Completed the Marlin 39 Carbine project

[bandit1250]

I finally got my friends Marlin finished. He wanted gloss finish with all the pores filled. That is a whole lot more work but I got lucky and with it after so many coats of finish I lost count it rubbed down to look like a piece of glass. I actually surprised my self on getting it to look this good. If he wasn't such a good friend I would have not went that far with it. I had to build a new side on the broken butt plate and then checker the portion I made from dying the Acra-glas black. Put in a new bulls eye and made a new white line spacer for the butt. The blue job is finished and just needs the wood to go to the gun shop to be put on and mailed back to my friends FFL in his state. I didn't get a new camera yet and with this lock down stuff I didn't go look. So the project turned out nicer than expected and I am sure it would satisfy most any one if it was theirs.
Now here is a sad part of the story. I called my friend up to ask him for the final OK to leave the high gloss on it or rub it down satin. I couldn't get hold of him for three days that I called. Finally got an answer yesterday. His wife answered and I told her I needed to talk to him if he was home. She said "he isn't here." I told her I would call back later. Then I got the real shocker when she said. "He is no longer with us, he died on Saturday." I just about lost it right there. I had a hard time even trying to talk. This was my best friend and now he is gone. I can't get this out of my mind now. This will take a whole lot of time to get over.
So there is the sad ending to a story of getting his rifle done for him and he never got to ever see it. Take care and be safe. Live every day like it may be your last. Those words really hit home now.

[roddy]

So sorry to hear this bandit. It's never easy to lose a friend, but finding out that way must have been rough. My condolences to yourself, and your friend's family.

[BigAl52]

Thoughts and prayers to you and to your friends family Bandit. Sorry to hear about this. Good true friends dont come easy.

[Rifletom]

Sorry to hear this bandit. That's a tough way to find out. Real sorry for your loss.

[Greyhawk]

I am sure sorry Bandit. We just lost my father-in-law a few days ago. He was a great guy and we will sorely miss him, so I feel your pain. Once again... I'm sure sorry.

[BrokenolMarine]

Sorry for your loss bandit. I texted an old friend I worked patrol with a few years before, to ask if he wanted to meet halfway for coffee. This was something we did every three months or so since we retired. We lived about three hours apart, and preferred face to face. Gave us a chance to catch up.

His daughter called a couple hours later, to tell me he had suffered a fatal stroke the month before. She had taken his phone so she could reply to his friends because her mom wouldn't. He had looked healthy and tanned the last time we met. Fishing nearly every day, walking his lab, driving as a medical records courier to get out of the house.

We just never know.

[The Wiz]

[JEBar]

So there is the sad ending to a story of getting his rifle done for him and he never got to ever see it. Take care and be safe. Live every day like it may be your last. Those words really hit home now.

hit home, most definitely .... I have no doubt he would have been thrilled with it

[North Country Gal]

It's happened to me, too, so I know the intense pain that you are experiencing. In fact, now five years, later, I still find myself talking to my friend in my mind and reliving some of our experiences. I guess we never really get over these things as much as learn to live with them and go on with our life. Take care my friend.