Well, now I've done it!

[Pete G]

WL is the best but has 32 TPI.

 

[87TT]

Well, yesterday I started sanding the stock. I whiskered it a few times and am down to 320 grit. Everytime I wet it, I found a few areas that needed a little love but it is looking good. I am probably going to whisker it once or twice more and I have some 500 and 1000 grit paper. Today I finally decided to inlay the side plate and washer. I have been a little worried as I've struggled with some of my inlets. Anyway, I didn't want the same old side plate and bare second bolt that came with the kit. So I made a side plate out of a washer into a weeping heart. Then I made a pointed washer for the front bolt. I really didn't want to screw up my stock with an ugly inlet. So I practiced on a piece of stock wood that I was going to test stains on. (I have some more). I am happy with the way it turned out. Now I want to do more!

 

[Grenadier1758]

You don't need to go that fine when sanding the wood. Going to that fine a sandpaper can close up the pores and the wood won't take the stain as well as when the wood is sanded to 240 grit sandpaper. By the way, your project is progressing nicely.

 

[87TT]

Good to know. Should I go back and whisker it the last time with 240?

 

[Flintandsteel]

Yep,
no reason to go finer than 220 on a maple stock. The stain will take deeper and more consistent.

 

[87TT]

I have lots of 220, just checked. I was going to whisker it once more with alcohol to really clean it so I'll use 220. Thanks guys

 

[Grenadier1758]

I much prefer the white or gray sanding pad to whisker the stock. These knock away the whiskers very well and unlike steel wool, which I used in the past, doesn't leave those little bits of steel fragments to embed in the finish. I use those pads to smooth dried finish between coats.

 

[87TT]

I think I've got the stock where it's going to be. I did the 220 very lightly but there was minimal "whiskers" left. Think it's going to be what it is.. I have tested the stains on some scrap pieces of stock wood that they sent me with the kit. I am going to go with the Aqua Fortis. I tried two applications and one application. Two darkened it a little but it lost the contrast. One application just made it pop. I am waiting for a tool I ordered so I can practice and maybe do a small amount of carving behind the cheek piece. But only if the practice carving works.
I have made a rack for the barrel and metal parts for browning. I used the Laurel Mountain Forge browning reagent on another barrel and it came out great.
I have a question on that. I have a White Lightening vent liner and the right tap but waiting for the right drill bit. Long story short, I thought I had the right bit but didn't. Question, should I wait to brown the barrel until the vent liner is in or drill it brown? It is stainless so won't take the brown anyway?

 

[Pete G]

Install the liner before you brown the barrel.

 

[87TT]

Yeah, I knew that was the right deep down but just at a standstill waiting for the bit.

 

[87TT]

Not sure when the bit I ordered for the White Lightening vent liner will get here. I ordered it last week from Track and just got the shipping notification that a tracking number had been issued. Anyway after re checking all my metal parts for finish, I was at a dead end until some tools arrived. Then I had an idea. My neighbor down the highway is a gunsmith on "unmentionables". I called him and of course he had a set of Letter drill bits. So I ran over and got them. I was able to drill and tap for the White Lightening. It went smooth. It is installed and filed down. So I clear to start "browning".

 

[Grenadier1758]

Did you make sure that there are no threads from the liner protruding into the bore?

 

[87TT]

Yep. There was only like 1/2 a thread if that so I took it out and filed it off and put it back in. Fresh anti seize on it and the breech plug. Then I cut it off and filed it flush, counter sunk it just right too.

 

[deerstalkert]

had a GM replacement barrel circle my county for 6 weeks! via usps

 

[87TT]

Let the browning begin! Started it last night with the LMF at 7:00. Let it go for 3 hours or so then added the second coat. That went over night. This AM I carded it and re applied it.

Put it in my climate controlled humidity chamber AKA the spare bath. My wife is so understanding.

 

[87TT]

Barrel and metal parts are browned. Today I inlet the patch box. I thought the banana patch box was too long so I cut it off and re shaped it. Waiting for the spring and latch I ordered to finish the mortise. It's about a half inch deep now.

 

[Critter Getter]

I’m sure that package was just misplaced because it is such a small package! Geez.........on another note Pecatonica has a reputation of underrating their stocks and a cm4 should be a very nice piece of wood from them!! Here is a picture of a cm4 Virginia .45 that I got from them 4 years or so ago.........good luck with your build! Greg

 

[87TT]

Thanks. I hope mine comes out that nice. One question I have is, there is some blueish color in the curl from handling the stock. Not sure if it's from the Prussian blue from inletting or metal dust from handling the metal parts. Is there a way to get it off or out of the grain? Or will it be hidden with the stain/ finish?

 

[Col. Batguano]

The best way to get all the metal schmutz off the stock is by scraping. Sanding seems to just grind it right back in there

 

[87TT]

Update. I cleaned the stock by scrubbing with alcohol. It came clean. After testing several different methods and types of stain and application, I decided to go with TOW Aqua Fortis and Tru Oil finish. I have used Tru Oil before and had good results with it. The Aqua Fortis was a new one for me. On my particular wood, it was fairly dark but still showed the curly figure well. I took a leap and decided that I would be fine with whatever shade it turned out. I did burnish it with a dowel after the first coat of Tru Oil. After doing that and rubbing it down with a soft rag, it looked really good and I thought about stopping but I wanted a little thicker coating for protection. I have three coats of oil on now with a day between to dry and it is coming along great. A couple more and I think it will be done and ready for final assembly and test firing. I can't wait to get it to the range. There will be good pictures coming (not my crappy cell phone).