Stock refinishing and rear barrel band

The Rossi Model R92, a lightweight carbine for Cowboy Action, hunting, or plinking! Includes Rossi manufactured Interarms, Navy Arms, and Puma trade names.
golfish
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Re: Stock refinishing and rear barrel band

Post by golfish »

ddj wrote:The guy that does at the factory has to be some kind of handy capable character. I would like to know his secrets
Both of my Rossi R92 rifles have a line in the middle of the buttstock. Its like they sat in a bucket of stain with half the stock sticking out.
mmargotta
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Re: Stock refinishing and rear barrel band

Post by mmargotta »

This must be the week for refinishing Rossi's.
I have a 16' drying as I type this. It is the first coat of maybe 3, that I intend to finish up with.
I gently wiped the wood with rubbing alcohol then took a non-cotton towel that has no lint. (it started life as a dishtowel that does not dry dishes due to it's composition, I believe it's just polyester, but it works beautifully for wiping the finish on.
My old freind Homer Formby Tung Oil really does an incredible job!
It has to dry 12 hours between coats but it's worth it. I use 0000 steel wool gently after drying and wipe with a tack cloth before applying the next coat.
My wife wants me to do our furniture after seeing it...LOL.
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Re: Stock refinishing and rear barrel band

Post by Archer »

golfish wrote:
ddj wrote:The guy that does at the factory has to be some kind of handy capable character. I would like to know his secrets
Both of my Rossi R92 rifles have a line in the middle of the buttstock. Its like they sat in a bucket of stain with half the stock sticking out.
There can be at least a couple reasons for this.
1) Perhaps a change in the density of the wood due to climate changes while the tree was growing resulting in the stain being taken into the wood differently. Similar chemical change in the wood could be caused by a difference in water PH or pollution or something over time so that one chunk of the wood is less compatible with the stain than the rest.

2) The wood is two chunks glued together. I've seen several stocks constructed out of more than one chunk of wood when either the shape is awkward or simply to get a bigger chunk before it is shaped down to the stock. (I want to say there was at least one military stock where this was obvious, say on a distinct dropped pistol grip or some such.) With a simple stock shape like that on the 92 it shouldn't be necessary and the labor can be about as expensive as using the right sized blank from the get go. Also unless the spliced portions are pretty thin to start with it should be possible to remove a chunk from the wrist area to form the toe that should come out pretty close to the same color.

3) I've seen some stocks where the grain is just that different, but usually it isn't simply a sharp line but a mottled or twisted pattern indicating a twisted growth or inclusion or something.

There are some tricks to try and get a more even color on a chunk of wood that doesn't take stain evenly. I have not tried many of them and to be honest I'm usually more interested in nice grain patterns than an even tone. On a straight grained chunk of wood such may not exist or may never pop like a more 'fancy' grain pattern.
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