and here is another one that I refinished, I bought this Winchester model 77 from a local forum member who thought it was just a wall hanger..... Before and after pics blog posts: https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-winchester-77-project-part-1.html https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-winchester-77-project-part-2.html https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-winchester-77-project-part-3.html https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-winchester-77-project-part-4.html
I refinish 10-12 guns per year, most of which are owned by myself, this would not qualify under anyone's definition of "being in the business of".
Interesting, "MOST of which are yours?" Doing it for others, no matter WHO they are, certainly does make a difference. If you keep someones firearm for more than 24 hours, you need to record it and then disposition it after it's completed. You've been doing this for how many years now? That's federal law, so you are flirting with big time trouble. Next time I get a compliance agent up here from Milwaukee, I'll get the straight scoop from him/her.
I bought this Ruger Standard pistol at a gun show for $80, it was missing some parts and in need of a refinish. Here are the before and after shots Blog post links: https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-ruger-standard-project-part-1.html https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-ruger-standard-project-part-2.html https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-ruger-standard-project-part-3.html
Here is another one. This one started as just a stock that someone gave me. Someone had cut off the barrel band portion of the forend and painted it black, then put it on a belt sander...then gave up...the stock is an original walnut one...so I decided to try and make lemonade out of this lemon. I added a Kingston Armory steel receiver and new take-off barrel, both were polished to a 5000 grit and hot blued. I modified the stock by adding finger grooves, adding flutes to the comb, redefining the grip area, adding a grip cap and sling swivels mimicking those of the Finger Groove Sporter model. I then refinished the aluminum butt plate and aluminum trigger housing in graphite black Cerakote. Here are the before and after pictures and the blog posts showing the process https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/08/ruger-1022-finger-groove-sporter.html https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/04/ruger-1022-finger-groove-sporter_76.html https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/04/ruger-1022-finger-groove-sporter_7.html https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/04/ruger-1022-finger-groove-sporter_18.html
We have a few keyboard gunsmiths on here, that shows non of their work you know who they are, they have 2 grand in a 10 /22 and are not half as knowledgeable and skilled as you are well done.
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement! I Built another custom 10/22, this one for Halloween. The stock was a standard Beechwood one that was not so perfect, I carved the biohazard logo and the words "Zombie Hunter". I then painted the recesses with glow in the dark paint, then covered with clear epoxy. I then dyed the stock neon green and added some accessories Blog posts: https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/04/1022-zombie-hunter-part-1.html https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/10/1022-zombie-hunter-part-2.html https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2020/04/1022-zombie-hunter-part-2.html
Thanks, it was another skill I wanted to test, engraving wood. Next I am thinking about trying some basket weave checkering. There is a guy from England who shows how it is done on air rifle stocks, doesn't look too tough.
I've tried doing some "carving" on gunstocks: Some day maybe I'll try carving "letters", but that looks so difficult! Maybe I should have become a lifer in the Army and learned a REAL skill:
There is a laser cad system that will engrave the checkering into a stock and when its done it looks like it was all hand cut.
Of course, the checkering I do is hand cut: Spacing only one line at a time, to keep those straight: When hand cut checkering is done properly, it presents itself much better to an observant and knowing client.