Wood finishing questions

[J Miller]

OK, this is only off topic because it's for IJ not a lever gun.

I have purchased a steel GF/TG for IJ to replace the brass one. I never did like brass on a cartridge gun. But the only grips VTI had were unfinished. Lisa told me they were stained, but not varnished like the finished ones.
So since I am not a wood worker I have some questions for our members who do this all the time.

Since these grips are already stained but not varnished what can I use to finish them that is not time consuming. I don't have a lot of patience for letting stuff dry.

Lisa said varnish, is there a varnish that I can get that will look decent?

Joe

[Hillbilly]

Joe...I would use a water based polyurethane. Dries quickly enough and if you sand lightly between coats it makes a pretty nice looking finish.

[J Miller]

Joe...I would use a water based polyurethane. Dries quickly enough and if you sand lightly between coats it makes a pretty nice looking finish.

Where would I find this water based polyurethane stuff?

Joe

[gary rice]

Joe, try home depot or lowes

[J Miller]

gary,


Thanks for the info.

Now I hope they fit, or at least need minimal fitting.

Joe

[gary rice]

gary,


Thanks for the info.

Now I hope they fit, or at least need minimal fitting.

Joe

Joe,

one other item you might try, it's called deft, comes in clear and i think satin. i use it occasionally to touch up handgun grips that get knocked around getting in and our of the car. it's a spray on finish and dries super fast.

[marlinman93]

Not water based, but it goes on with a rag; no brushes needed. MInnWax Wipe-On Poly.

[J Miller]

Most of the Uberti grips I've seen look to me like they are coated with varnish or plastic. Very shiny. I'm not even considering duplicating that.

So the MinWax Wipe-On Poly? About how many coats you think it might take to do the job? And how long between coats?

Remember, I'm not experienced at all with wood things.

Joe

[Hillbilly]

Joe..most poly finishes come in a gloss version and a satin version. You can even get those products in spray cans... If you start early you could probably have 3 or 4 coats on and have you gun back is business by supper time. The spray stuff dries pretty quick and sets hard faster than the old varnishes

[Borregos]

Joe, if you want a finish that is real shiny and very durable try marine varnish, I have used it on a couple of my T/C grips and it looks great

[J Miller]

Actually I prefer the satin type of finish. I just mentioned the real shiny finish because that's what the existing Uberti grip has on it.

Spray cans ........ hmmmmm, talk about the lazy way to do things. I will check them out.

Joe

[J Miller]

So my new walnut grippy stock handles got here today. I will have to do some fitting on them that will require me to restain some areas.
The problem is the grips, not the steel grip frames. The grip frames fit fine without the grips on them.

Right now they are a nice stained brown color, the grips on the brass frame are a reddish brown color. I don't know if it's the same stain or not.

So I now have more questions. I know I have sorta kinda fitted the grips on the brass frames but I'd like to do a better job on these.

Here is a pic of the grips on the brass frames before I worked them over. The grips on the steel frames have the same fit problems. It's caused by the cylinder frame being so old compared to the grip frame.

SY Cattleman pics.JPG

You can see how the area just behind the trigger guard stands proud of the grip frame. Also there is a bit too much wood at the very front of the grip that forces the BS to set too far away from the cylinder frame.

The first question is just what is the best way to fit a one piece grip? Where do I remove wood to adjust it?

The second question is what kind of stain should I get?

Joe

[jd45]

Joe, when we got together last April, you remember I brought my Marlin. I had used the Min-Wax Wipe-On Poly in gloss as the last protective coats on the stocks. I think it's 4-6 hrs between coats. It also comes in the satin finish you want. As far as what color stain to use......I just refinished my Uberti 1873 Sporting Rifle with Min-Wax Wood Finish Dark Walnut #2716.....you can adjust the darkness with the number of coats you put on jd45

[marlinman93]

Most of the Uberti grips I've seen look to me like they are coated with varnish or plastic. Very shiny. I'm not even considering duplicating that.

So the MinWax Wipe-On Poly? About how many coats you think it might take to do the job? And how long between coats?

Remember, I'm not experienced at all with wood things.

Joe

Wipe-On Poly can be gloss or satin, but either is fine. I usually give raw wood about 4 coats to get a satin finish. After that it will start to get glossy if you use the gloss. I wet sand with 320 between coats, and the first few coats will only take about 30 min. to dry. Longer as it builds up and seals the pores.

[jd45]

BTW Joe, to get the old finish off, I used a product called Klean-Strip aerosol paint stripper, which you can get at Home Depot, Menard's or Lowe's. Don't leave it on for more than 10 or fifteen minutes, tho & use dish-washing solution & a 3M pad to scrape off the old stuff & rinse thoroughly. You will need to re-apply the stripper a time or two, as needed. I use a hair dryer to speed the process. Once I got all the old finish off, I sanded, starting with 100, then getting finer & finer, up to 400 or so to prep the wood before staining. You may consider a sealing step with a 50/50 mix of mineral spirits & B/C Tru-Oil. jd45

[marlinman93]

Wipe-On Poly:

[chadbr]

http://www.minwax.com/products/oil_base ... _poly.html

[Tycer]

I'm a huge fan of Waterlox for refinishing. Paint it on, wipe it on, whatever. No sanding between coats except to remove dust. No need ot sand to bare wood if you ever want to refinish. Gets glossier as you add coats, can be dulled with steel wool if need be. Soaks in to the wood, varnishes, shellacs and poly just sit on top. I like to see woodgrain.

I'll send you some for free if you want. PM me your addy.

http://www.waterlox.com

Two coats on Walnut:

[Malamute]

Joe, I've made a few sets of grips, the best way to get a really good fit is to work the grips down to the metal with them together, then you have to refinish the metal also, tho it can give you a perfect transition between the two.

Something to keep in mind, when sanding the wood, don't work the sandpaper or file towards the void (grip frame channel), it can push chips off on the inside edge of the grips, causing gaps. This is one thing that isnt an issue when doing it with the metal and grips together.


Don't get in too much of a hurry. The grips I did took some time, but much of it was metal work (Yes, you can make one piece grips on a Ruger).

[J Miller]

Joe, I've made a few sets of grips, the best way to get a really good fit is to work the grips down to the metal with them together, then you have to refinish the metal also, tho it can give you a perfect transition between the two.

Something to keep in mind, when sanding the wood, don't work the sandpaper or file towards the void (grip frame channel), it can push chips off on the inside edge of the grips, causing gaps. This is one thing that isnt an issue when doing it with the metal and grips together.


Don't get in too much of a hurry. The grips I did took some time, but much of it was metal work (Yes, you can make one piece grips on a Ruger).

These grips are about 99.9% fitted to the grip frame, the other .1% is mating the grip frame with grips to the cylinder frame.

I'll try to be specific without being wordy.

The grip frame fits the cylinder frame OK without the grips in it.
The grips fit the frame OK for the most part without them being on the cylinder frame. The problem is there is too much wood at the very front of the grips. I don't know if this is normal and meant to be so it can be fitted, or not.

If you'll look at the picture of the grips above, it's the pic at the upper right of group.
You can see in this pic how the wood sits below the frame. With the brass grips the brass frame would bend a bit to compensate, the steel frame won't.
To fit the brass frame w/grips so there was no bind I had to remove wood from the forward most verticle surface of the grips, and then that area proud of the frame behind the trigger guard.
What I'm wondering, is there somewhere else to remove wood from that might be a better place.

I wish I was closer to someone who knew what they were doing.

Did I make any sense at all???

Joe

[Wind]

Hey there J Miller - Let's see if this will help. The way I understand it is that you would like to remove some wood in the area of the pencil point in the first picture. Get some 3/4" wide blue painters tape and mask off all the steel NEATLY with two very flat layers close to the grip. Protect the rest of the metal parts of your pistol from "collateral damage". Get a hard rubber sanding block like the one in picture #2. They take 1/4 sheets of 8.5 x 11 sanding paper. Get at least one sheet of: 100 grit, 150 grit, 180 grit, 220 grit and 400 wet/dry grit. Work the corner of the sanding block in flat like picture #3. AT THE FIRST SIGN OF ABRASION ON THE UPPER MOST PIECE OF BLUE TAPE, REPLACE IT. Do this with the 100 and 150 grit. Remove the upper piece of tape - leaving the first or lower piece on the steel. Take a stroke or two the the 180 and then 220 grits. Don't abrade more that HALF THE THICKNESS of the single blue tape. When in doubt, change it. Take the grip off the gun and take a stroke or two the the 400 grit. You're now ready for finish. I'd be inclined to follow Marlinman93's advice on the wipe on poly. It's basic and fool proof. I've been fooling with this stuff for 40 years and I still don't have an easy answer to stain/color matching. When you get that far let the wire know and we can see what you've got and try to go from there. Hope this helps (alittle). Think slow and easy. Wind

Click on the pictures to enlarge

[J Miller]

Wind,

Is that an Uberti made gun?

The grips on your gun look exactly like the set I'm working on, satin color and all.

OK, you kind of got it wrong. Let me try again.

If I assemble the BS/TG to the cylinder frame without the grips it fits OK.

If I put the grips in the BS/TG and attempt to assemble it to the cylinder frame we have problems.

Wood grip close up bottom a.JPG

Wood grip close up bottom b.JPG

Wood grip close up bottom c.JPG

Although it doesn't show it in this pic, the grips fit fine with the back strap at the top and for most of the back. It's just a bit off at the bottom of the back.

To me it looks like I need to remove some wood at the front of the grip where it contacts the rear edge of the trigger guard at the frame, where I indicated it's too long. And then remove the wood that stands proud just behind the trigger guard.
Right now it's in a pretty good bind and I can't get the bottom where the BS/TG screw is to line up properly.

This is where I need advise on fitting. I have the finishing pretty well covered.

Joe

[Wind]

"Hey Joe, where ya goin' with that gun in your hand?
Hey hey Joe where you goin' with that gun in your hand?"
"I'm goin' out to shoot my baby, caught her messin' around with another man..."

Traditional, Wailers, Kingsmen??

Anyway, back to grips. Yep, sounds like some wood is in the way. Kinda like trying to answer the question "How big is a dog"? If it is on the vertical plane on the rear of the frame, you can try taking a stroke or two and see if there is any improvement. If there is, continue on both sides, alittle at a time (one or two strokes). If that is not the answer, you may have to relieve the grip frame grooves. This is dicy-er. Generally lamp black is applied to the frame, the wood is slid in and out and the wood is relieved where there is any lamp black tranferred from the frame to the wood. This is pushing a more 201 level course. Chisels and gouges are what's needed for this. Sharp chisels and gouges. With the wood behind the trigger guard, you might roll some of the sand paper mentioned in my last missive up on something round (dowel, copper pipe, galvanized pipe etc. about 3/4" in diameter), and with everything taped, sand off the excess. I think you should get your "length" issues squared away before starting on this area. Hope we're heading in the right direction... Wind

[J Miller]

Wind,

We are going in the right direction. You posted though as I was posing my pics.

And you didn't answer my question ... is that an Uberti made gun? Weather it is or not I want it .....

Joe

[Wind]

Hey joe - I'm working on a project that is consuming way to many brain cells today. I'm checking this thread as I wait for the last batch of glue to dry. Blew right over your last post and pictures as I wasn't logged in. Sorry. I'd prolly go after the vertical edges with a single cut (get a new sharp one) mill file. About 10" long. Clamp it to a flat surface so it doesn't slip around. Slide your stock along it removing small amounts of wood. Be careful so the stock doesn't hop and chatter and cause you to lose your reference plane (with respect to rear of frame) and make radiuses where there should be sharp edges. Do a few strokes and see if this doesn't also help the fit at the bottom too. If you do the round rod thing from up above, you can lose that unsightly wood below and behind the trigger guard. Anything still hanging below the bottom of the grip frame can be filed off on the factory bevel, or nipped flat and flush with the file. Keep in mind the blue tape protection where needed.

Yep. That's my Uberti BBQ gun that lives in a Tom Threepersons holster when the need arises. That is the natural color of the wood with a satin oil on it. Your grip prolly doesn't have any stain in it if it looks like mine. It came to me through a friend, so I think I'll be hanging on to it. Pretty, yes?

Now you're gonna have to tell me how you got that writing on your pictures!!

Hope you're on your way now. Watch yer top knot. Wind

[J Miller]

As far as the stain goes, I was told these grips were stained but not finished. Then the invoice came and it listed them as seconds. I'm honestly not sure what they are.
There is no varnish or smooth coating on them at all. As far as I can tell, just stained wood. Unless it's some sort of oil finish. I sure hate to start filing and sanding on them. Oh well, gotta be done.

I'll do as you say about removing the wood. I had to do the same thing with the other set of grips, so I've been down that road before.

It's OK, you can keep the BBQ gun. I do like it though. Maybe someday I'll get me a purty one.

The writing on the picture is in my photo shop type programs. I have two of them.
It's easy to put in the text, but hard as heck to draw a straight line.

Joe