Getting sharp lines when bedding the action?

[Bob Wright]

Looking for tips and tricks for getting nice sharp edges, particularly at the marked area of this stock at the barrel shank bedding area.
I've used modeling clay to dam the flow with mixed results. I've also used masking tape to create a place on the stock to hand finish back to in case the compound flows forward.
Any cool hacks to try?
Thanks.

 

[Dosh]

Bob, usually modeling clay works for me. Tape spot to stop and overlap the tape a bit then cut a straight sharp line in the clay with Xacto. This area doesn't need to be a perfect straight edge. I've seen factory customs and bedding by smiths where they let the excess just ooze out, no dam. I have a stock on a .270 Win that way and it shoots very accurately. Perhaps Mr. Russo has a comment. He's the premier expert.

 

[Bob Wright]

Bob, usually modeling clay works for me. Tape spot to stop and overlap the tape a bit then cut a straight sharp line in the clay with Xacto. This area doesn't need to be a perfect straight edge. I've seen factory customs and bedding by smiths where they let the excess just ooze out, no dam. I have a stock on a .270 Win that way and it shoots very accurately. Perhaps Mr. Russo has a comment. He's the premier expert.

Yes, I agree on the effect of accuracy is nil. I just like the ease of getting that sharp line as I am anal! Lol.
It usually takes a lot of hand work to deburr, clean up that area.
When I drop the barrel into the clay dam, with release all over the barrel, then remove it to trim the squish-out of the clay, the modeling clay still sticks to the barrel. Maybe just trim it on the barrel and not use a release agent at this early step?

 

[Dosh]

Was going to mention OCD but wanted to be politically correct. Did you try tape with release agent on the under side of the barrel beginning where you dammed the channel? Would help in clean up.

 

[Bob Wright]

Was going to mention OCD but wanted to be politically correct. Did you try tape with release agent on the under side of the barrel beginning where you dammed the channel? Would help in clean up.

I've tried tape on the stock, clay in the stock.
Tape on the barrel would have helped since I had plenty of clearance. I'm one that is very good with a dremel, but regardless, it can grab and trash you're work quickly.
So, I may try leaving the barrel squeaky clean. Roll up a round piece of clay and lay it in the channel. Drop in the action and let it extrude, then see if it sticks as usual to the barrel and just trim it straight on the barrel.
The wraps of tape on the barrel would definitely give a trim line to deburr back to.
My last custom done by a builder was flawless. He made me wonder how he did it.
This Devcon metal putty was really nice to work with.

 

[cahunter805]

Bob
I assume you are using the rougher masking/painters tape. Use the Vinyl masking tape and it works better for cleaner lines.
A mill works very well for cleaning up bedding also.

 

[Bob Wright]

Bob
I assume you are using the rougher masking/painters tape. Use the Vinyl masking tape and it works better for cleaner lines.
A mill works very well for cleaning up bedding also.

Wished I had my old Bridgeport....
Long gone....
I'll see if I can find vinyl tape. Do you use that every where or just for the barrel channel area?

 

[DJ Fergus]

I have bedded several rifles. My bedding jobs are decent looking but not a work of art. I have one rifle that I've been shooting for a while that I bedded, and didn't uses dams or puddy but just went more sparingly with the bedding compound. I did use release agent but I haven't even broke it loose from the stock yet. Shoots amazing, haven't had any need to break it loose yet but I don't plan on taking it out until a maintenance issue arises.

 

[cahunter805]

Wished I had my old Bridgeport....
Long gone....
I'll see if I can find vinyl tape. Do you use that every where or just for the barrel channel area?

Mainly use it for the barrel channel and recoil lug. Definitely cleaner. Usually use painters tape to tape off the stock.

 

[243winxb]

Latex window glazing putty. Release agent ,white petroleum jelly.
Acraglass on wood stocks. Worked for me.

 

[Bob Wright]

Latex window glazing putty. Release agent ,white petroleum jelly.
Acraglass on wood stocks. Worked for me.

The window glazing putty sounds very interesting. Do you form it into the stock using the barreled action with the petroleum jelly on the barrel shank, then remove and trim the glazing putty to sharpen it?

 

[Hugnot]

What I do:

The epoxy or bedding agent will ooze up between barrel and stock. To avoid locking the barrel into the stock with epoxy, like up onto the barrel contour, I trim any excess flowing around the barrel off with a sharp wood or plastic stick (not to scratch steel barrel) before the epoxy/bedding compound sets up somewhat but is not runny. To finish the job I sand the cured epoxy flat & even with the stock. I would suggest, to add some coloring agent to the bedding compound to match the stock color. Masking tape will keep the fluid epoxy from sticking to the stock but keep it even with the edge of the stock but if the stock is unfinished wood just sand the cured epoxy off.

For composite stocks and wood stocks that have been fitted to the barrel shank go for a hair line fit, the epoxy or bedding compound will ooze up thru the crack and may be scraped off. If a wood stock best to do this before finishing the stock, Any epoxy, not visible, not needed for support, like under and along the barrel may be scraped smooth and even.

Everybody has their own techniques or ways to do things. Real thick recoil lug,

 

[bigngreen]

Put down a piece of painters tape across the stock, down into the channel tight and wrapped over the edges, this establishes your cut of line and I put more tape down if I feel I'm going to push it past. Bed as normal, personally I don't dam anything, bed it and then after popping the action out and put down another piece of tape exactly matching the first one then score the bedding deep and get a screw driver under the front and pull on the bottom tape and it will pop out with a perfect line.
I won't bed any rifle past the action personally so I put the tape down, bed and then run and end mill across it and pop it out, leaves a perfect line everytime and doesn't make uglyness forward of the action.

 

[243winxb]

window glazing putty

Used to build a dam. When the action is set into the stock, acraglass will ooze up between barrel and stock. Like in post #12. Same method.