Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
As some have read, I am working on another home built BR rifle, the 6.5 Mystic. One of the goals of this project was to have a really shiny painted stock. The type of finish you find on composite stocks and hot rods. A smooth deep wet look.
Working with wood (plywood specifically), this can be quite a chore as there is usually multiple steps to fill and sand to get rid of the grain.
Well, I have found a very simple way to speed up this process and gives you an awesome base to paint on.
After shaping and sanding the stock to a 220grit smooth, fill any dings and holes using drywall type spackle/fillers found premixed at any hardware store. Look for the finish grades as this stuff leaves a much smoother surface then the general 'mud'. Now to normal paint, this is a very porous material so must be sealed.
For sealing, the easiest way is the new family of urethane/polyurethane/varathane finishes used in furniture and flooring. Some are even water based for easy clean up and very low odor.
My stuff was made by Varathane called Diamond Coat and has a very high solids finish. What that means is that although it goes on like any other oil, it is still 'thick' after the solvents have evaporated. For most wood, two coats is all that is needed to completely seal the grain and you might even see a shiny surface. Sanding between coats leads to the best base.
Don't use a modified natural oil like Tung or linseed. First off this stuff has a very low solids content so you will need a lot more coats to seal to the same extent. This stuff shrinks over a very long period of time so what looks nice and sealed today will be grainy 3 months down the road. The finish will allow oils and sap/stains from the wood to seep through to the top coat. And finally, this stuff is not compatible with some auto paints which is likely used to finish the stock.
The urethanes are like putting a layer of plastic on your stock. Very water resistant too.
So now that the stock is sealed, we need to bring it to a glass smooth surface. The next step is crucial to finding all the defects you thought you have already gotten rid of. Like body work on hot rods, you need a light primer coat sprayed on.
The stuff at can tire for auto work is best and readily available (you want sandable kind with heavy solids). I like grey but you can also choose red if working with a very dark colour coat. Once you spray a light coat on, you will be stunned at all the defects that show up.
There is a glazing/filler made by Mason which is very fast drying, needs no catalyst, sands/feathers amazingly well and is non porous when it dries. In the final filling/blocking stage, I would suggest this stuff to get rid of all the small defects.
Once you think all the defects and depressions have been filled and blended out, shoot another primer coat on. Keep repeating until you really have 'blocked' the stock. If you did a good job at the very beginning, you should only need one or two coats and you are done.
The next step really makes the stock pop especially if you plan on painting with metallics. Isn't needed if just using a solid colour as you have a very nice surface at this stage.
A fairly new product makes getting that super glass smooth finish a snap. Urethane have come in spray cans for years but they now make a fast dry product. This stuff will dry to the touch in about 1hr in warm temps. That makes applying multiple coats very quick and easy.
The key here is applying many light coats spaced far enough that the bottom flashes off (goes a bit matte) but is still tacky (follow the instructions on the can). This way you don't need to wait a day or two before sanding and respraying each layer.
I did my Mystic stock this morning in about 20min and applied 3 coats. You do have to keep an eye on how fast you put on the layers as if you go too fast, the urethane will suddenly run and you will have a mess.
Each layer really fills and wets the surface well due to the high solids content. By angling to the light, you will see the surface begin to 'float'. Let this all dry for at least a day in a warm dust free area and you will see an absolutely glass smooth surface.
A quick block sanding with 400grit paper to remove any dust, runs or high spots and you are ready for paint. This type of glass smooth base is critical if you plan on painting with metallics.
The flakes used in metallic paint will cling or sink into voids and dings and really exaggerate any surface defect. Big reason why metallic custom auto paint jobs can sometimes cost 5 figures. Lots of work.
Flames and flags, logos, animals, whatever can be applied to your canvas. There are some amazing custom spray jobs being applied to stocks that are every bit as exciting and complex as those seen on cars and bikes.
I am going to apply a Chameleon paint made by Dupli Colour and sold at Cdn Tire. This stuff changes colour depending on the angle and amount of light. It really needs a smooth surface to work best. There will also be some accent trim.
Any metallic enamel spray paint can be sprayed on. Avoid laquers as this may not be compatible with the urethane. Always test as you don't want to destroy the perfect surface you have just created.
If you really want to stun the audience, hit the colour with a clear coat then wet sand and polish the clear coat for that concours gloss. You can treat it exactly the same way as a car so waxing will really keep the shine going and protect against the errent solvent drip.
You can now put together a really nice looking stock for very little investment in materials. I am sure there are some creative artist on this board so let your imagination go crazy.
Might make this sport a little more politically correct too. A link to a site that does some really great paint work. There are many others.
Jerry
http://www.bayoucustompaint.com/
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek041.html
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek014.html
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek034.html
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek040.html
Working with wood (plywood specifically), this can be quite a chore as there is usually multiple steps to fill and sand to get rid of the grain.
Well, I have found a very simple way to speed up this process and gives you an awesome base to paint on.
After shaping and sanding the stock to a 220grit smooth, fill any dings and holes using drywall type spackle/fillers found premixed at any hardware store. Look for the finish grades as this stuff leaves a much smoother surface then the general 'mud'. Now to normal paint, this is a very porous material so must be sealed.
For sealing, the easiest way is the new family of urethane/polyurethane/varathane finishes used in furniture and flooring. Some are even water based for easy clean up and very low odor.
My stuff was made by Varathane called Diamond Coat and has a very high solids finish. What that means is that although it goes on like any other oil, it is still 'thick' after the solvents have evaporated. For most wood, two coats is all that is needed to completely seal the grain and you might even see a shiny surface. Sanding between coats leads to the best base.
Don't use a modified natural oil like Tung or linseed. First off this stuff has a very low solids content so you will need a lot more coats to seal to the same extent. This stuff shrinks over a very long period of time so what looks nice and sealed today will be grainy 3 months down the road. The finish will allow oils and sap/stains from the wood to seep through to the top coat. And finally, this stuff is not compatible with some auto paints which is likely used to finish the stock.
The urethanes are like putting a layer of plastic on your stock. Very water resistant too.
So now that the stock is sealed, we need to bring it to a glass smooth surface. The next step is crucial to finding all the defects you thought you have already gotten rid of. Like body work on hot rods, you need a light primer coat sprayed on.
The stuff at can tire for auto work is best and readily available (you want sandable kind with heavy solids). I like grey but you can also choose red if working with a very dark colour coat. Once you spray a light coat on, you will be stunned at all the defects that show up.
There is a glazing/filler made by Mason which is very fast drying, needs no catalyst, sands/feathers amazingly well and is non porous when it dries. In the final filling/blocking stage, I would suggest this stuff to get rid of all the small defects.
Once you think all the defects and depressions have been filled and blended out, shoot another primer coat on. Keep repeating until you really have 'blocked' the stock. If you did a good job at the very beginning, you should only need one or two coats and you are done.
The next step really makes the stock pop especially if you plan on painting with metallics. Isn't needed if just using a solid colour as you have a very nice surface at this stage.
A fairly new product makes getting that super glass smooth finish a snap. Urethane have come in spray cans for years but they now make a fast dry product. This stuff will dry to the touch in about 1hr in warm temps. That makes applying multiple coats very quick and easy.
The key here is applying many light coats spaced far enough that the bottom flashes off (goes a bit matte) but is still tacky (follow the instructions on the can). This way you don't need to wait a day or two before sanding and respraying each layer.
I did my Mystic stock this morning in about 20min and applied 3 coats. You do have to keep an eye on how fast you put on the layers as if you go too fast, the urethane will suddenly run and you will have a mess.
Each layer really fills and wets the surface well due to the high solids content. By angling to the light, you will see the surface begin to 'float'. Let this all dry for at least a day in a warm dust free area and you will see an absolutely glass smooth surface.
A quick block sanding with 400grit paper to remove any dust, runs or high spots and you are ready for paint. This type of glass smooth base is critical if you plan on painting with metallics.
The flakes used in metallic paint will cling or sink into voids and dings and really exaggerate any surface defect. Big reason why metallic custom auto paint jobs can sometimes cost 5 figures. Lots of work.
Flames and flags, logos, animals, whatever can be applied to your canvas. There are some amazing custom spray jobs being applied to stocks that are every bit as exciting and complex as those seen on cars and bikes.
I am going to apply a Chameleon paint made by Dupli Colour and sold at Cdn Tire. This stuff changes colour depending on the angle and amount of light. It really needs a smooth surface to work best. There will also be some accent trim.
Any metallic enamel spray paint can be sprayed on. Avoid laquers as this may not be compatible with the urethane. Always test as you don't want to destroy the perfect surface you have just created.
If you really want to stun the audience, hit the colour with a clear coat then wet sand and polish the clear coat for that concours gloss. You can treat it exactly the same way as a car so waxing will really keep the shine going and protect against the errent solvent drip.
You can now put together a really nice looking stock for very little investment in materials. I am sure there are some creative artist on this board so let your imagination go crazy.
Might make this sport a little more politically correct too. A link to a site that does some really great paint work. There are many others.
Jerry
http://www.bayoucustompaint.com/
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek041.html
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek014.html
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek034.html
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek040.html
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