Project:Marlin Glenfield Model 20

[Dentite]

That is really cool...amazing work on that triggerguard/floorplate. The stock is looking nice too. I don't know if that's the final dimensions on the grip cap but it looks a bit "thick" or "long" to my eyes. If it's still in the process forgive me.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[natman]

Try polishing the bolt with 600 sandpaper and a bit of oil.

I'd get all the paint off the stock before you change the shape. You're going to have to remove it all before you refinish and you might as well establish the low spots first.

 

[VenisonGitr]

Thanks Dentite-it's been fun, and mostly free so far. I am going to round or dome the whole piece, to make it more pleasant to touch. I do like the size of the grip, and was looking to extend the length to get my pinky finger back on the gun.

Other guy whose name I forgot and cant see while typing this, I will very soon have the rest of the stock stripped, but i was leaving the paint on because it shows you when you start contacting different plains, and shows where the imperfections are in the stock. Soon enough!!

 

[VenisonGitr]

Yikes! So today I went in the basement to 'bed' the new bottom metal. I am only doing this because of some thumb nail gaps here and there around the metal, and because I chiseled too deep in the center of the recess, causing my metal to flex in when torqued to the reciever. Welllll-I mixed up my acraglas and then realized I never put the release agent on the bottom metal.:banghead: I did fill all of the holes with clay, by the way. I kept my cool and applied the release agent to the metal. I then asked my 4 year old to open the instructions for me(i had gloves on, and thats easy 'helper' stuff). I wanted to see if there was a designated set time for the release agent beyond 'dry'. In doing this my son found out that the brown dye packet had contacted the instructions-thus him having brown dye all over his hands and the instructions. My bad.

Well then i just got dumb and put everything together. I was then retaught about the power of hydraulics. Since I put too much epoxy in a cavity that fit pretty tight already, my squeezing forced all of the clay out of the voids and filled with bedding compound. IT was at this point my son started whining to go upstairs.

Cooler heads prevailed. I took it appart, wiped everything down. Reapplied the release agent. HOPEFULLY waited long enough for it to dry, and used a minimal amount of acraglas in the areas i really wanted it. Sooo maybe tonight I will let you know if my bottom metal is permanently part of my stock......

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I have never liked that release agent. I just use paste wax.

 

[VenisonGitr]

Sorry for the lack of pics lately-there just isn't much to see lately.

So great success! my bottom metal did release. I got the wood all cleaned up and turned my attention to bedding the action. I just wanted to bed about 3 contact points-I learned my lesson last time about over applying this stuff.

Fast forward to this a.m.- The action is set and cured. Now that I have the everything assembled the rifle feels very nice to shoulder-I feel a definate improvement in the fore end grip. My next step will be to finish sand the stock and start the finishing process of the wood.

 

[VenisonGitr]

So I need some input. I was intending to use Duracoat, and I was mostly decided on using 'Parker'. But sometimes I think I should just use a matte black, to keep the look more traditional. If I do use Parker, I intended to spray the scope and rings to match. Thoughts? Comments? Too much time to think about this....

 

[788Ham]

So far you've done a magnificent job on this project, I'm going to keep my mouth shut and watch for the next process to begin. No opinions here Venison, you do the work with your helper, I'll just stand back and watch! Good luck.

 

[VenisonGitr]

OK! So as you can see I made some headway on the stock today. I strip out the paint from the grip details and washed it down with some thinner. Then I sanded it, wiped it with water to raise the grain and hit it with 320. I used dye you can buy from Rockler, a walnut color, mixed with denatured alcohol. I applied the hell out of it. As it dries(super fast) it looks dull and blotchy, but when it gets wet the color will really pop. I think I will be super happy with this. I did want more of a red tone, but I was out of red dye. Anyway-Cant wait to show you what it looks like wet, when I start to oil it. I say not too shabby for a generic birch stock.

Also-Big prop's to my wife who went behind my back and ordered the Duracoat and scope I needed to keep this going. She said we couldnt afford it right now...Thats the good kind of lies in a marriage. This also relieves my "what color to use" blues. It's gonna be Parker. Thanks Larry Potterfield for your 'wishlist' feature at your site!

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Here is a tip when using an alaohol base dye. After you apply it, wait 30 to 40 min. and then lightly buff it with 0000 steel wool. This will get rid of the dull look.
You can also control the color a little. If it is too dark, buff it a little more and it will become lighter. If it is too light, add another coat of dye.

 

[VenisonGitr]

Thanks for the tip. Like most advice, I didnt take it...because i am stubborn like that. I have 2 coats of oil on it and man....It's dark. Maybe too dark?(Is a 'you were right' in order?) I did rub the whole stock down pretty agressively with a very mild scotchbrite pad after the first coat. I am not sure I changed the tone of the color though. It's looking great, but I only wish i had the Red-brown dye I am so fond of. I will post pictures when I think you might be able to tell a difference.

In other business-I have a brand new scope, and I want to Duracoat it to match the rest of the gun. My questions is in regard to metal prep: Can i simply degrease this as it is a fresh surface, with a somewhat textured surface. I think it would adhere ok, I am only worried about seeing my sanding marks through the new finish-should I scuff it up. Input from experienced Duracoaters?

 

[VenisonGitr]

Here are some shots immediately after applying the 3rd coat of Minwax Antique Oil Finish. Right after I finish typing this post I will rub it down with a piece of linen-so it wont be shiney. I am in the 'fill the grain' phase still. You can see the color is dark, but in day light you can see a nice color. It is what it is. The finish is really building well though. It is getting that super even-almost plasticized effect-but without the wretched tackiness. A nice depth to it.
More to come.

 

[VenisonGitr]

So I have been putting coat after coat of oil on this thing, and I am having a hard time filling the last little bit of grain. I steel wooled it down a lot this morning, and put another coat on, then just put a real heavy coat on this evening. I will probably suffice this to be the final coats. It is looking great, I am happy with the product.

Also, today I found a local shop to glass bead blast all of my metal(barrel, reciever, bottom metal, safety, scope rings, etc). I was apprehensive about spending extra money to have someone do this work, but after 10 minutes in the blast booth, he said "don't worry about it." a freebie from a stranger? Nice, I definately owe them one, and will return soon with some form of gratitude.

Tomorrow morning I will be going to a friends house who has a heated finishing room I can use(winter sucks).

So hopefully by saturday I will have many pictures to post!

 

[VenisonGitr]

Here are some pictures of the stock- with a dry coat of oil on it. It is very shiny right now, but i will steel wool it down to give it a nice luster.

 

[VenisonGitr]

Hurray! I just brought home the finished metal. I really like the color (parker). Everything turned out very well-I attribute that to the great(free) bead blast job. How am I supposed to wait a week to reassemble this? Not sure I will

Final steps remaining are to finish buffing the stock, I got some 600 grit to further polish the bolt, and then reassemble!

 

[VenisonGitr]

The pics...

 

[VenisonGitr]

:banghead: Well I buffed the stock down, and was well aware that the color was getting thin on some edges. Long story short I sanded the whole stock back down with 320 and re-stained it with a different stain. The grain should all be full, hopefully a few coats of oil and i will have a 'better than before' finish
I guess at the end of the day, birch is still birch, no matter how you dress it up.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

You keep saying Oil when talking of the finish, but I see that it is a hard finish on the surface. What finish are you using?
I ask this because oils soak into the wood and are not left on the surface.
There are finishes that use oil in their name but are not really oil or have driers that make them dry hard.

 

[VenisonGitr]

Gunny, I am using Minwax's Antique oil finish. I know what you mean, it does dry hard. Not sure exactly what it is comprised of, but for what I am doing, it is exactly what i wanted. I put a final coat on tonight. Looks sweet, the grain is filled. It may be a combination of oil and a polyurethane or something. Other posts rave about how hard and durable it is, so obviously it has something extra in it. I have a very smooth, matte to satin finish going.

Hopefully thursday I will put this thing together and go shoot it.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I have an old can of Minwax's Antique oil finish and use it on the handels of my hammers. It gives a nice finish and holds up good.

 

[VenisonGitr]

Final photos! I am please with the results-keeping in mind this is a Marlin Glenfield.

 

[VenisonGitr]

more.

 

[VenisonGitr]

I tried using no flash to get a better shot of the finish on the wood. These look better than with the flash on.

 

[VenisonGitr]

More furniture shots, and the sum of my efforts. This is a 10 round group from the bench at 50 yards. It was a really nice 5 round group, but i reloaded and kept poking holes. The orange dot is about 3/4" diameter.

 

[stan rose]

VenisonGitr,
You did a very nice job resurecting that Marlin, happy shooting.