[greyling22]

I'm refinishing a birch stock on a marlin and have it sanded down to 220 grit and there are lots of little pores all over the gun. In the past I have just filled them with tru-oil, but they turn out dark and kind of ruin the grain.

If I use a filler will that fill and hide those pores? and if so, can I buy a filler at walmart?

[rcmodel]

About the only thing I can think of that Wally-World might have would be DEFT Saten-Gloss wood finish. It won't darken because it is clear as glass.

Keep putting on a coat and sanding it off until all the grain is filled, then rub out the last finish coat, or use Tru-Oil for the final hand rubbed finish.

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rcmodel

[greyling22]

so there's nothing that will fill in the pores like they were never there? I hear vague reports of tung oil and sanding with 400 grit paper that might do ther trick, but I don't know.

[rcmodel]

That's exactly what I was talking about by using Deft.

You fill the grain, block sand it smooth, fill the remaining grain, block sand it smooth, and repeat as many times as necessary until there is no grain still showing. Then you use whatever stock finish tickles your fuzzy.
(Be sure and use a sanding block, not your fingers, so the paper doesn't just keep pulling finish out of the bottoms of the grain.)

Tung oil will do the same thing, but it may be slightly yellow or darker then you want on a birch stock when it gets thicker in the grain.

Deft is clear, and dries fast, so it doesn't take days like tung oil waiting for several repeat coats to completely dry before you can flat sand again.

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rcmodel

[greyling22]

do you apply thin coat of deft, sand while it is wet, wipe off excess, let dry and repeat? or apply deft, wait for it to dry, then sand, clean and repeat as necessary?

[PotatoJudge]

Deft is lacquer. It dries quick, very clear, and hard. Because it's so hard it polishes very well and can give you pretty much a perfect finish if you work it right. Also, because lacquer contains a solvent that helps fuse one layer to the next- unlike poly- it is easy to fix imperfections as you work. I like it for lots of things, but I think it's too brittle a finish for a gun.

You can fill the grain with paste or grain filler but you shouldn't use an oil as a finish over the filler. You'll need to stick with poly, shellac, or another varnish.

[rcmodel]

I like it for lots of things, but I think it's too brittle a finish for a gun.I thought we were just using it to fill the grain fast. (and get it at Wally-World)

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rcmodel

[greyling22]

what I want to know is if it will fill the pores so it looks like they were never there to the naked eye.

[PotatoJudge]

Sure, fill with lacquer with a topcoat of something tougher. It'll take a few coats, but with drying time that short it's no big deal.There is a company that makes a filler spray for use with lacquer, feels like soap after sanding. I've used it on larger projects to cut down on finishing time and to save lacquer- not really a concern with a gunstock.

Greyling, to answer your question, let it dry completely then sand. It's a clear finish so unless you stain the wood first the pores should mostly disappear.

[greyling22]

can I stain after I fill pores? because I am shooting for more of a walnut finish than a blonde wood.

[rcmodel]

NO.
That changes the whole question you ask about in the first place.
I thought you said you wanted to fill the grain without being able to see it afterward?

Deft, or any other sanding sealer / filler will seal & fill the grain, then the stain will not penetrate at all.

In order for stain to work, it has to get down in the grain and stay there to turn the wood darker then it starts out.

With a light coloered hardwood birch stock, you will just have to use a walnut colored stain/finish to cover up the hard light color wood that won't soak up the stain.

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rcmodel

[hoghunting]

I've used this filler and stain on quite a few stocks and highly recommend it. It does what you're asking about. Just order it from Brownells.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=7605&title=STOCK+FILLER

[frogomatic]

To fill pores, I start with a coat of verathane, then sand it down using velvet oil as a sanding medium, keep adding velvet oil, keep sanding, you'll build up to a thick mixture of velvet oil, verathane particles, and wood particles. Now keep sanding and keep it wet with velvet oil for at least 30 minutes(and preferably for 45-60min) the 'mud rub' as we call it will soak into the wood filling the pores. leave the 'mud' on pretty thick and let it dry for 2-5 days depending on relative humidity(more humid=more drying time). After it dries, sand the excess 'mud' off with velvet oil for sanding medium, be carefull not to sand too much off. Wipe any excess oil off with a rag and let it dry. Now it's ready for hand rubbing.

and if youi want to stain, stain the wood before hand, and mix in some of the stain when you do the 'mud rub'. I did this on my SKS stock, and it turned out absolutely beautiful. Look up the thread 'SKS refinish and re-blue' thread to see the results.

[dirtyjim]

after i sand the wood with 220 grit paper i coat the outside of the stock with clear shellac. after i dries i resand the stock back to bare wood with 220 grit paper. the shellac stays in the pores & then i finsh the stock with tung oil or whatever type of oil finish i want. i used to put about 7 or 8 coats of tung oil on then wetsand the stock with a 50% tung oil/m.s mix & wipe the slurry across the grain to fill the pores but that takes forever.
the shellac method works well & has been used since before the 1930's

[brickeyee]

Paste wood filler is used to fill pores in wood.
It is silica powder in a carrier that dries and hardens.
It can be tinted to match the stain color that will be used ('natural' is very light tan).
Valspar used to make it, Behlens still does (I just purchased some).
It is applied, the solvent allowed to flash off and then wiped off across the grain using burlap.
A light sanding cleans up the surface after that.
Depending on what type of 'stain; you want to use and the desired final appearance determines if the color is applied before or after the paste filler.
Other methods include using the final finish and various abrasives (pumice is common) to pack the pores full.
Any surface finish that hardens enough to 'rub out' will fill the pores also, but it can take many layers of finish.
You apply a couple coats of finish, allow it ti thoroughly cure (24 hours or so for lacquer) and than remove almost all the finish down to the surface again.
A thin coat will remain in the depressions.
Repeat until the surface is as smooth as desired.

Lacquer is not the best finish for a stock.
It is more fragile then varnish and can be damaged by common gun chemicals.

[Sunray]

Tung oil will soak in about 1/4" and keep any subsequent stain out. Use regular wood filler you can get in any hardware or furniture finishing shop. No plastics like Verathane required.
"...ti..." I'm glad it's not just me.