One of the projects running in the shop is a retrofit of one of my older Yukons. This is one I jokingly thought I might keep, so I allowed myself some room to play with finishes and ideas. I developed what I called a "Burl" finish for the steel parts. This is a patina created with acids in a particular process that yields a random aged look. One of the tricks is that "random" part where you don't have "hot spots" that draw your eye repeatedly back to them ... and which you eventually come to call a "flaw" because it stands out too much.

The top end of the Yukon came back to me for a tune. I had tuned it once before when it was at a show in Mississippi. The same issue had returned. It should not have come up again. So; I let it soak a bit until the back room of my mind came up with a solution. When the back room came forward with it's verdict ... I said ... "You're joking ... right?"

And so I started the process of boring and threading. And then threading inside the threaded sleeve and threading and modifying the barrel tang. And then making two sets of aluminum bronze compression rings for the fire thru bolt. And modifying the chamber seal.

No - it wasn't that the gun was a total mess. It was that I've learned a few things as I've worked, and would have made it this way had I made it this year. I thought this would be better and give the customer a better and longer life product. So; in just an hour less than I could have made an entire new rifle ... I've .... almost .... finished the retrofit.

Because I did so much machining - involving lathe set ups ... I put a couple of minor marks on the barrel. And, I found that some rust spots were starting out near the muzzle. How could I tell? Well, they were raised up - a bit rough. So; I decided to refinish the barrel ... and that meant I needed to re-establish a burl finish. Couldn't be touched up (don't ask me how I know) so I had to sand it down to smooth bare new metal. It's gonna be different each time. Not something I could do a little run of 5,000 for the highly restricted niche market but something that has the same general "feel" each time I do it. So ... without further paragraphs of whitty prose ... I give you .... "Burl"











That last one is inside the barrel channel of the unfinished HAWG stock. That total stock is burl ... as in ... wood. Yes Joebill ... I know you are pleased. And, I'm in the process of repairing and stabalizing that very pretty wood which has it's grain passing itself in all directions at once. Anybody that tells you that their burl stock doesn't have any repaired spots .... is ... probably running for public office.

Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/2011 03:48PM by barnespneumatic.

I've always liked that finish. It reminds my of marble tile.

Lon

Hi Gary,

You now that I love the Burl finish. I can testify not only about its beauty but also how resistant and durable it is.

Yes, you can say this is a case of cause and effect...

(PS: Please send the pictures to me too)

Julio

That's a nice effect Gary, suitable for a special gun.
Regards
Neil

The finish is very nice. Obviously, the light makes a big difference in how the colors "pop." Neat.

I remember seeing the original at SS-IV, and it only gets Better with each viewing.
Keep up the good work.

Hi Rick

Hey were you one of those boys that shot off the stakes of my sight in target with that gun?

Haha.

Thanks. Good to hear from you.

Gary

iPhone

NAW wasn't little ole me...i couldn't hit anything that weekend!!

FYI the school kids get this Week off for Deer Hunting.! Very Different around here
from the East Coast. They are reporting on the news that the first 2 days they have taken OVER 8,600 DEER
in the state of MO Already!!

Rick G.

That is yet another amazing finish Gary. I would have commented earlier, but I didn't want to seem like I was pandering to much just to get to see the Case Hardening . It really is beautiful.

Rick,
All of the small town schools here in TX still give off the Friday before, and Monday after, opening weekend of deer season as well. Although it causes problems because it coincides with the final game of regular season football. High school football, or deer hunting is quite the conundrum for many a boy growing up in Texas. They also tend to include a prayer for all of the deer hunters in the Sunday services that weekend...

Hey - a little pandering is good for the soul ...

I swear, I could post winning lottery numbers here each day ... and I'd get seven responces to a thread ... (half of them my own replies. ;?)

4,605 posts!!! Yeah me ....

It's not an airgun forum ... it's Psycology Today.



Gary

One of my favorite finishes Gary. It's got to be even tougher to match a previous work, but as usual you have done the impossible again. Now if you can only turn that Orange Box spruce 2x4 into faux burl, you can save a lot of headache with that twisted wood everyone wants.

Thanks for sharing,

Kent

Hi Kent,

Yes ... it's in the works. Would be a heck of an improvement in structural stability too ... count on that! Closest thing I found in the smilies to a nice Walnut shade tree growing in a swamp.

Thanks for your comment!

Gary

Wow!

Some Burl and some "burl" - both are very nice

Thanks Joebill,

Good Grief ... TWO Specialists commenting on one thread at a time. THIS is gonna cost me ... heheheh.

Gary

Naw. the initial evaluation is cheap........it's what come AFTER that is $$$$$....

So...does this make it the double burl finish, or burl squared?

its very like the old bronzing that guns were finished with before blueing was the in thing , i like the subtle blends in it.
mind you , thats some warranty period too.
nice work all round.