I have been using acra glas gel for all my bedding jobs but recently I keep hearing about marine tex. Is this stuff better and how hard is it to use? I'm sure somebody out there has some input. How about it?
Migra, I've only used it for boats and related stuff, not for rifles so far. All I can tell you is it's pretty stiff, which makes it more difficult to work with. It hardens very well.
Seems I've heard of dozens of epoxy based things being used for bedding, and I suspect (?) that getting a good fit in the stock is probably more important that which of the many preparations are used.
I keep going to Micro Bed. It's easier to work with (to me at least) and gives you good working time. I like a bedding compound to "flow" a bit. Seems to me like this is important to get that good fit to the action.
I used AcraGlas Gel for quite some time, as well as a couple of others. I started using Marine Tex and prefer it to any I've used so far.
The advantages I see are several. First, it sets up hard quite a bit quicker than AcraGlas. It's pretty well done in about 4 hours, yet the working life isn't much different than AcraGlas. Also, I've been usine the grey one, it comes in two colors, and it looks almost black in the stock. I just prefer the color. Acraglas seems to be a bit flexible, or softer, than Marine Tex which is quite hard. I've had great luck with it and while I have both on hand, I always tend to reach for the Marine Tex when I have something to bed. No difference in release. I use a paste wax (Min Wax) as a release agent and both seem to release about the same.
Posts: 1261 | Location: Placerville, CA, US of A | Registered: 07 January 2001
I agree with Bob338, the Acraglass feels flexible. It sure flows good though. I used some of Brownells bronze powder to stiffen the mix up. DO NOT go by their 1:1 formula if you add metal powder. I tried that and the stuff was like warm plastic. It didn't want to conform to the contours of the wood. I went with about 2 tablespoons of 'glass with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons bronze powder. It set up like rock.
For what it is worth, I've used Marine Tex to bed several rifles, but since discovering Devcon plastic steel I have ceased using Marine Tex. I do not know what the tensile or compression strength of Marine Tex is relative to Devcon Plastic Steel or Acra Glass. I will try and research it. I quit using MT because it is difficult to use relative to the Devcon product. MT is very sticky and difficult to measure precisely. Devcon plastic steel comes in a two barrel syringe and is thus premeasured. It is very smooth and seems to have about the right stiffness to avoid sagging during cure. It sets up into a nice hard, black matrix.
Again, I do not know the relative tensile/compression strengths of the above products. It is purported that many benchresters use Marine Tex. I simply prefer the convenience of Devcon Plastic Steel. If you want a more exotic option, there is also Devcon Titanium putty and stainless steel putty. They also have an aluminum based matrix.
I have used most of the potions out there, and I like MarineTex pretty well, especially when you don't want the stuff to run too far or you have to use a lot of it.
I like Brownells Steel Bed the best as far as toughness, but you can't beat Devcon for small jobs. It's just too handy - and it's pretty tough, too.
I used Devcon for quite some time then went to Brownells Gel and now I use Marine Tex and I like it better than the rest...I still use Brownells on ocassions..I'm not sure there is all that much difference in any of that stuff, its basically the same thing....
What some guys here see as a liability, I see as a positive. Marine Tex is thick enough that it stays where you want it. You can put it in place, work your way around the whole inletted portion that you want to bed, & it still is in place when you set the action down in it.
One tip to improve the flow of acraglass gel is to hit it with a heat gun. This will decrease the pot life, but warming it up a little bit greatly improves its workability. Considering how cold my garage can get, heating up epoxies is a must.
Posts: 7213 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 27 February 2001
