HarvDog Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 WABS or AJ - we chatted about this briefly on Saturday but I had a couple of questions. What can/should I use to repairs those cracks near the recoil pad? Then after those are fixed, I would like to apply a somewhat glossy finish. What do you recommend for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock To repair cracks in stocks, I use epoxy. I mix bedding compound and use a syringe to inject the epoxy into the crack. I use some electrical tape to hold the pieces together till the epoxy dries. As far as finishing, you can always use Tru Oil. That is an old favorite for stock work. I would use some sort of stain that will fill the grain and pores of the wood. Add many coats of the Tru Oil per the directions and finish it as you like. You can do a matte finish, satin finish, or gloss finish with the same product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadHuntinPastor Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock Harvdog - lets do this together since we have the same gun with the same needs. Let me know when you plan on doing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted July 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock [ QUOTE ] To repair cracks in stocks, I use epoxy. I mix bedding compound and use a syringe to inject the epoxy into the crack. I use some electrical tape to hold the pieces together till the epoxy dries. [/ QUOTE ] What kind of epoxy are we talking about here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock I use Acraglas from Brownells. It is super strong and can be thin enough to go through a syringe into a crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted July 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock Good thing I asked. The epoxy I use for my R/C airplanes probably wouldn't do the trick, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WABS Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock AJ -- is there any major benefit of using epoxy over good old fashion wood glue? I would think if you injected wood glue into the cracks, then tightened some kind of belt around the stock that you'd get a quality bond. I know the glue won't hold a finish, but I'd suspect neither would the epoxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted July 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock I didn't think about that WABS (not holding the finish). WABS, I think you saw the cracks. Did you see them AJ? Maybe a little Gorilla glue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock The benefit of epoy over wood glue is strength. Depending on the size of the crack, would determine which should be used. If its pretty much cosmetic, I gues you could use wood glue, but I know epoxy will last and last, and last....Some glues shrink or expand to act as gap fillers. Epoxy for bedding jobs does neither. It just creates a weld like bond. If you have have chips in the stock where wood is missing, that is a different problem. You can use a dab of epoxy with dust from sanding to match the color. I have not had a problem with gaps in the finish when I used Tru Oil. I have used it over epoxy repairs and it was about invisible. Thats how forend tips and grip caps are installed (using epoxy) and laminated stocks are using spoxy between the layers of the plywood. It should look fine. I didn''t see the cracks in the stock. I remember you guys talking about stock refinishing though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted July 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock I'll post a picture of the cracks so you can get an idea what I'm dealing with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted July 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock Here ya go: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock That almost looks like its cracking as it dries. When green wood is used, it can check (crack) as it dries. You can remove the recoil pad and see if its a drying crack or if it is a section of wood peeling up. Did you buy the gun new? If so, how long ago? If its fairly recent (a couple years), I would talk to Rem about getting a new stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock That does look like checking Harv. If that's a new stock, I'd do what AJ said and inquire about a new stock. Is that stock on an 870? Express or Wingmaster? Express wood is birch I believe, (mine was), Wingmasters are walnut. The picture looks like walnut. Did the stock ever sit in water? I can't believe a stock would check like that, I've never seen that happen. The wood they use for stocks is pretty dry when they get it, and they'll sometimes parafin the end grain so water doesn't get in. Very weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedicast Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock Not to hi-jack Harvs thread, but I have an 870 with similar problem. The cracks are where the stock meets the reciever. It is an 870 Express that I have had since 1986, or 1987. It is the birch stock. I would love to do something to stop these crack from getting worse. I know the logical thing to do would be to replace the stock. They are a dime a dozen on Ebay. This is my slug gun, and it has been hunted hard, and it looks it. It has taken me almost 20 years to build that kind of character in the gun, and I hate to change the stock...lol. Any ideas? Is there a safe way to repair this? It has been like this for 5 or 6 years now. The gun doesn't get hunted with as much as it used to. Now I pretty much just take this gun out in bad weather, orwhen I will be walking a lot, and don't want a scoped gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock John, You can repair the stock. One way is to drill and insert a dowel perpendicular to the cracks. I would go from the bottom up and use a good bedding epoxy. Sand the edge smooth with the stock and finish to match. It will be slightly noticable, but it will be stronger than original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedicast Posted July 31, 2005 Report Share Posted July 31, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock Thanks AJ... I had thought of the dowel. Wasn't sure if that was the way to go. I'm not real worried about the looks cosmetically, as the gun is definately a hunter. Thanks AJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted July 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock [ QUOTE ] That does look like checking Harv. If that's a new stock, I'd do what AJ said and inquire about a new stock. Is that stock on an 870? Express or Wingmaster? Express wood is birch I believe, (mine was), Wingmasters are walnut. The picture looks like walnut. Did the stock ever sit in water? I can't believe a stock would check like that, I've never seen that happen. The wood they use for stocks is pretty dry when they get it, and they'll sometimes parafin the end grain so water doesn't get in. Very weird. [/ QUOTE ] Mine is an 870 express and no, it's never been in water. I got it two Christmas's ago and have put less than 200 shots through it (including the clay shoot last weekend). I will definitely be contacting Remington. Hopefully, they will simply replace it. Thanks again AJ and everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted July 31, 2005 Report Share Posted July 31, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock [ QUOTE ] Not to hi-jack Harvs thread, but I have an 870 with similar problem. The cracks are where the stock meets the reciever. It is an 870 Express that I have had since 1986, or 1987. It is the birch stock. I would love to do something to stop these crack from getting worse. I know the logical thing to do would be to replace the stock. They are a dime a dozen on Ebay. This is my slug gun, and it has been hunted hard, and it looks it. It has taken me almost 20 years to build that kind of character in the gun, and I hate to change the stock...lol. Any ideas? Is there a safe way to repair this? It has been like this for 5 or 6 years now. The gun doesn't get hunted with as much as it used to. Now I pretty much just take this gun out in bad weather, orwhen I will be walking a lot, and don't want a scoped gun. [/ QUOTE ] I know AJ might disagree, but IMHO, Remington puts a terrible finish on the Express. Whatever the finish was on mine, it wore off around the forestock, and where your shooting hand goes in just 2 or 3 years. When that finish wears a bit, I think it opens the wood up to the elements. Birch is a decent wood, harder than walnut, but in my experiences, more prone to checking. I'd suggest stripping off the original finish and apply your own. Here's my 870 Express stock I refinished a couple years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted July 31, 2005 Report Share Posted July 31, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock [ QUOTE ] Remington puts a terrible finish on the Express. [/ QUOTE ] You are correct. I agree 100%. I would definately do a proper finish job on the birch stocks. I had an Express and I refinished the wood within 6 months of buying it. The level of finish is up to the owner. You can do an oil finish, polyurethane, epoxy, etc. Any thing is better than what the factory does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Remington puts a terrible finish on the Express. [/ QUOTE ] You are correct. I agree 100%. I would definately do a proper finish job on the birch stocks. I had an Express and I refinished the wood within 6 months of buying it. The level of finish is up to the owner. You can do an oil finish, polyurethane, epoxy, etc. Any thing is better than what the factory does. [/ QUOTE ] Got to love when The Man agrees with you, eh? The finish I put on is abooot 6 or 7 coats of satin polyurethane. The first 2 or 3 coats were steel wooled, the last coats were wet sanded with 750 grit. That stock is slicker than oil on an ice cube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted August 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock I have contacted Remington about a replacement stock. However, I am interested in refinishing it like yours, Tominator. So, how do I get started? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock Send it to me, I'll do it. But, if you want to do it---get a sharp paint scraper or a block plane. If you are going to use the block plane, take the blade out first . Lightly scrape the old finish off and get as much of the old finish off that you can. Be real careful around the curved parts. One slip and you'll get a gouge which is hard to fix. Let me know when that's done, and I'll give you the steps to get the checkering clean. But, I will do it if you want. It's a hobby. I do it down in our woodshop on my breaks at school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted August 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock I may just take you up on the offer. Let me see what Remington says about the replacement stock. I have to call them tomorrow. But I do have a couple of questions for you: 1. How long would it take? So I'll know whether to send it before or after the season. 2. Would you do the stock and pump "thingy"? (what is that called anyway?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WABS Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock Yes, you'll want to most definitely do both pieces. You guys have me so energized I'm going to refinish my old 870 Express. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvDog Posted August 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 Re: WABS/AJ - Repairing & refinishing 870 stock Let us know how it goes WABS and be sure to post some pix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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