doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Stock finishing - refresh my memory

You can use Plaster of Paris to aid in the filling of grain pores. It works quite well and speeds up the filling process.

I recall needing a filler for a divot on a stock. I didn't have any wood putty and never liked the stuff anyway. I took a spare stock blank of similar color and sanded up some dust and mixed with superglue.

When I try that it comes out really dark. Am I doing something wrong?

I have found that super glue doesn't take finish well. The plaster route has worked for me or make some saw dust, mix with finish and paste up the area and sand down.

Milt,
Same here. If it's in an area of marbling that won't stand out, this works. If you need lighter color, you may have to graft a tiny piece of wood into the stock.

I use PCO as my go to finish. You are not on the wrong track. Put three coats on. Level sand....dry. You are not trying to sand to wood. Just leveling out the highs and lows of the finsih. When the pores disappear you are ready to put on the top coats.

I use 320 to level sand. You are correct that 600 doesn't give enough "slurry" for filling pores. Since you are at that 600 level now. Going backward is counter productive. One may use the finish to build and fill pores. You just have to be patient. The can says 6 hour dry time between coats. I prefer a little longer. After 3 coats, I will let the finish set 24 hours before I level sand. I suggest you tape off your checkering. It will save you hours of labor later on.

I have used rottenstone to fill pores. Worked very well, but I doubt I will ever do it again. I just use oil. Eventually, it shrinks and has to be redone, but I am not the "one last coat forever" school of gun finishing.

The ditty that ends, "... and once a year for life." is closer to my mantra.

Chuck,
Not a fun job. I used to have a 3/8" plug cutter with matching drill point bit that would work but the plug cutter had trouble cutting anything harder than pine. I have found yellow builders glue (aliphatic? whatever that means) to leave the least trace.

Sounds like a plan devised by TeddybOy....

I've used plaster as well as rottenstone. I like rottenstone for the final buffing out the shine to a nice warm matte glow. But the plaster fills the pores and is relatively speaking, invisible with oil. I want to say this recommendation came from one of our English brothers on the board and it has served me well. It's cheap, why not give it a try if you're having issues filling?