Can I buy real fine maple sawdust?

[squib load]

Hi,I was wondering if someone might sell fine maple sawdust.Not that I would need it.Iam so perfect making these guns,I would never need it.Iam just asking for these other new people.Squib

 

[Zonie]

Well, I could make you some but it would cost about $200/ounce. (We retired folks have to get out money somewhere. :grin: )

Seriously, why don't you make your own?

Some 80 grit sandpaper and a small chunk of maple would do.

If your building a "kit" gun it undoubtably has more wood than it should have so thin down the forend a bit. Of course it it is nearly to shape you might not want to use a 80 grit paper on it but 120 grit will work nicely.

While I'm speaking of grits and bare wood, folks should not use a grit finer than 220 before finishing their wood. Using sandpaper finer than this will just be a waste of time and it will close the pores so they won't take stains well.

 

[bjmac]

Squib, Ive got some nice maple gym flooring that I'll cut into strips and send to you if you'd like.That way, you can make as much as you like.(It's also great for carving practice.)
BJ

 

[squib load]

Thanks,Ill be glad to pay you.squib

 

[Capt. Jas.]

You would probably be better off with some thin planes shavings wouldn't you?

 

[jerrywh]

What are you going to do? Smoke fish?

 

[Dave K]

How fine you need? If you have an orbital sander with dust collector bag, you can get a bunch if dust in a hurry. Do you want this in curly, birdseye or flame maple?

 

[Rifleman1776]

While I'm speaking of grits and bare wood, folks should not use a grit finer than 220 before finishing their wood. Using sandpaper finer than this will just be a waste of time and it will close the pores so they won't take stains well.

Wow! :shocked2: Are ye trying to start a war here? :wink: I know gun builders who sand, wet sand again repeatedly with ever finer grits down to ultra-fine automotive wet-dry grits. I do a fair amount of woodworking (not ml guns) and often go to 4,000 grit. Although, I admit, with some finishes anything finer than 400 is a waste of time. And, don't forget some old timers skip a lot of the sanding and scrape with broken glass to get a....uh....glass-like finish on their guns. It is a matter of individual craft techniques.

Edit: BTW, on some of my woodworking projects, I often START my sanding at 220 grit.

 

[bjmac]

Thanks,Ill be glad to pay you.squib

No charge. Just pay the shipping. I'll fill a Post Office flat rate box of your choice. I'll get the pieces all run through the planer so they are clean of the gym floor finish. PM me with your shipping address etc.
BJ

 

[Black Hand]

Squib,
No matter what you do, sawdust mixed with glue always looks like sawdust mixed with glue when used as a patch-job....

Using plane shavings or inletting a piece of solid wood looks and functions better in any case.

 

[matt denison]

Are ye trying to start a war here?

Game on. :grin: I don't sand gun stocks past 220 for exactly the reasons that Zonie said. I allow the stain to do its work then do final smoothing with the finish, applying and sanding/steel wooling, repeat 'till done. Result: grain popping glassy smooth finish.

 

[crockett]

Blackhand is absolutely correct. The sawdust is not the way to fix any inletting errors- it won't take the stain the same and it looks like epoxy putty. If you use a sliver of maple that will stain and be less noticable. With a sharp chisel you could shave a little under the top inlet on the buttplate- or some other covered part of the stock.
And....if you are lucky the grain can match pretty close. I have even used a sharp awl to sort of extend the actual grain into the patch.
If you are doing a linseed oil finish and sanding between coats- you create sort of a slush that often fills in very minor cracks etc- but once again this slush looks different- a fine line is okay and often blends better with a browned part than the stained wood in the stock.

 

[tg]

Often a bit of a Boo Boo can be left and made to look like wear and tear but the whole gun needs the same consideration to look right and is almost an art to come out looking used and not antique, Mike Brooks does it very well to my eye, also I only used scrapers, and burnished with antler as a final step on the last project I did and I really liked the bit more of a "primitive" finished project which was likley more the norm for the 18th century, the point made about not going to smooth before staining is one to keep in mind as well as whether one wants the gun to lok like the finish on a Mdl 70 or a Penn. longrifle, good luck on the "other guys" project and enjoy the journey.

 

[squib load]

Thanks guys,now I know a lot more about repairing goofups.squib

 

[ohio ramrod]

New glues do make for a poor filler when mixed with saw dust. However the true hide glue blends well and takes a stain.It's draw back is you have to mix and heat it. (The liquid hide glue sold by franklin just isn't the old time stuff). And it isn't water resistant.But it makes a "flexible" bond which is why it is still used by music instrument makers. :hmm:

 

[Zonie]

No. I'm not trying to start a war or anything else.

I am merely stating my belief based on guidance from professional cabinet finishers and my own experiences.

I believe that anyone who wishes to do their finish sanding with paper grits finer than 220 is fooling themselves but it's their time and energy so more power to them.

While their busy sanding with polishing grades of sandpaper designed for finish sanding on oiled or painted surfaces I'll just go about my business with starting my lye water and staining procedures. :grin:

 

[bjmac]

Lye water? :idunno:

 

[Zonie]

Lye water, the stuff that folks use to clean their drains or to make soap with is a very strong caustic material that brings out the tannin in the bare wood and raises it to the surface.
Tannin is what makes wood brown.

By applying a solution of lye water to the bare wood just before applying stains or aqua fortis the wood will darken. More importantly, the end grain in the curl will produce more tannin than the parallel grain produces so the contrast between the dark and light areas of the curl will be more pronounced.

Here is a link to a write up I did about the process a few years ago. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/31269/post/31407/fromsearch/1/#31407

I should add that using lyewater to bring out the grain has been done for hundreds of years on guns and furniture.
Of course it cannot make a silk purse out of a cows ear so if the wood does not have any figure or curl to it the process will not add any remarkable pattern or stripes.

 

[BigDeutscher]

My good man...
you can get all you want down
at the saw dust factory in Lancaster P.A.
My wifes whole family works there.
My Father in law has been a forman there since,he lost his job as a chicken catcher.LOL I am laughin so hard I am crying.My goodness that's funny ...I dont care who you are,that's funny!
Deutsch

 

[bjmac]

Thanks Zonie. Never heard this one before so I"ll have to put in in the "file" of "might be something to try!!! :wink: What would it do to beech (CVA stock material?)
BJ