1. Do not forget to wipe some carnauba wax on the latex tubing.

2. Do not forget to wipe some carnauba wax all over the stock, both sides, top and bottom around the area of the crack. Epoxy is like a pox, it migrates in strange and unusual (some would say paranormal) ways.

3. Do not alter a variable in an experiment before testing the change of variable (1st rule of experiments). Not adding brown dye causes some unusual chemical reactions.

4. Do Not use Acraglas thinned with a highly volatile organic solvent except with the brown dye and in very small quantities.

Ok. I mixed up some Acraglas and didn't use the brown dye. Before the epoxy had set up just like normal. Without the dye it will not. It stays semi-flexible.

Highly volatile organic solvents evaporate quickly. They make bubbles in your epoxy. Bubbles in epoxy = bad.

I am having fun grinding out the yucky stuff and will, this time, put in epoxy with the brown dye, unthinned. I noticed with the syringe last night I could have done this.

The hydraulic pumping thing, while making disgusting little slurping sounds, does in fact work like gangbusters. It works so well in fact, epoxy will drool all over the stock. It will drool all over just those parts you did not put carnauba wax on.

Suffice to say the stock is permanently glued back together. I will grind out this yucky, semi-flexible stuff and then put the good old fashioned Acraglass back in with some reinforcing.
The epoxy in the crack appears to have become extremely hard. I guess the surface area was large enough to allow the methylene chloride to diffuse out before forming the bubbles. So at least in the cracks it is ok.

I love this stuff!!

[ 04-19-2003, 23:52: Message edited by: Roger Rothschild ]

...and DONT do like I did and walk into a hardware store with an A-5 stock glued to your hand and ask for super glue remover, either.

Uses super glue sparingly and you will be happy. Epoxy will get hard if you leave set long enough. It takes along time for the solvents to escape. By the way the super glue is stronger than epoxy in this use.
Dan P.

That is something I will remember, next time I'll use the Superglue.

Just for future info

Super glue remover = nail polish remover = acetone

And, always keep superglue in your first-aid kit as it is wonderful for closing lacerations caused by riflescopes; lacerations that should be sutured but you don't want to stop hunting and you can't count on finding it at the general store that's fifty miles from anywhere on a Sunday morning but you sometimes are lucky.

Also, warn you partner not to glue his fingers to your forehead!

Now, ask me how I know ALL this!

When you break or split a stock, immediately and gentlely wrap the broken ends and edges in cotton and wrap the stock in a lot of protection...save all the broken pieces...If you toss the broken stock arond and lay it on benches etc. the sharp ends will bend, break and otherwise change description and lessen the ability to fit it back together without gaps showing up.....properly protected most breaks cannot be detected, by even the most astute....