? You've been missed. Got any shotgun projects on going?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorgansBoss Posted May 15, 2016 Report Share Posted May 15, 2016 GOOD GRIEF!! Morgan where you been?? You've been missed. Got any shotgun projects on going?? Just a little Crescent 44XL I've been messing with off and on. Purchased a box lot of "assorted 410 parts" from an estate sale. Turned out to be some odds and ends, two frames about 75 to 80% complete and one set of barrels for one of them. The barrels are solid and ring like a church bell. Then I discovered instead of .410, they're 44XL. It's the 20-25% of parts that are missing that's been the challenge. I'm not adverse to benchmade parts, but it can get interesting when there's not at least a pattern or picture to guide you. Don't recall if I've shown it here or not, but a few years ago I screwed together another sort of unique firearm on an old Stevens 20ga. frame acquired under similar circumstances. Steven's aren't particularly known for strength of lock-up and the old gun's history was totally unknown. A 22LR double seemed the obvious way to go! Just the rifle to have when you're stalking through the darkness behind the chicken coop, subject to being charged by a possum at close quarter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roscoedoh Posted May 17, 2016 Report Share Posted May 17, 2016 Patience, research, and finess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted May 17, 2016 Report Share Posted May 17, 2016 Morgan I'm lost, what is the 44XL?? Looks like a Savage-Stevens 311 originally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gun Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 www.markskaggsgunsmithing.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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