Colonial on its way...

[Psycho Mike]

So, final test block got a 3rd coat of oil today and the ramrod got it's first coat of leather dye. I had the full spectrum of Fiebing's available and hummed and hawed about which one to grab for a good 15 minutes. Turns out, British tan dye on hickory is a pretty good match for the the test block

My rod is fairly straight grained, but it looks like it is tangential to a ring on one side so there's a line of light, sliver-like "grain holes" there that I will need to work some color into. After that, I'll need to decide if I'm going to spiral stripe it with some black I still have kicking around from my days in uniform.

So, that means Saturday I will likely start with the wax on the test block, oil on the ramrod and maybe get to pinning the nose cap.

 

[Psycho Mike]

Tried to fill the pores late ast night and it wasn't working, so I decided to treat the rod like I would a walnut stock. I got out my dye, some tung oil and some fine grit sandpaper and made me some slurry.

Overall, I'm impressed! No nonsense, quick color that really matches my test block now and a first coat of oil all in one.

 

[Psycho Mike]

Made some more progress tonight...nose cap is on (still needs pinning), a bunch of brass pulled off (and started polishing), most of my molding lines are laid out and I got some initial sanding done (prep work before getting to the actual finishing). I'll need to lay out my inletting spot for the "medallion" and use a French curve to lay out the ends of my molding lines on the forestock, but I have some good starts to a bunch of stuff that tells me I'm firmly into the "finishing" side of things.

 

[Psycho Mike]

Okay, pucker time tonight. Started carving the stock. I got both molding lines at the base of the butt in, the one on the raised "bar" on the off side and the medallion inset.

Not perfect, but reasonable for a first attempt...especially with how curly maple "plays" with chisels and knives!

 

[Psycho Mike]

Ok...so, the nose cap is now pinned, molding lines are finished and some more brass polished. Looks like it's time to start sanding the stock in preparation for some dye

 

[Psycho Mike]

 

[Psycho Mike]

First coat of dye on (black)....if I ever wanted an inkling of what a synthetic stocked long rifle would look like, it's sitting in my basement.

 

[Psycho Mike]

First acid etching ever for me today... turned out okay. Not as deep as I hoped (masking started to break down), but deep enough to stick around.

 

[NeilMacleod]

Looking Good

 

[brushblind]

I like the colonial so a few months ago I emailed Kibler and asked as to the possibility of a .62 cal. smoothbore and they replied back with "not available." It doesn't seem like it would be a giant leap from the .58 to a .62. Guess I'll wait and see what their smoothbore offering is. Yours looks like it's gonna be a dandy.

 

[Psycho Mike]

I like the colonial so a few months ago I emailed Kibler and asked as to the possibility of a .62 cal. smoothbore and they replied back with "not available." It doesn't seem like it would be a giant leap from the .58 to a .62. Guess I'll wait and see what their smoothbore offering is. Yours looks like it's gonna be a dandy.

I think it depends on what their source has available...Jim uses Green Mountain and they dropped the .62 cal smooth bore option for 1" flats barrel a number of years ago. There would need to be a pretty big demand for it to get Jim to rejig the breech end of the stock to go to another brand of barrel to offer the Colonial in a .62 cal.

 

[Psycho Mike]

Looking Good

Thanks....here's hoping the finishing steps go well.

 

[Celt5494]

I really liked the carving on your wooden patch box. I have been watching this thread and think you are going a real nice job with it. I'm very interested to see everything finished so you can go out and make some smoke.

 

[Psycho Mike]

I really liked the carving on your wooden patch box. I have been watching this thread and think you are going a real nice job with it. I'm very interested to see everything finished so you can go out and make some smoke.

Thanks Celt5494. It's my first, but I've acquired a decent repertoire of skills that could be applied from different sources and tasks over my career. Hopefully the stock comes together as nicely as the block did....if it does, I personally think it'll be a looker. My lines will retain the black dye (can't really sand 'em out), so I think it's going to be comfortably unique

Working on the trigger guard tonight as I get a chance after a bedroom reno over the past week.

 

[Psycho Mike]

Well, the trigger guard is now matching...my 800 grit, not perfect and not parade square polish but probably better than "back then" polish job is done. Hopefully I can start sanding back the black dye tonight.

 

[Psycho Mike]

Sanded back the first coat of dye today. There is definitely some curl to this stock (it's just regular, not fancy or extra), so I'm thinking I may run the first round of the "final color" dye on it tonight and see how it does.

 

[Psycho Mike]

Ok, so I "hummed and hawed" for a little bit and did a bit more sanding.

The joys of not having worked with curly maple before, I was a little uncertain about comb and toe, which seemed really dark still in spite of a fair bit of sanding. Well, when I saw a WR someone had just done their 2nd AF run on, I saw the exact same sort of pattern...and then it struck me...the cut is through the curl there, so all my "tiger stripes" on the sides are cut at a different angle, exposing more and making it darker. So, I went for it.

No photos yet, but from what I have seen already, it's going to be quite a looker

 

[Psycho Mike]

Oh...and btw....the black dye is nicely entrenched in the carved lines and my Maltese cross in the patch box lid. When I first hit it with the red dye, I think I actually said "wow" out loud.

Speaking of Maltese crosses, I will be presented with my first bar to my Long Service medal tomorrow....so my second Maltese cross on my undress ribbon bar gets added to match my side plate

 

[Psycho Mike]

First coat of oil today. I used a mineral spirits cut Tung oil and what a marathon! Trying to keep the surface of the wood wet was a challenge...it was thirsty! Went through close to 3 oz of 50/50 in 15 min.

The patch box is already showing chatoyance, so this will get interesting