Material for creating a palm swell

[royinidaho]

Anyone have any suggested/recommended material for creating a palm swell?

First attempt was with fiber glass and reson, kind of ok. Next attempt is with Crayola Model magic Modeling Compound. Easy to form a comfortable grip. Long time to dry. Shrinks too much. Does not stick to maybe anything. Possibly good for making a mold.

Any tho'ts???

 

[James Jones]

Roy , I use asome type of A B foam that a buddy got for me a few years back its a glass filled expanding type stuff , I put it on let it get big then work it down to what I want then coat it a couple time with fiberglass. I don't know what this stuff is or where to find it but I'm gonna be need some more very soon.

I have a couple buddies that have used the JB Weld 2 part putty that you work together , it take a little while for it to set up so thier is plenty of time to work it out and it doesen't run or anything and it sands and files easy. I have personaly never used it but have seen the results and they work well ,I would still put at least one coat of fiberglass over it to "tie" it into the rest of the stock.

I may try the Great Stuff expanding foam that is used to sealing doors and such , it can be found at about any hardwear store. Brownells has a sorbathane(sp) stick on palm swell that you might want to look at also ,but for the most part I like the expanding foam as its cheap easy to work with and will soak up some glass.

 

[Bart B]

Bondo. Sold at auto supply places for filling in vehicle body parts. Stock makers have been using it for decades on synthetic stocks to build up or fill in areas before painting. Works well. Lasts a long time. Cheap, too.

 

[abinok]

ive used a 2 part epoxy that comes in a stick, light color on the outside, and black in the middle. Very thick stuff, and can be molded, sanded ect very well. ive used small wood screws to form the shape of the grip I wanted, and filled in the spaces between the screws with the epoxy, and a skim coat over the top to smooth things up. It sells under a number of names, but you can find it in the "glue and epoxy" sections of any major retailer or home improvement store.

 

[royinidaho]

Thanks guys,

RE: JB Weld - The stock I'm experimenting with is resin covered wood. JB Weld won't stick to it.

Abinok: That stuff you mentioned is locally called Car Go Quick Steel. I picked up some the other day. I'll give it a go.

Will also try other stuff that seems "reasonable" as I walk by the various products on the shelves. Who knows??

 

[abinok]

Yep, quick steel, thats the stuff. The only names I could think of is "pig putty" which is the same stuff marketed as a gas tank repair epoxy, and "steel putty" marketed as a chain repair epoxy. Good stuff. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[royinidaho]

And the winner is!!! Quick Steel. Hardens quick. Easy to work with (rasp/file/sand). Sticks to whatever.....

FYI

 

[abinok]

bummer man.. no pics?

I did a removeable one on a target rifle one time that was a club gun... we mounted a threaded insert in the grip, and threaded a long bolt into it, smeared grease on the grip, and everybody molded their grip. unthreaded teh bolt, and swapped for the approprate length bolt, and tada! custom grip that is swapable!

 

[SDWhirlwind]

Bondo from the auto store works good but if you get it too thick it will sometimes crack or also chip out if bumped against something. Best thing to date I have used is Acraglas Gel. Takes a while to set but sure isn't going anywhere once its there. Have also mixed either aluminum or stainless steel with it. Will outlast the stock and termites don't eat it. Sometimes it takes several coats or some trial and error sanding to get it to feel just right.

 

[royinidaho]

Roger that, on the cracking. Filled the magazine area in the BDL and it shrunk and cracked

Will do pics when I get'er finished. I've decided to put a little more time in the overall finish. I usually don't much care how a rifle looks but how it shoots.

I think its time I got a bit more particular regarding the looks. Then I can go beat the snot out of it in the mountains /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif But that's OK

 

[redbone]

Dear sir
In the mag"" Lock Stock an Barrel"" on page 57.
D&E Palmswell
It will sale for $10.75 .
It is made of polymer-foam rubber pad
.there web address is
www.lockstock.com
Ph 1 800 228 7925

 

[royinidaho]

Redbone

Appreciate the pointer. However, I'm a lefty and D&E make only right hand swells.

Also, I aged to beyond my life expectance with that "Dear Sir" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[gonehuntingagain]

I put one of these on my Lefty 308
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=7405&title=HAND-EEZ+PALM+SWELL

It works pretty good, but you can't form it to fit your hand like you can with bondo-type stuff. Plus I had to glue it on the stock with some aqua-seal to keep it from coming off.

 

[royinidaho]

As normal Memorial Day Weekend rained solid from one end to the other but I did get the lawn mowed yesterday. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

AND more importantly pretty much finished the palm swell quest. It was a learning experience from the get go. Started with a BDL stock that has been my edumacation project from the get go. There are more coats of "stuff" on this thing than there otta be. But all in all a good experience.

The pistol grip on a factory SL-8 is also the pits. That was tackled by my son. He did a pretty good job in achieveing what he wanted. Major improvement!!!