Anyone have any tips on bedding the barrel channel for a fluted barrel and still keep the barrel free floating? I have another standard barrel in the same contour, so I could use that as a kind of form. Just looking for suggestions. Thanks.

Duct-tape!

Carefully apply layers of duct tape to the length of the barrel keeping it neat and even. Apply enough layers to obtain the amount of free float you desire and then bed the full barrel channel. Afterwards, when you remove the duct tape, it's floated...

Don't forget to apply release agent or paste wax to the tape...

Good luck,

Malm

Pattern makers wax.

Pattern makers that work with sheet metal stamping dies have access to dimensional sheet wax. It is available in diferent thicknesses to cororspond to the thickness of the metal being stamped in a particular die.

I usually wrap 2 layers of .020" wax on the portion of the barrel I want to float, cover with a layer of thin cellophane packing tape then coat with release agent. If one does not cover the tape with packing tape, the heat from the epoxy with soften the wax and it will adhere somewhat to the bedding. It is not impossible to remove but it will require some effort with a stout fingernail and some elbow grease. I speak from experience on this one The cellophane packing tape should solve this problem on the next one

With this method one can control the float "gap" precisely.