Finishing mahogany stock

[SeabeeMan]

I just received a Rhineland Para stock for my Remington 597 and need to finish it. I have a little experience finishing wood but it is mostly stain/poly type work on trim, flooring, and outdoor furniture...this is a whole new ball game. This is my garage varmint gun and it is going to have a collapsible AR stock to help keep it compact and my Wiljen predator light on the front, so this doesn't need to be the most fancy finish ever. White it is a nice looking piece, I don't particularly care if the wood grain shows or anything like that. I had even considered just spraying it flat black to match the hardware, but I figured without much more effort I could have a much nicer product with a real wood finish. The main goal is durability here.

I have it sanded up to 220 but still need to wet the grain and sand with 220 again. The manufacturer recommends Woodcraft Waterlox or basic spar varnish. I was wondering how something like Minwax Polyshades in a dark color would turn out. What would you experts suggest?

[flounderman]

I use spray spar urethane and after the soaking coat rub it on sparingly.

[gnoahhh]

Lots of solutions. Most work. I like spar varnish, or Minwax spar urethane. One thing I won't use again are Minwax Polyshades. In theory they are great, but in practice you must constantly stir it while applying it or the pigments will settle out quite rapidly. The result is a splotchy finish. In order to use up the last can I had I actually had to stir it before each and every time I dipped in the brush. I swore off the stuff once and for all after that.

[weaselfire]

What are your goals for the finish? Looking to change color? Protect from salt water? Get a pretty finish for a wall hanger?

To change color, stain or dye followed by the finish. Lacquer or polyurethane finish, use a wipe on or spray with HVLP equipment. Traditional finish use tung oil or Beechwood Casey true oil.

Jeff

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[SeabeeMan]

Durability and getting the color darker. It is going to have an AR stock and buffer tube on it, so I'm going for a dark laminate or synthetic look. I was thinking a very dark stain and spraying it with poly. I do have a Wagner HVLP setup, their big one with the external air turbine separate from the gun. Do aerosol clear finished work at all?

[Col4570]

Whisker the grain with water and heat,sanding between applications until it stops whiskering.Make up a solution of Raw Linseed Oil,Alkanhet Root and a little White spirit.Apply this with Wet and Dry Paper until it is to your requirements.Repeat this several times.Then make up a solution of Raw linseed Oil and Terebin Dryers (Paint Dryers),apply to the surface,leave for a while then wipe off excess and using the Palm of your hand rub the surface in a circular motion.Repeat until you have a good durable finish.
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[gnoahhh]

Why do people still go to the trouble of whiskering? I haven't done that step in 30 years. Of course, I use decent finishes that prevent unwanted whiskering when the stocks get wet during field use.

[Col4570]

Why do people still go to the trouble of whiskering? I haven't done that step in 30 years. Of course, I use decent finishes that prevent unwanted whiskering when the stocks get wet during field use.
It could be possible that they have had success with their own methods.

[Ehaver]

Use a poly finish. Trick I found that works well is to warm the poly slightly in an oven. Nothing crazy but bring the temp up to help it go on very smooth, note that it will be very thin when heated. I have a picture of a stock I did somewhere....175709

[Wayne Smith]

Mahogany is an open pore wood. You will want to fill it before you do a final finish. This can be done with a silica filler - you have probably used one of these already. You can use a polmerizing oil (tung) and sand it in so the sanding dust fills the pores. This is what I do with walnut, also an open pore wood. Use a 50/50 mix of the tung oil/hardener.

Col4570's ideas are also very good, just sand it in to fill the pores.