Author Topic: tru-oil. does it seal???? (Read 1409 times)

buckslayer · « **on:** July 06, 2004, 09:21:33 AM »

i "painted" the barrel chanell of my break-open single shot with tru-oil(birchwood casey). i did five coats very thick with a paint brush and it dried hard as a rock :eek: :eek: . i did this to seal it aginst rain when hunting so it dosn't swell. i then free-floated it. will the tru oil prtect against rain?

. thanks for any info!!!

later

buckslayer :wink:

Big Paulie · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2004, 10:46:12 AM »

Tru-Oil is a good basic sealer, but I do not believe it is waterproof. It is simply a good boiled linseed base, with resins and hardners added. It looks waterproof, but it is not. It does, however, provide very substantial protection against the elements.

For true waterproofing, you need to go to a sealer that is polyurethene based. There are some good spray on polyurethence finishes, that actually have some oil blended into them so you can get a good satin oil like finish.

However, since you have treated your stock with Tru-Oil, you cannot now put polyurethene over top of it. It won't permanently stick. You would have to totally and completely strip the entire Tru-Oil finish down to totally bare dry wood. I believe this would be foolish, because the stripping and sanding activities will probably do more harm to your stock than the minor water-proofing benefits you will achieve from the poly finish.

Big Paulie

gunnut69 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2004, 11:34:59 AM »

TruOil is NOT water proof but is highly water resistant. To water proof the barrel channel just steel wool to smooth out the TruOil and coat with a good paste wax, any with carnuba in them. The combination is totally water proof and since the inletting of your rifle is not subject to handling and other abrasion the wax will last almost forever..

TennesseeNuc · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2004, 07:10:01 PM »

buckslayer,
Tung oil is a better sealer than tru-oil. If you want to add a couple of layers on top of what you have, it will not be a problem because tung oil is compatable with tru-oil. You might, however, want to sand the tru-oil lightly before applying the tung oil.
Best,
TnNuc

The Shrink · « **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2004, 02:10:49 AM »

Gentlemen

Even Poly does not provide a waterproof finish to wood. Standing water will penetrate poly. The only relatively common waterproof finishes for wood that I know are the epoxy finishes. Even then the entire piece must be so finished, or water will penetrate from another point causing swelling of the wood and cracking of the epoxy finish.

If you have a hard recoiling firearm with an epoxy fininsh I wouldn't be surprised if the recoil caused cracking, thus ruining the waterproofing.

Use an oil finish, wipe off any water, and field strip at the end of a wet day being sure to dry the barrel channel. Either that or go with a composite stock.

Wayne the Shrink

There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

gunnut69 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2004, 08:58:48 PM »

Polyurethane finishes are synthetic plastics and are as waterproof as a plastic water bottle. They do have a tendancy to leak if damaged. But I see little likelyhood of such damage in a barrel channel. An undamaged poly finish will easily turn standing water but the entire surface must be covered. I've seen 1100 remingtons that were in the bed of a truck and the finish repelled the rain just great, unfortunately the wood under the butt pad wasn't sealed and the stock swelled... Tung oil is a better water proofer but it too is brittle and cracks easily, even more so than poly. For the inletting of a rifle wax is very good. It seals absolutely, remains flexible and is compatable with any finish. Oh and by the way some synthetic stock material does absorb a certain amount of water. There is little dimensional change.

Flash · « **Reply #6 on:** July 23, 2004, 02:04:01 AM »

Tru-oil is adequate for water protection. To coat something and expect to seal it from the elements, Tru-oil does fine. Unless you submerge your firearm for hours at a time, Tru-oil will hold up to any hunting situation out there. Months in the Amazon rain forest might really put it to the test but in normal conditions during a typical hunt, it works. That, and just linseed oil is all I use.

The Shrink · « **Reply #7 on:** July 23, 2004, 12:58:54 PM »

Gunnut69

I have three layers of poly on my wood floors, and drops of water that sit on them can and will soak in. I'm not sure why, this was true even when the finish was new. I just make sure to wipe water off any wood finish as soon as I can.

Wayne the Shrink

There is no 'right' that requires you to work for me or me to work for you!

gunnut69 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 24, 2004, 11:53:11 AM »

I don't know whats with the floor. Polyeurethanes are plastics. If not puctured they should be conmpletely waterproof. Perhaps the moisture simply evaporates? There are some polys that are flooring finishes that are water soluable. They are designed to lower the emmission of solvent into a closed environment, your home. Perhaps they are not true polyeurothanes. I am unsure, but a normal exterior polyurethane is as water proof as a platic coating. Now plastics, including synthetic stocks have a moisture content. Not much but it is there. This should not be enough to allow the migration of moisture in any quantities to pass thru..