Author Topic: Anybody know how to make Birch look decient. (Read 4175 times)

bilmac · « **on:** December 15, 2011, 09:30:40 AM »

I bought one of the Marlin 22 autos from a pawn shop for cheap the other day. It is really beat. I'm redoing the stock. It has some of the stamped "checkering", so I won't be able to clean the old finish out if that area. I've tried to flame a birch stock in the past and don't really like that. I don't really like any of the stains I have tried, the stocks always look like brown birch to me. Because of the "checkering" I can't really go blonde. I'm thinking maybe I will just paint it. Anybody have any secret ways to make it look cool?

On the plus side the little gun shoots pretty good.

STUMPJMPR · « **Reply #1 on:** December 15, 2011, 10:07:13 AM »

I have never tried this, but I suspect you will have to use the polyurethane finishes with the stain mixed in. They sell it at the hardware stores. I'm not certain, but it seems this is what the manufactures do. The birch stocks I have done with conventional stain have come out blotchy at best.

kevinsmith5 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 15, 2011, 10:11:56 AM »

+1 in the poly stain. Multiple coats. Or you can look for one of the colored stains. I have some green stain that I literally soaked a birch stock in that ended up decent looking. It comes in a wide range of colors and if you do it right you get the majority of the soak back.

tacklebury · « **Reply #3 on:** December 15, 2011, 03:01:54 PM »

I just sanded out all marks etc. and used Birchwood Casey's Gun Stock Oil in about 6 or 8 coats total. Did this one when I was 17 and this picture was last year.

I'd had big hopes of making it look more like a Big Game Alaskan Rifle!

rbursek · « **Reply #4 on:** December 15, 2011, 04:58:29 PM »

Birch is a tough wood to stain in any configuration, I would sand out the checkering, if it would not thin the stock too much, then just put on a birch inhanser, then minwax natural birch stain and then a tung oil finish.

oneoldsap · « **Reply #5 on:** December 16, 2011, 06:19:13 AM »

Paint it ! Over and over if you have to . If ya get bored with the color paint it another color . White in the winter , brown in the fall , green in summer ?

bilmac · « **Reply #6 on:** December 16, 2011, 02:37:13 PM »

Thanks guys I think I'll go the polyurathane route. Now that you all remind me I think I did that once and was happy with the result. I don't want to go blonde because I'll never be able to deal with the "checkering". This gun already has a thin grip, and you have to remove a lot of wood to get rid of this kind of "checkering". Painting was a last resort, but I would have gone that way, but I believe the stained poly will work.

BR549 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 16, 2011, 05:05:35 PM »

Try using a spray on truck bed liner. It looks like a synthetic stock when done, but has a rough easy to grip surface and is impervious to most anything.

bilmac · « **Reply #8 on:** December 17, 2011, 04:39:45 AM »

Good idea, I think this stock is redeemable, but if I ever get one much worse than this it may get lined. I assume you can buy the stuff in a homeowner size spray can.

Cornbelt · « **Reply #9 on:** December 17, 2011, 06:47:14 AM »

Brownells' sells graining pens.

maddogg · « **Reply #10 on:** December 17, 2011, 01:55:50 PM »

Some of the guys who refinish m1 Garand stocks use Fiebing's Dark Walnut Dye (found in leather working shops) with very good results.

Rangr44 · « **Reply #11 on:** December 18, 2011, 09:24:33 AM »

Quote from: Cornbelt on December 17, 2011, 06:47:14 AM

Brownells' sells graining pens.

+1

I too, "ink" in some "wood grain" - but I don't use the graining pen(s).

I use the thick, black pigment from the bottom of a can of MinWax Jacobean stain, trying to copy the grain pattern of another stock held alongside.

Then, for the bulk of the stock staining, I experiment with color mixing stains - for example, about 60% MinWax Black Walnut with 40% MinWax Red Mahogany gives a color very close to the old "Winchester Red" when finished with TruOil.

I also use a sealer, to prevent the stain from blotching.

.

smokey262 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 18, 2011, 02:18:12 PM »

That sounds like a great idea to try. Any pics to post?

Frank46 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 18, 2011, 05:43:55 PM »

Go to Lowe's or Home Depot and look for a stain pretreat. After taking the wood down to bare wood apply it to the wood and then stain over it. Birch is kind of a funny wood as it has almost no visible grain and doesn't take stains like walnut. Read the directions on the can as some pretreats have you wait a specific time while others you don't. After staining get some 0000 steel wool and gently rub the stock down.This will take care of any wood slivers that may be raised by the stain. Regular wood stains come in a few flavors oil based or water based or alcohol based. I have heard of using certain dyes but most of my experience has been with the oil based stains.
After staining is dry or to your liking then you can use something like tru oil or g96 oil. Put the first coat on heavy and let dry. Sand down almost to the wood taking care not to cut into the stain. Takes a little patience though. Steel wool the first coat to smooth it down and then add as many coats steel woolling between coats. Last coat can use a coat of wax. hope this helps. frank

bilmac · « **Reply #14 on:** December 19, 2011, 05:36:40 AM »

Lots of good ideas guys thanks. I'll try to remember these suggestions, I'm always picking up poor sad looking guns for projects. I don't think I'll spend too much time on an $80 gun though.

no guns here · « **Reply #15 on:** December 19, 2011, 08:36:53 AM »

sand it smooth, degrain it a couple of times, get a really nice smooth surface. Throw a nice oil finish on it. Find someone that does laser engraving and have the stock engraved with a picture or something. Draw attention to the engraving not the birch wood. Birch tends to laser pretty well. Should come out looking nice with the right picture or emblem on it.

NGH

Rangr44 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 19, 2011, 04:04:01 PM »

Quote from: smokey262 on December 18, 2011, 02:18:12 PM

That sounds like a great idea to try. Any pics to post?

Not really, since the stocks I've "grained" look "normal" - and I never thought to take some "how-to" pics as I was graining one.

Try it on a scrap board - some Pine is as bad as Birch, that way, but Home Cheapo sells small-dimensioned Maple that's fairly w/o grain, too.

I got the idea, when I found out that the Japanese did basically the same thing when they finished the SKB guns ( When I removed the factory finish, I ended up with plain peanut butter), & Beretta did with their "UltraWood".

The method requires a bit of practice, though - my first several attempts were pretty obvious.

.

mechanic · « **Reply #17 on:** December 19, 2011, 04:08:16 PM »

I've used shoe dye on birch with good results. True Oil over the stain and you're done. Always try it on the inside area however, as it really soaks in, and it ain't coming off!

Ben

renegade50 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2012, 07:13:39 AM »

good dark stain cover up with tru oil

or use a pot of day old coffee that has been left on overnight

i did that with a savage stevens 311 sxs along time ago
stained it with coffee about 5 times then slapped the truoil to it

finished it and looked real good
you can lighten up areas for a grained looked with a wet squeezed out wash cloth dragging
across the stock before you tru oil it

not much to lose with a inexpensive project.

bufflobob · « **Reply #19 on:** January 08, 2012, 03:00:56 PM »

Use water/alcohol base dark walnut stain -- you might also first re-consider some flame torching for adding a little character. Then when thoroughly dry tru-oil 3 or 4 coats. Did that on a plain birch stock I made for a home-made muzzle-loader, and it still looks very good - get lots of compliments. Cheers - Bob.

smokehouserex · « **Reply #20 on:** January 08, 2012, 03:24:02 PM »

Hello bilmac:
I just bought a NEF that was pretty rough and had a nasty finish on it. I wanted a differerent look on this gun.It looked like birch but I don't know what it was. Had to use a metal rasp file to cut through the mess, after that I used 220 sandpaper followed by 100grit, got a semi smooth texture which I wanted. Had serveral stains on hand so I put the golden oak stain, after 3 coats it satisfies me, I do like the golden oak look on this gun, I don't do photos or I would shoot you one, it's a little darker than tacklebury's post and a little deeper color. It has some oil color in it that was too deep to cut out reasonably so it does a few lines in it, you may consider something darker for a more consistant coloration.
Hope this give you an idea that helps.
HM

smokehouserex · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2012, 03:31:51 PM »

renegade50:
Thanks for the old coffee suggestion, sounds like a good one. I have a jar of plum brown that I am going to use on an old bbl.action and am curious too see what it will come out like with true oil over the coffee stained birch stock. thanks
HM

STUMPJMPR · « **Reply #22 on:** January 09, 2012, 01:26:11 AM »

The Handi-Strip sold at lowes would have took all the finish off without so much sanding.

maddogg · « **Reply #23 on:** January 09, 2012, 02:40:16 PM »

I put on many coats of BLO.

Barstooler · « **Reply #24 on:** January 10, 2012, 03:17:39 PM »

Quote from: STUMPJMPR on January 09, 2012, 01:26:11 AM

The Handi-Strip sold at lowes would have took all the finish off without so much sanding.

+1

Get a good varnish stripper (Handi-Strip or Formby's Paint & Poly Remover). Apply first coat over the stamped checkering. Remove IAW the instructions and then apply a 2nd coat and work it into the checkering with an old tooth brush. Remove again IAW the instructions and with a 2nd clean tooth brush. Get an Exacto-Knife and meticulously work any remaining crud out of each checkering pattern.

You are then ready to stain and refinish the checkering.

Barstooler

smokehouserex · « **Reply #25 on:** January 11, 2012, 02:52:26 PM »

Thanks STUMPJMPR:
I've used cutzs-it before but being that it had what looked like paint on it also, I just bit the bullet, so to speak, and lit into it. I will buy some of the Handi Strips before doing another, a very appropiate name for a Handi Rifle stripper, right!
thanks
HM

smokehouserex · « **Reply #26 on:** January 11, 2012, 03:07:03 PM »

Hello bilmac:
I guess by now you have finished your birch stock. I have just about finished with the 20ga.. I stripped, draw filed the rust pits, sanded and painted the shotgun bbl.. I am pleased with the golden oak finish on the stocks and I painted the bbl. with a como flat brownish/greenish/greyish color paint, the only way I can describe the color, and I am very pleased with the outcome, I left the receiver with the casehardened look and the mixed camo color sets it off with the golden oak stock. Hope your's turns out to your satisfaction.
safety first
HM

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #27 on:** January 11, 2012, 03:49:54 PM »

Chemical Strip the stock.
Sand as needed.
Stain with dark brown.
Oil paint a grain pattern. Shadow the black grain in a light brown or honey blond color.
Let dry. Add a satan varnish finish. from a spray can. Scuff sand and repaint.

bilmac · « **Reply #28 on:** January 11, 2012, 05:57:58 PM »

I finished it quite awhile ago. Sorry I'm a gun guy pictures and computers are too complicated. I just scraped and sanded off the old finish and did about four coats of minwax polyurathane plus antique walnut stain. It looks pretty good. Dug out my old Weaver B4 3/4 inch scope and stuck it on. I'm surprised the old scope isn't all that bad, sure makes it easier to see a rabbits head. I expect one of the grandkids will be getting it for Christmas or birthday.

keith44 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 12, 2012, 08:25:33 PM »

some of this "grain" was done with a sharpie