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Issues with Truoil on walnut stock

Bob Wright

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Messages
3,818
Location
Litchfield Park, Az.
My second stock refinish job with Truoil has been a bit difficult.
The first stock I did came out wonderful. Using the same bottle of Truoil, I started out wet sanding to build a slurry and fill in the pores. On the third wet sanding and wipe down I noticed the finish was getting real sticky with the slurry. In between attempts I let the stock dry the required 24 hours, buff with steel wool.
Right now I am having to sand back all of the slurry build up and it's just clogging the 220 grit paper so quick I suspect it just isn't drying in 24 hours due to cooler temps in my shop ~60°F.
I don't want to strip with Citri Strip and lose the grain fill.
Should I just take more time for drying and sand back the finish so that I can start over with Truoil once I sand this sticky slurry off?
 
I've used tru oil for finishing but only in the summer when temperatures were up in the 80-90's, 24 hours was good enough to re coat. My opinion is at 60 degrees, that's not warm enough to get the finish to harden, at this point I'd give it a few days before proceeding. Once you start up again, give it plenty of time to cure before re coating
 
I've used tru oil for finishing but only in the summer when temperatures were up in the 80-90's, 24 hours was good enough to re coat. My opinion is at 60 degrees, that's not warm enough to get the finish to harden, at this point I'd give it a few days before proceeding. Once you start up again, give it plenty of time to cure before re coating
Thanks, agree totally.
 
often times it seems a bottle will go bad within weeks of opening. I have started buying the small bottles and figuring to waste the remainder after one or two closely timed projects. The word around is that air gets to the remains in a bottle and spoils the solution... I am researching to find something new and better. I took a couple rifles to Gary Goudy up in Washington a few years back and his stock finish was Waterlox. The guy was an artist. Last time I tried to schedule with him I got no reply so I think he has passed. RIP, Gary.
 
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Many years back and over about 10 years, I did several stocks with Truoil, and like you, I found it did not dry fast in the cool dampness of the shop during the winter months. I also had to extend the drying time and hung the stocks closer to the shop heater.

Those were the days when I could find good deals on several used rifles and strip, refinish and sometimes add white-line spacers on their stocks and grip caps for resale. Some turned out so well, I kept a few for myself. Hope yours turn out well.
 
Many years back and over about 10 years, I did several stocks with Truoil, and like you, I found it did not dry fast in the cool dampness of the shop during the winter months. I also had to extend the drying time and hung the stocks closer to the shop heater.

Those were the days when I could find good deals on several used rifles and strip, refinish and sometimes add white-line spacers on their stocks and grip caps for resale. Some turned out so well, I kept a few for myself. Hope yours turn out well.
These days, sorry to say, nice wood stocks and stockmaker's skills aren't much in demand.
 
These days, sorry to say, nice wood stocks and stockmaker's skills aren't much in demand.
I know. My buddy who owns this M70 thought I could just buy the stock. He's 84 and doesn't see what is being sold these days. Composite stocks, bead blasted "bluing", but classic high grade rifles are collectors items and not production anymore really.
It is sad and what people want now is the high performance all weather guns. Can't blame people for that either.
 

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