Stock refinishing question

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I have a Marlin model 60 that I bought used a few years ago....not a great gun, but I figured the price was right. Took it to the range and it jammed quite frequently; I took it apart, gave it a good cleaning/scrubbing, and it is pretty reliable now, and not too bad in the accuracy department.

I decided that I for a summer time project I would refinish the stock and touch up the metal...make it look a little 'nicer' and 'newer' (although it doesn't look to bad as it was).

Anyway, I decided that I would like to try to checker the stock....figured if I screwed it up, it was just an inexpensive .22. I have sanded down the old finish and sanded off the little squirrels & oak leaves that Marlin burned into the stock (what a pain!).
I have refinished some stocks in the past, and recut some bad checkering, so I do have a handle on the basics, but I've never done a 'new' checkering job on a blank stock.

What my question boils down to is this: Should I put the stock filler/conditioner on before I do the checkering, or after?

...or, could I just skip the filler and use subsequently finer grits of sandpaper and sand the stock down, then cut the checkering and finish with the tru-oil (I'm using Birchwood-casey products; it's what I've used in the past and the results turned out very well for me).
Thanks in advance.............

[skeet]

Before..then after done use some lemon oil and tung mixed lightly together with enough coloring to give it your finish color.. Put it on with an old..or new toofer brush

[Jack]

Some fillers have silica in them- sand, for us non technical folk. So, unless you like really dull checkering tools, do the checkering before stock filling.

[skeet]

Jack is right..there are some fillers with silica in them..don't use one.. Thin(very) Tung oil and put 4 or 5 coats sanding lightly between..Checkering a finished stock is SOOOO much easier..except for the sand..LOL Course did ya ever try makin out at oh never mind...

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Thanks for the info.....I think I have a "plan of action" in my head. I didn't realize the fillers had silica in them.

[skeet]

SOME have fillers. Just makes 'em fill the grain faster. I never use that kind..I use a type of filler from Brownell withought silica and it sure ain't cheap..but you can do just as well for a much cheaper cost by using stock finish thinned a good bit..you have to sand tween coats anyway.. Have fun..w/checkerin I mean..hehehe