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If using a dark finish , it's easier to epoxie some slivers of wood to hide poor inletting. Brown epoxie dye can be added to make the repair invisible.
In over my head with mystery rifle?
- Thread starter vintovka
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As for dye are we talking about the stuff that comes from Acra-Glas kits? Also forgot to note that I did get the tang down to surface by filing the top and deepening the inlet.
Still wondering where all the other parts went and why this thing was really never finished in the first place??? It came from an estate sale with some other stuff and think builder was unexpectedly "reassigned" to the great beyond.
Thinking that when ready for finish may do the aqua fortis thing to bring out the curls. I suspect this was done once already. Also suspect that whole stock was finished at some time then stripped????? Still wish there was someone near Florence OR as my "hamfistedness" is getting worse by the day.
Yes some of the acra-glass kits allow for a pretty good range of brown colors so that the resin doesn't stick out as much from the dyed wood.
LD
troy2000
45 Cal.
Happy to see it coming together. Over the years I've resuscitated tools, guns and pieces of furniture that 'weren't worth salvaging,' just for the pleasure of giving them a new lease on life.
Please do not abandon project , particularly the stock. You have made great progress thus far and what you are learning will better prepare you for the next one .Resurrecting someone else’s f-ups and turning out a functional rifle will mean a lot to you when you start shooting your completed rifle.
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Vintkova......I quit using expensive Brownell's epoxie( Acraglas) , about 1970 . In Brownell's catalog , they sell a paste epoxie dye in small jars. Colors are like brown , black , white , green, and more that I cant remember. Haven't ordered any of it for the last 47 years , because ya only need a touch on a small screwdriver tip to color a whole big gob of epoxie. For doing m/ls any epoxie from Lowes , dollar store , Harbor Freight , etc . is perfect and is dyeable w/the Brownell's dye. How I solved the need for again , the expensive ,and hard to use release agent with acraglass kits is by using cut pieces of grocery store shopping bags. The acraglas release agent is a film , so is a shopping bag. They both work well but shopping bag film is quicker , and costs nothing. To repair cracks , termite , and ant tunnels in a m/l forearm , cut the bag plastic in strips so it wraps around the barrel in one layer and Scotch tape the seam st the top of the barrel. If you use cheap epoxie , it usually sets up in 15 min. , and the barrel can be popped loose and the plastic removed immediately. Try that trick w/ Accraglass relief agent. Also , when using brown dye on light colored wood , try to imagine the final color of the wood at jobs end. That way the repair doesn't show. And another thing , alcohol stains will slightly stain epoxie , as well. I wouldn't put this info on the Forum if it wasn't good stuff. I'm still mystified why folks make a big process out of simple stuff. ...............Luck to Ya.....oldwood
Thanks for tips. Will try them out.
No one mentioned how deep that rear sight dovetail had been cut, on a 13/16" barrel it will almost be into the bore from the looks of the picture.
agree with eric, please check that out. 
ronaldrothb49
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Boy somebody really worked hard to screw that up. I was wondering how you are going to put in a tang screw.? As far foward as the lock is it looks like a tang screw will be going into the trigger.
Actually I have made some significant progress on it but life got in the way again. Needed to sell our other properties while market was at peak (did beyond well). Will prolly start again in October. I looked briefly at both dovetails and they seem fine and will mike for sure. I re inletted the tang and was able to have the tang screw drilled and tapped into the trigger bar out of the way of the set mechanism. It will never be pretty but always unique. Still waiting on correct buttplate and final wood finish. Again this was from an estate and was one of two incomplete sets of "parts". The other being just a new stock and barrel. Glad the other went to more competent hands.
Well got started again on the "frankenflinter" Got a Beck style buttplate and fitted it but the original toeplate inletting was beyond my skill set. Made a simple replacement with square end and inlet into the place where the fancy one was. Next step was clearing out the epoxy someone had partially filled in the patch box area. This is going just ok as the replacement box is only 90% same as one that came out. Now here's the problem. When i replaced the buttplate i first tried to line up the original holes with spotter pins and dykem. Failed miserably so i drilled out the holes and and glued in 3/8" dowels then cut them flush. This allowed me to drill the plate where i wanted and install. I would not like to due this again for the new box (7 holes). , Open to any suggestion on how to transfer hole locations to new box. Yes i know this is a salvage job by a ham hander.
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You got it coming along real nice! Learning a lot of valuable tricks in the process. Just about anyone can put together some of the new, snap together kits, you are learning some real skills. Keep us posted!
appalichian hunter
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I would plug the patch box holes also. Go slow and steady it will come together.
Thanks to all for encouragement. I think I will turn some dowel down and just plug the holes. Trying to reverse spot them is a pita and may have to anyway just like the failed effort on the buttplate. FWIW I checked yesterday and was shocked to see the price of ML parts have about doubled plus since starting on it just last year!!! Luckily i had/have everything in stock including stuff from long gone builders like Hal Sharon. I think many projects have been completely derailed by inflation despite how cheap the base items come. Choose your projects carefully or expect some nasty surprises. Also you can just about forget about resale and even shipping.
We will all have a chance to do something about inflation and "supply chain" issues in November. Don't fail to get out and vote!
First in line. Lets see. What party brought up $6 to $10 gallon gas, Devaluated the dollar by 30+%, decimated the supply chain, Flooded the country with illegals, Destroyed both the workforce and the military, created a war to cover their butts and made the US the joke of the world?
First pic is Patchbox with previous holes drilled out for plugs and bottom with epoxy removed. Whoever did this gouged the area roughly and deeply to get the epoxy to adhere. What a mess! Next one is with lathe turned (.21") plugs glued in and box sooted for install. Last is box with countersunk holes ready for fitting. Please note i am NO craftsman and this remains an experiment in salvage by an arthritic old fart.
