Wood stock gouge repair.
- Thread starter Buster95
- Start date
- Location
- Algoma region
Simple fix = smear a bunch of dark epoxy in there and sand it flush after it dries.
Harder/better fix = inlet a piece of hardwood that matches your stock, sand it down and oil it.
Harder/better fix = inlet a piece of hardwood that matches your stock, sand it down and oil it.
buzzmagoo
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- sprucewood Hallows Eastern Townships
Some of the smaller dents and scratches can be steamed out but for the big nastys,, filler or you could cut a plug out some place inconspicuous/ hidden place on the stock and drill out the gouge then glue in the plug trying to line up the grain, sand ,refinish best of luck!
A wood patch would be my choice. But then I'm a wood worker as one of my other hobbies so it wouldn't be a big job for me.
Frankly I'd just leave it alone before I'd smear in any sort of goo/filler of any sort. Such things typically look horrid.
If you want to experiment with a stainable wood filler, they do make them, then do so on some test wood and decide if it's acceptable before you commit a possible case of "stock'icide"
Frankly I'd just leave it alone before I'd smear in any sort of goo/filler of any sort. Such things typically look horrid.
If you want to experiment with a stainable wood filler, they do make them, then do so on some test wood and decide if it's acceptable before you commit a possible case of "stock'icide"
A wood patch would be my choice. But then I'm a wood worker as one of my other hobbies so it wouldn't be a big job for me.
Frankly I'd just leave it alone before I'd smear in any sort of goo/filler of any sort. Such things typically look horrid.
If you want to experiment with a stainable wood filler, they do make them, then do so on some test wood and decide if it's acceptable before you commit a possible case of "stock'icide"
For the patch the best is to use one taking from the stock?
That would be ideal. But to do that it requires a suitable size of chisel to scoop out the damaged area and the same chisel to scoop out the transplant from some place like the barrel channel.
Or an old damaged similar wood donor stock could be used.
It's a trick and a half to get the scooping just right so some practice on scrap wood is pretty much a "must do". A deeper mortising chisel also provides more control over the cut than a thin cabinet chisel.
Most folks would chisel out the damage then make something suitable to fill in from a slightly bigger piece of wood using care and sanding to make the plug to fit. For a newbie that's the best way. But it requires more wood because you'll be cutting the plug out with a saw and then carefully trimming and sanding until it fits. And that requires a pretty big piece of wood which means you need another piece of similar wood.
Or an old damaged similar wood donor stock could be used.
It's a trick and a half to get the scooping just right so some practice on scrap wood is pretty much a "must do". A deeper mortising chisel also provides more control over the cut than a thin cabinet chisel.
Most folks would chisel out the damage then make something suitable to fill in from a slightly bigger piece of wood using care and sanding to make the plug to fit. For a newbie that's the best way. But it requires more wood because you'll be cutting the plug out with a saw and then carefully trimming and sanding until it fits. And that requires a pretty big piece of wood which means you need another piece of similar wood.
I'd probably cut a thin slice of wood from under the barrel that has a similar grain pattern to the gouge. This fingernail sized piece of wood maybe 1/16" thick would then be trimmed to an exact fit and epoxied in place. Some staining or even artist oil paint would conceal this repair fairly well. Not perfect, but it would be ok.
That's actually the way it's done in the furniture repair world. And it works out well. I've seen such repairs that were done so well that it was hard to make them out. But some of the more classic wood workers like James Krenov or Sam Maloof would blanch white at the thought....
While this trick works well getting the variety of colourants and clear epoxy needed would prove rather expensive. The budget minded option in such a case would be to find someone with Wrong Way's setup and just take the stock in to them and pay for the work if you chose to go with that route.
While this trick works well getting the variety of colourants and clear epoxy needed would prove rather expensive. The budget minded option in such a case would be to find someone with Wrong Way's setup and just take the stock in to them and pay for the work if you chose to go with that route.
I would do it the way Jimbo suggests then fill in the borrow pit with dark epoxy in the barrel channel. One suggestion would be to stain the gouge and insert before gluing it in with stained epoxy so you won't have an unstained glue line when the repair is sanded down for refinishing.....works for me,
Try 5 minute epoxy from Canadian Tire mixed with dark fine wood dust (from sanding). You can also use water resistant or water proof wood glue instead of the epoxy. Mix it up good, lather it into the gouge with lots to spare, let it dry for several days. If you mix an oil based stain with the glue or epoxy it may take a month or so to dry up hard. So if you use a stain to colour the mixture use water base or a coloured powder. That's why I try and use sanding dust from walnut etc as it matches well. Also try steeling some unsweetened coco powder out of your wifes baking cupboard it is a fairly dark powder and mixes in well with glue.
I would mix up several trial batches and let them dry up on scrap wood to see which one suits your needs for colour and hardness. Worst case scenario if a batch of filler doesn't work out just dig it out and start over as you can't hurt much at this point. I have done many of these repairs and sometimes it just takes some experimenting and fiddling to get it right.
When she is all dry sand it down flush and then be prepared to refinish the whole stock as you will not likely be able to refinish that little section and have it match or blend in.
I would mix up several trial batches and let them dry up on scrap wood to see which one suits your needs for colour and hardness. Worst case scenario if a batch of filler doesn't work out just dig it out and start over as you can't hurt much at this point. I have done many of these repairs and sometimes it just takes some experimenting and fiddling to get it right.
When she is all dry sand it down flush and then be prepared to refinish the whole stock as you will not likely be able to refinish that little section and have it match or blend in.
Last edited:
MrGoat, with the epoxy DO NOT mix anything in with it other than some of the gelcoat pigments intended for resin colouring. An oil base stain mixed in with epoxy will certainly result in either not curing at all or in a long delay and poor adhesion.
The use of wood dust is more than OK. In fact it is one of the best ways to colour epoxy. Just expect the colour to shift towards darker by a lot. White pine wood dust becomes a fairly deep orange and a darker wood will become all but black. So again some experimentation is needed.
The use of wood dust is more than OK. In fact it is one of the best ways to colour epoxy. Just expect the colour to shift towards darker by a lot. White pine wood dust becomes a fairly deep orange and a darker wood will become all but black. So again some experimentation is needed.
A good way to go ^.
With the caveat that the sheen of finished epoxy will show as a bright spot on all but high gloss finished stocks.
And, the overall colour of the repair will show darker/lighter as the angle of light on it changes.
Wrong Way
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Nope. The colourant makes the resin go opaque and the plug is in a void....light won't change the tone. As far as gloss? A quick rub with 0000 steel wool will knock the gloss back to matte.
For the poster that asked for colourants: because nothing actually *disolves* in epoxy resin, you need a fine particulate. You can buy gel coat colourants at marine places, or even use poster paint (dry paint powder) or even fabric and analine dyes if they are a fine powder.
