I have a laminate stock off of a ruger that has Krylon camo paint on it and I was wondering if I sanded the pait off and auto clear coated it if it would look good has.Has anyone used auto clear on a laminate stock?If so what kind of prep work does it need?thanks for the help!
I used to do quite a few stocks with auto clear, but have moved on to other products. You can get an excellent finish with it. However, make sure you have a lot of ventilation and you use a good fitting respirator. I built a booth to shoot the clear with negative air pressure that vented outside, to keep me from blowing up my shop.
I would strip the stock completely. Sand to 320 under strong light. Make a fixture that attaches to the buttstock so you can rotate the stock as you spray. I would give the inletting a couple of thinned coats (with a small brush) letting it soak as much as possible. Let it dry and then you have to tape up the inletting to keep it from getting too much. Run the tape just below the stock line. I would spray a good heavy coat and turn the stock as it set up a little so it wouldn't run. Remove the tape while the finish is still a little soft. Hang the stock until you can't smell the finish with your nose placed close to the stock. The initial coat must be dry and "set into" the stock or you will have to deal with the finish pulling into the stock months later. This could take a week or two depending on the air conditions.
I would then rough up the finish with 400 grit WOD, but used dry. It takes more paper, but is faster for this step. Be careful of the edges. Be very light with the paper around them.
I would then tape off the inletting again and shoot it again with the clear. The idea is to get on as much as possible without getting any major runs. By rotating the stock as it sets up, you can get quite a bit on. All the clears I know of have to be sanded back if you wait longer than a few hours. You can shoot it again when the second coat sets a little and you may be able to get it in 3 coats. What you are looking for is a completely shiny finish with no grain showing. If you can't get it in 3, you will be close. It all depends on how deep the grain is and how heavy your first coat was. If you can't put anymore on, then let it set up a little and remove the tape and let it sit for a few days until you can rough it up again with 400.
The last coat should look smooth all over the stock. Remove the tape again before it is completely set up and hang the stock for several weeks. You will see the finish "draw into" the grain a little. Don't worry as you should have more than enough on the stock to wet sand this out. When you can't smell the volatiles coming out of the finish any longer, then you can wet sand. If you really did well, you can go to wet sanding with 1000 right away. Otherwise you may have to start with wet 600. Be very careful of the edges again. Very light strokes of the paper is all that is needed. Use an orange eraser to back your paper on the flats.
Do an area in 1000 and then take some fine auto polish and a clean, 100% cotton (only) rag and polish the area to see what you get. If you see any scratches in the finish under strong light, you may want to wet with 1200, and then do the polish again. It depends on the polish you are using also.
With just the polish you should get a very nice high gloss finish. But if you hit it now with an auto wax that has the finest "polish" in it, you will get a finish like none other. I am using good old fashioned turtle wax. It has a very fine polish in it.
I take a sharp knife and "ease" the edges of the finish that are just below the stock line. Be careful you don't scratch the stock. You can hit them with polish on a rag and the lines will almost disappear.
Jim
