Want to run an Idea by you fellas

M

Mosin-Marauder

New member
Hello all,
As some of you may already know I have ventured into the world of Gunstock refinishing, and a lot of people think I'm pretty darn good at it (myself included). My older cousin has a CZ that he wants refinished and he said he would pay me if I did it. It gave me kinda cool idea. And I just wanted to run it by you folks.

I was thinking I could maybe set up a little stock refinishing service here on the forums. I wouldn't refinis is anything too expensive like M1A's or anything really valuable, just usual gunstocks like old surplus rifles and beat up hunting rifles. It wouldn't be anything too crazy. Just however many coats the customer wanted and what kind of finish they wanted (satin or glossy). It also wouldn't be anything goes too crazy finish wise, just Tru-Oil. It also wouldn't cost too much either, $10-$30 depending on condition if the stock, materials used, and labor. Now, I'm not a gunsmith or a professional woodworker. But I am pretty darn good, I think. Just wanted to run this idea by you fellas, as I thought this might be good way to afford more bullets and powder and stuff. Anyway, thank you for your time.
God Bless
 
On it.

Here's the Model 514 I did. This was my first time doing it.
Before:




After




These are just bad quality cellphone photos. I only put one coat on it because I like the way it brings out the grain of the wood. I also went with a more satin finish here.
 
MM do you know how to create a website? I think it's a good idea, but as mentioned you'll want to display good pictures, before and after of a variety of your work in the various finishes. Easy enough to add a link to a website in your signature.
 
There's probably a lot of things you aren't considering that you don't know of yet.

Payment, shipping, materials, bad customers, and many other things that we don't know till it happens.

What happens if UPS somehow smashes or snaps your stock in half on its way back to the customer?

What if I customer doesn't pay or doesn't like your work after it's done?

Just something to think of. There's also the age thing.
 
Plenty of online tools to help, much easier then you think. It doesn't need to be elaborate. Would really provide a venue to show off your work.
 
There's probably a lot of things you aren't considering that you don't know of yet.

Payment, shipping, materials, bad customers, and many other things that we don't know till it happens.

What happens if UPS somehow smashes or snaps your stock in half on its way back to the customer?

What if I customer doesn't pay or doesn't like your work after it's done?

Just something to think of. There's also the age thing.
Click to expand...

The shipping and materials wont be that much of a problem. I can get sandpaper from my Granpa's Shop and get Tru-Oil off E-Bay. The customer will most likely pay for shipping.

I am worried about some of those things. Shipping mishaps and bad customers.

If a customer doesn't pay, I haven't thought about that. I really don't know.

I have worried about the age thing. Some people might think I'm stupid and think I don't know what I'm doing or something.

I really don't know. Just an idea.

As for the website, I'd have to do more gunstocks before I did that.
 
There's nothing hard about websites.

But being a photographer I know how valuable it is to have good pictures to represent your work. Bad cellphone pictures won't sell your work. People need to know that you're turning a lesser product into a beauty instead of darkening it.

Find a good camera and retake the after pictures of your stock on a light colored background with a lot of light so you can see the improvement. Also look into photo correcting software. Or find someone that can do the photography and photo correction without misrepresenting the finished project.

You're doing a good job there's just hurdles that need to be jumped.
 
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MM you don't ship till paid, insure your shipping. Not that much of a challenge, really. If the quality is good no one will care how old you are, but you will need to drive confidence, that comes with a lot of pictures, references and word of mouth.

You can do this...
 
You will REALLY want to have a good camera, maybe a light box and the proper lighting to make sure the best results come out in the photos. Stocks are a visual thing so making sure the presentation is top of the line will be key.
 
Also, another question. I read somewhere about putting all kinds of finish stripper and degreaser on it before removing the finish. I just sanded it off..? I also read about staining and stock waxing. I only stripped it, wiped it down , and applied the tru oil...Did I do this completely wrong?
 
It looks like you did a good job refinishing that stock but having one relatively easy refinish under your belt is not enough to start a business. I am all for you starting a business and trying to make money but I would recommend you get a little more practice and some more projects completed. Like I said it looks like you did a very good job. But this was a simple stock with no checkering or areas requiring edges to remain crisp and well blended. Redoing a stock with checkering can be very time consuming and require a lot of work cleaning and some times recutting the checkering. Not something to try on someone else stock. That said I think you should stick with it and do more refinishing work over the next couple months and document all your work and in a couple months start a business and go for it. But remember successful businesses are not created in a day with or with little experiences because as a business owner your name and reputation rely on your quality of work.
 
Ebay and gun shows mostly. Maybe your local gunsmith has some old stocks from past projects he can give or sell you. I would recommend you get 15 or so practice to build up a portfolio of your work to show customers and get some good practice under your belt.
 
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