The neighbor brought over a 1917 that her dad had years ago sporterized and was in need of repair.


As you can see he took the mil stock and spliced on a tip to form a pistol grip. You can see the grain of the tip runs 90 deg to the stock. I'm sure that through 50+ years the different expansion rates have caused the clue to turn loose.

The tip was glued along the bottom and fitted and glued along the rear as well. While the bottom has failed the rear hasn't. She wants it as close to how her dad had it as possible. But wants the tip to stay on. I'm afraid if I try and get the rear loose I will split the tip.

So I think the best and simplest way would be to dye some epoxy and fill the gap. I have done this before with good results. The issue here is the gape is open on 3 sides. I have not found an easy and removable way to dam the epoxy in place until it sets.

Suggestions.

Second question I was thinking of using the stock to simply get a grip forward pattern. Put the wood has been THINNED. How thick is a normal 1917 side to side at the front action ring?

In this photo is LOOKS almost like it was partially sawn off...

But as far as a dam, what about using duct tape?

Nope not sawed off. It was this way when I got it. I think it has just warped and separated. The grains run against each other. This side is the larger gap the other side is simply an exposed crack. I ran a razor blade through it to clean it up so a repair would stick the white is really dust. I had hoped to remove it but I think It will split on me.

I have used various tapes in the past. With mixed results. Seems like the heat has the epoxy sets softens the adhesive. If no one has a better Idea I will probably attempt it again with tape.

This is not a museum item.Drill a hole for a dowell through the added piece into the original stock. used Elmer's on the dowell and be done. Clean up after the glue has set.

If you want it to look original and not like a home made repair send it to The Stock Doctor. He does restorations that look original and not like a repair and the cost is very reasonable for something that uncomplicated.

The Stock Doctor

I agree if I could get the tip off I would dowel and glue it with Elmers after I did any minor fitting. A dowel through it as it sits will not close the gap.

As to the stock DR this is a bubba sporterized Military stock with some 10 line per inch checkering. Other than it was her fathers the value is about $10 if that.

This is I'm a nice guy job I can't see her paying for a repair. She simply doesn't want the tip to fall off.

Gottcha. I was thinking maybe the sentimental value was high enough to do more. Super glue/sawdust paste?

quote:

Super glue/sawdust paste

Hmmmm Hadn't thought of that. Thin or crack filling super glue?

It's called Acraglas gel, wont need tape, can be dyed to closely match, Brownells.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

Super glue/sawdust paste

Hmmmm Hadn't thought of that. Thin or crack filling super glue?

I'm the wrong one to ask that; I thought it only came one way. I get it from my buddy who uses it as final finish on the wooden barrel pens he makes. I've experimented with it to repair gaps in inletting before final finish. I mix it with sanding dust from the stock it's used on.

quote:

It's called Acraglas gel, wont need tape, can be dyed to closely match, Brownells

Yep I dye my Acraglas Gel all them time. It doesn't seem to warm enough to effect the stick of the tap. I had thought of using it but was having second thoughts about trying to get it in far enough. But thinking about it as long as I got good fill around the edge having 100% coverage probably isn't important.

Super Glue or Quick-Set CA (cyanoacrylate) is available in thin, medium, thick, and flexible. I've used the thin and thick on furniture.

You could use Acraglas Gel around the edges, as far as you can work it in. Leave an opening in front to flow in some regular Acraglas once the gel sets up. That should be solid.

Not sure how it will look, depends on how good your Gel dye job is. Probably try to err toward the darker side.

Or what about cutting it off, facing the mating surfaces off true, and there doweling and gluing? That might be the best way.

I would used dyed Acraglas then run a dowel through it and glass that in place also.

quote:

Or what about cutting it off, facing the mating surfaces off true

I would love to get the tip off true it and then install properly. While I have a very thin blade saw it will still remove some wood. After I then true it I'm afraid that the piece will be too small to match back to the stock. She has already stated she didn't want it refinished (more of my dad did it issue)

I agree if I go with a dyed epoxy best to err to the dark side

Have you thought of heat to soften the glue on the back of the added piece. wrap the part of the stock behind the grip in cotton cloth and pour boiling water carefully onto it while having gently increasing pressure on the tip of the cap. Secure the cap in place (strips of inner tube) until dry and go from there.

I'd just use a coping saw to even the gap between the cap and the stock so it looks straight, then fill with tinted epoxy.

Von

I had tried heat. I used the wife's hair drier. I was afraid the heat gun would bubble the finish. I think I'll try a wrap of plastic wrap and then the cloth and hot water. Or are you talking about actually bending it?

Bob I think and even gap assuming I cant remove it would be great. I have a dowel cut off saw that has the set on only one side so I would only remove wood from the cap.

The elephant in the room? You are going to have to touch up the finish anyway.

There is no way to put something into the hole without having some material outside the boundary of the existing gap. Acra Glass Gel is your best material and it will leave the least amount of clean up, IMO.

Use masking tape as an outside guide for the glue to dry. Use a strip of regular typing paper as a drag to bring the glue into the smaller portion of the gap. As for the dowel, I would use a dry wall screw AND a dowel. Use the exotic wooden dowel you create as a cap to the screw head.

All glues will de-laminate at 400 degrees. The glue used appears to be Elmers or horse hide glue. Both are heat sensitive. The hair dryer will not get it that hot unless you are insistant and then the varnish finish will bubble anyway. Since I believe you will have to do some refinishing to make the repair look right...why not.

To do a proper job the grip piece must be removed and refitted. It has come apart because the wood has changed and the original matching inlet doesn't work anymore. You might be able to break the two pieces apart by working slowly with a wood chisel and a hair dryer. Failing that I guess you'll have to fill the gap and try to color match either the stock or the grip. Either way refinishing in the grip area will be required. There are various techniques for hiding the fill line.

quote:

As to the stock DR this is a bubba sporterized Military stock with some 10 line per inch checkering. Other than it was her fathers the value is about $10 if that

No repair job is going to change this fact use the simplest and easiest. dyed Acraglas

Cut it off, square up the mating surfaces, and dowel it in place. IMO, filling the gap with glass just compounds bubba jobs.

Clarence

I appreciate the dilemma you have before you. The professional way would be to remove and refit. There is the client factor to consider. You mentioned she wanted it to look just like daddy made it. That narrows the possibilities of client satisfaction. You took a great picture of the problem.

After further thought, you can remove the addition and re-attach it with minimal glue gap is you use a heat gun set at 500+ degrees. Lightly scrape the old glue off, refit the surfaces and then reassemble with a hidden center pin made from a wood screw inserted from the underside of the block and epoxied with Acra-Glass liquid. There will still be clean up on the outside of the stock later but you can then reapply the needed finish to match afterwards.

This is kind of complicated but I have one of those hand-held vacuum pumps they sell at auto parts houses for bleeding bakes. They're about $15 and with some tape and the attachments that come with the pump, it would be pretty simple to draw epoxy through from one side to the other to fill the gap. I'd test a little puddle of the mix until it got the littlest bit firm and pull the tape. You should be able to trim up any excess with a blade and smooth the seam with a little acetone and a wipe.

Yes, cut it off and dowel/screw/ and epoxy it back on, eliminating the gap.

I would fabricate a bridge over the top of the grip, then use a wood clamp and slowly apply pressure until the gap is closed. The glue bond behind the grip will most likely fail, but that gap will be smaller and less noticeable. Use Acraglass gel and a hidden dowel.

Bill V

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I did do a trial and if you are slow you can actually push the gel into a slot like the stock had.

However I kept working a thin blade through it and got it cut off. But of course a rear corner split off. So that has been repaired. The surfaces cut to match. The rear junction does have about 1/16" gap. So it will get the dark epoxy. So that is the job for tomorrow.

As I said if it wasn't a neighbor and friend I wouldn't have fooled with it. Seems like it is about the only thing she still has from her dad. I offered to cut her a new stock, fit, finish and checker for only the cost of the blank and she preferred to keep this one. So yep it is a bubba but to her it is the memory of her dad.

So thanks again for all the suggestions.

Wow, 25 posts discussing the best way to glue a bubba'd milsurp stock... must be a slow day!

quote:

must be a slow day

Actually 2 slow days.

And I thought I was the only one who gets suckered into doing pro bono work!

Naw, happens to everyone!

you can always use a small compressor to blow the glue into the gap as well. I do this with epoxy on cracked hand guards on mil-surps all the time and it works well. Only difference is I use wedges to open up the crack a bit on those. That is obviously not needed here.

quote:

Originally posted by montea6b:
Wow, 25 posts discussing the best way to glue a bubba'd milsurp stock... must be a slow day!

Nope, just lots of Bubbas.

Well like I said the entire tip di finally come off. Squared everything up Had about 1/16 gap along the rear. The stock was a birch WWI I guess. The tip was plan old pine. So cut a slice of pine with stain then used dyed epoxy to put everything together. Yep dowel in the middle. No screw.

I forgot to take a darn picture. Brought it up to the study and then go side tracked. I thought it looked like a Bubba patch job. She loved it so I guess that is what really matters.

If I were doing it, I would remove it then using inletting black fit it (inlet it) flush in place then use two pins with oversize holes to allow a fit, then fill the pin holes with glass and apply a coat of clear glass on both surfaces and press it together using a vise or clamp of some kind to get it as tight as possible squeezing out all the excess glass. don't wipe off the excess much and when the excess gets thicker wipe it along the cut lines pushing the glass hard on the line surfaces, when cured, sand it flush with the stock. Now you can refinish the whole thing and match the finish with dye or better yet refinish the whole stock..

At worst you might see a minutely thin repair line in the brightest of sunlight if done properly, then again the dye might hide that.

The problem with a fix like this is time envolved and it could be costly and its a pretty rough old gun anyway, soooo you might just try it yourself following those directions., go slow and careful. the trick is fitting the two pieces of wood together with no gaps or line..it can be done.