Gun Cleaning Box Finish Completed wWith BLO

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I am about to finish a small gun cleaning box project (Granadillo and Soft Maple) and want to finish it, or at least the interior of the box, with West Systems 105/207 Epoxy:
http://www.westsystem.com/ss/207-special-clear-hardener

QUESTION:

  • What can I do to the wood first? Stain? Dye? Shellac?… etc.
  • What can I do AFTER using this epoxy as a finish? (same as above)

My reasons for choosing this epoxy include trying to fill some of the rough cut gouges in the +2500 Janka hardness of the Granadillo. The boards are 1/4" thick and gouges are too deep to sand out. My second reason is to seal the wood against the inevitable leaks of Hoppes #9 Solvent and Gun Oil products to be stored inside of the box.

HorizontalMike

16 Replies

I have stained under epoxy with dye and oil stain, and have top coated with conversation varnish. No problems.

Mike; do all your finishing before applying epoxy. West system is impervious to most chemicals use daily so forget staining afterwards. You can taint the epoxy with colors and dyes. West System has some. Looking forward to see the finished product.

Have a pleasant Thanksgiving.

-Madts.

Tor and Odin are the greatest of gods.

Great! I will do my dyeing/staining prior to epoxy coats. Thinking of doing the bullets BEFORE I apply them to the Granadillo top piece. I other words I am thinking that only the maple base and appliques get stained and the Granadillo goes natural. Probably going to leave the internal partitions unfinished and loose within, because that will make it easy to replace/remove them if/when this box gets re-purposed.

HorizontalMike

Nice looking box Mike. All of the above info is good. My only suggestion, if you haven’t already bought epoxy, is that if it were me I would use S1 sealer. To my knowledge WEST doesn’t have an equivalent product.

The early bird gets the worm but its the second mouse that gets the cheese.

Oops! Sorry Paul, I have already purchased the West Systems short “gallon” of resin and short “quart” of hardener. About 20 or so years ago, I used to use West System when vacuum bagging/laminating RC Sailplane wings with fiberglass and Obechi veneer over custom cut foam airfoils, so I do have past experience with West Systems slow set products. Made some great high-performance wings BTW. Sure wish I hadn’t sold my vacuum bagging system way back when… 8-(

That S-1 sealer definitely looks like the superior of the two and knowing your boat-building background I will remember “S-1 Sealer” for future products, when the time comes. I have a number of outside wrought iron benches that I need to replace the wood on, so when I get to that project I’ll be sure to remember this.

Thanks for the tip!

HorizontalMike

I’d think the oil from the gun cleaning would provide a nice protective finish such as tung oil does.

Randy - If I'm not on the computer than I'm out making sawdust.

By golly Randy, I think you are right! I was having a hard time installing those tiny #2 hinge screws (actually broke one in place) because of the \+2500 hardness of the Granadillo. Had to increase the drill tap above recommended size PLUS… Had the bottle of gun oil at arm’s length, grabbed it and it made threading those little screws a piece of cake! On two of the three hinges that I used the gun oil on, it doesn’t come clean, even after naphtha and denatured alcohol. So I am considering using BLO with just a touch of Japan hardener, and then use the epoxy.

Got some more cleaning rods in and test fitting how/where I want the finger joint slots on the bin separators. Used my finger-joint practice pieces for mock up and liked how they work.

Taking my sweet time on this. I have changed directions on this so many times that I wonder if I am already there!… ;-)

HorizontalMike

Mike, have you used a bar of soap or bees wax put on the threads before inserting. Works like a gem.

-Madts.

Tor and Odin are the greatest of gods.

My appologies, I have been remiss about posting this box after finishing it. Thus far I am staying with a BLO finish, with the exception being those bullet appliques that were finished with amber shellac, metallic Sharpies, and final coated with a clear lacquer for protection against the dissolving properties of the BLO and gun solvents. Did much testing of that to assure color retention. Used hidden magnets for the lid latch, though I think I can improve on that part on future boxes.

I have re-coated with BLO 3x and may continue with that choice, OR I may eventually coat with epoxy. I do like the warmer tone of BLO though…

HorizontalMike

Mike. Even though I am totally against guns, you did a nice job building the box.

-Madts.

Tor and Odin are the greatest of gods.

madts, please understand just how much I agree with you RE guns. While being a flaming liberal on politics, I support gun ownership. I do understand the oxymoronic nature of that argument, it is how I feel.

I am NOT religious at all(agnostic),… but no more Masada s, if you understand the underlying meaning…

I apologize RE any political overtones…
HorizontalMike

HorizontalMike

Very Nice Mike, outstanding job.

Randy - If I'm not on the computer than I'm out making sawdust.

Very nice work Mike.

woodworking classes, custom furniture maker

Hey, thanks guys/folks! Smaller projects for me have been have proven to be the equivalent of much larger projects for many of you more talented WW’ers. That said, thank you for the kudos you share. I will strive to do more…

HorizontalMike

For prepping the wood before applying West Systems 105/207 Epoxy, there are a few options you can consider depending on the desired outcome:

Sanding: Since you mentioned the presence of gouges, it's a good idea to start by sanding the wood to smooth out any rough areas and remove any imperfections as much as possible.

Filling: For deeper gouges that cannot be sanded out, you can fill them with an appropriate wood filler or epoxy filler. This will help create a smoother surface before applying the epoxy finish.

Stain or Dye: If you want to add color to the wood, you can consider using a wood stain or dye before applying the epoxy. Test the stain or dye on a small, inconspicuous area of the wood to ensure you achieve the desired color and effect.

Shellac: Applying a coat of shellac before the epoxy can help seal the wood and enhance its appearance. Shellac acts as a barrier between the wood and the epoxy, providing additional protection and preventing any potential reactions between the epoxy and the wood.

Sanding and Polishing: If you desire a smooth and glossy finish, you can sand the cured epoxy surface gradually with progressively finer grit sandpaper. After sanding, you can polish the epoxy using polishing compounds to achieve a high shine.

Wax or Oil: Alternatively, you can use wax or oil finishes, such as beeswax or tung oil, to bring out the natural beauty of the gun wood box and provide a more traditional, matte appearance. These finishes can also help protect the wood and make it more resistant to moisture.