How tough is it to bed a stock?

[NesikaChad]

I've used the Brownells product before and it's ok. What I don't care for is that its prone to running and the film is kinda heavy.

I have a case of the stuff I use at home. I'll get the name of it and pass it on. It's a rattle can and works really well. I don't have it here at the shop yet as I'm still getting a few things set up before I take the plunge into stock work. Mainly waiting on some floor space to open up so I can get my new CNC mill in here.

Other tips:

Use the Klean Clay that Brownells sells. It is by far the best clay for prepping a receiver.

Use a glass plate for mixing resin. NEVER stir it in a cup. It just whips air into it and makes life hell later with pin holes. Use a broad applicator and fold the material into itself rather than stirring.

Mix resins for about twice as long as you think you need to. This is VITAL to ensuring all the esters mix with the hardener. It will mitigate hard/soft spots. You should basically have hands that hurt like hell and are almost ready to blister when your done.

Pay attention to ratios with resins. If you use a system that must be weighed out, then get a scale and weigh it. Never guess!

Don't put heat on a gun to accelerate curing. It'll increase the amount of shrinkage. Never set a stock in the sun or next to a heater vent. Keep the ambient temperature within the working parameters of the material.

Pay attention to inlet work. Avoid sharp corners if possible, radius things so that the resin will flow and fill.

Use a finger and rub a piss coat of bedding into a stock before you shmag it up. You want that stuff to really bite into the stock's fibers so that you have good adhesion. Same thing with the action, but be a little more gentle here because you don't want to displace the clay or rub through the release agent.

Warm resin is much easier to work with than cold stiff stuff. Use your imagination for this and understand that if you cook it too much you'll set it off and that is a wholly hell of a mess to deal with.

NEVER cut a resin with acetone or any other kind of thinner.

If you use dye, use just enough to get the color your after. Dye weakens epoxy.

The resin system I use is designed for commercial boiler repair. It's one of the few epoxies out there that uses the Rockwell C scale for hardness rather than the shore hardness scale. Very tough, minimal shrinkage, and high chemical resistance.

Hope this helps.

C

[MontanaRifleman]

Chad,

How would Hornady One Shot Case Lube work as a rease agent?

Be gentle

Mark

[NesikaChad]

McLube 1700L colorless dry film mold release

Manufactured by McGee Industries, Inc.
610.459.1890

[NesikaChad]

Here's the pillars I use.

[MontanaRifleman]

Interesting, why the small contact points on either side?

And... what about this stuff?

McMaster-Carr

[NesikaChad]

The raised rib allows for bedding to completely encapsulate the pillar. I've seen too many pillars fall out of stocks. It also allows a better "mirror image" than a machined pillar being pushed up against the belly of the receiver. When finished properly it offers a clean, elegant, and professional appearance.

As for bedding, materials, processes, final fit, finish, and performance there are a number of products available that offer varying levels of success. I don't pretend to know them all. I stick to what I know has worked well for me. If you personally feel that you can improve upon the methods most common today then by all means have at it and God bless ya'. It's what keeps this game fun and interesting.

Cheers,

Chad

[MontanaRifleman]

Chad, maybe you misunderstand me. Almost all I know about bedding I get off this site so I have no ambiton on improving on anything, just trying to understand things and not really screw something up.

The contact points I was reffering to are the ones where the pilar contacts the receiver. I've never seen that before. Is it best to have those points vs a more smooth contact area?

I have a Sako Finnlight, cheap plastic stock that I would like to pillar and bed. I realize just getting better stock would be the best solution but for now with budget constraint being what they are, that is low on the priority list. It would be a good learnign expeirence for me too. Also have a couple of Senderos I would like to skim bed.

Thanks, Mark