[Black Gas]

just want to mention, i picked up some iodine at the drug store and tried it, refinishing some blonde bulgie wood.

The stuff is absolutely gorgeous. It starts out that yellowish color, after a couple of coats it turns into that rich orange finish that looks just like some the pieces on tantals site, and ones i've handled. Keep going, and you get a deep reddish vermillion like other ones on his site. Grain stays shiny and catches the light, unlike stains i've tried.

I won't use any other stain ever again.

After its dried, i use Tru Oil. Its an oil finish that looks like a perfect glossy polyeurothane/shellac coating. Rock solid as it soaks into the wood over many coats. Also comes with satin sheen treatment, if you want to get rid of the gloss.

I'll post pics in a bit.

For a real russian set, i would send it to z-recto.

 

[Broncodarts]

Try this on for size. Z just got these done for me. For an RPK that I am going to build in the next couple of months.


RPK
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...sc/DSC04576.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...sc/DSC04577.jpg

 

[ohmysac]

I think i'd try the garnet shellac, and then once i have a few good coats of that on i'd go for a few coats of behrs tung oil right over it. That should yield a highly attractive and durable finish.

 

[Carb850]

Will the tung oil penetrate the shellac?

 

[Z_recto]

Will the tung oil penetrate the shellac?

No.

sac,
If you are insistant on using tung oil put it on the wood first and then put the shellac over that.
The oil will penetrate the wood and sucessive coats will build up.
If you want the color of the shellac, and it is NOT birch lamiante wood, try a pigment or dye stain first and then finish it with the oil.
If it is birch laminate, then get some DYE stain and mix it with the shellac and that will give a Russian type finish.
If you use RIT dye to make your stain, you better filter it at least 2-3 times to get all of the salts out if it.

 

[ohmysac]

Shellac is impervious to everything but water and alcohol. Oil builds just fine on top of it. Applying shellac this way is what they call a "spit coat" i think.

 

[Z_recto]

A spit coat is a very thin coat of shellac also called a sanding sealer. It is maily to seal the pores or to seal up pine knots so they will not bleed when painting.
If you are going to try and use the shellac for color a spit coat is way to thin for this and if you put enough shellac to get color and then add oil to the top of that there is the posibility of the fihish chipping off when bumped.
I would not use the oil over the shellac as the prupose of the oil finish is to penetrate into the wood not sit on top of it.
The best thing to do is one or the other, not both, IMHO.

 

[pupwag]

What is the best shellac in IYHO for said Ruskie laminate treatment?Thanks .

 

[Z_recto]

The one I can do for you

If you want to try it your self the chapest way to go is to get some Zinnser Bullseye shellac from Lowes/Home Depot, some denatured alcohol, and some RIT dyes.
Dissolve the RIT in the alcohol and then strain to remove the salts.
Add the dye to a small amount of the shellac and start finsihing.
This is not the best way, but it is the cheapest and it would porbably run you about $20 or so.

 

[pupwag]

I have a small selection of TransTint dye stain colors(a lifetime supply)Just wondering if one shellac or tint(clear,amber,etc)was better than another for this application.

 

[Z_recto]

I would use the amber as it is orange and you can get a good range from that, from orange to red.
Also, since it is colored, you will use less dye.

 

[pupwag]

Thanks Z.BTW do you make a solid wood PG in a wood that will stain close to the stock Bulgy solid wood on my 74?

 

[Z_recto]

Yes.
Shoot me an e-mail.

 

[bim jeam]

I've had moderate success with Rit\alcohol and Zinsser Bulls Eye (amber).
Top 2 are Russian AKM sets from PLO kits. Bottom is unissued Russian
AKM set from Tantal, that I used as a model.

 

[magnus392]

Welcome to Gunco Bim, I like the name

 

[yosuthnmasa]

Bim Jeam, I like the stock sets. It appears your original set is a bit more orange than the upper sets. But they are very close. Nice!

 

[bim jeam]

Another view of Russian stock set above (upper right set).

 

[Carb850]

Another view of Russian stock set above (upper right set).
]

Nice rifle and pic! Share some of the details?

 

[Z_recto]

JB,
That wood looks pretty good.
You got lucky with your kit wood. Some of the wood I have redone looks as thoguh they finished it with crude oil
You may want ot use a little less alcohol in your dye to make the colors stronger and do not be afraid to sand the wood to get the imperfections out.
What reciever did you use for the build? FEG? Maadi? It really looks pretty good.
What finish did you use for the metal?
You have a very nice Russian clone there.

 

[bim jeam]

Thanks for the response guys, I'll try to answer some questions
and provide details. This is one of 6 Russian\PLO all matching kits
purchased from Brad Paul last year, while waiting 6 months to
get one hand select kit from Joken's. This is my second build
(1st was a plum kit from Akron Armory) so I chose this one, it
was the worst shape of the bunch. Stripped the wood with
Formby's and attempted to steam out dents, didn't help much.
Did alot of sanding. The exposed metal parts had some surface
rust (barrel & receiver cover) but no major pitting. Used sand
paper and steel wool to clean that up. Finish on the metal is
1200 degree manifold paint w/ceramic, 4 coats then baked at
350 for 2 hours. Receiver is from an unfired Maadi ARM. Shortly
after I got this thing riveted together I read couple posts on another
board that discussed legality of "sacrificing" a Maadi receiver for
Russian build (no serial number).This is making me a bit nervous,
if time permits I'll probably burn a couple hundred rounds through
it this week, then start drilling out rivets next weekend.
regards,