I've been working on a new stock for my rem 700 since 2006. I've got it finished and am ready to do the final bedding.

I've got a pillar system and epoxy system ready to go.

I just need some reassurance that its going to turn out ok. I've got maybe $210 into the stock if it goes bad. not that big of a loss. But i have countless hours into it sanding finishing and resanding....

anyone with last minute tips / tricks / pitfalls? that I should look out for?

Steve

Yes, make certain that you have covered all the exposed metal that will be in the vicinity of the epoxy, and then some, with a good paste wax or release agent. Nothing worse than having to break a stock into pieces to remove it because you missed a spot. Also, plan your moves in advance. Good luck!

Hint: For your next project always bed the stock before refinishing.

Too Manytools passed this along to me awhile back .

http://www.scorehi.com/pillar%20installation.htm

Good luck just make sure to use release or paste wax where epoxy isn't welcome . Don't be afraid to apply it more than once either !. As Westpac has already informed you .

When I was instructing mold making techniques , I always stressed release Applications !. Polishing the mold being paramount . Then release application , release polishing then reapplication polish and if using any substrate with porosity reapply and don't polish or remove until parts were pulled !.

Sticking a part in a mold is detrimental to the mold and a costly mistake . Screw the part . In firearms " You don't screw the Part " !.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

Here are a couple of tips that will really help.

Use paste wax for release agent. Apply it with a short bristle brush, I like the acid brushes. That way it gets into the smallest nooks and crannies. Buff it off then apply a second coat and buff it off.

Take a Q Tip and apply wax to the stock all along the outside of the inleting, approx 3/8" wide then buff off. Two coats again.

Now take a Q Tip and apply wax in the inleting of the action everywhere you dont want any glass to stick. If you are bedding part of the barrel channel under the chamber area, determine where you want the glass to stop and apply wax from that point forward. Now when you clean up the over flow afterwards you can cut a line with a chisel where you want the glass to stop and just pop the excess glass out. This is a lot easier and cleaner than grinding the overflow out with a dremel tool.

Apply masking tape on the outside of the stock leaving a 1/4" strip of wood for you to trim the overflow accurately. Make some wooden chisels and knives by sanding pop sicle sticks and waxing them. Now when the glass first kicks over to the consistancy of putty you can trim the inleting and edges with the wooden chisels and not damage the stock.

Unavoidable runs and messes can be cleaned with a cotton rag and vinegar.

Dont forget to wax the action screws and bottom metal well, here again the brush will do a good job of getting into the threads.

Any overlooked runs will pop right off with your fingernail because you waxed the exterior of the stock.

Have everything laid out with plenty of paper towels for mistakes, make a trial run before mixing and don't panic.

Don't use the the screws in glass bedding..press the action and barrel down to where you want it and leave it alone. You can use guide screws if you must...if you use tightened up screws then you get stresses in the action most of the time. If you must you can use guide screws and then wrap the tang with surgical tubing..

With a properly enletted stock glassing without guide screws or any kind of attachments is best for accuracy as you don't set up stresses when everything is pulled tight..

Thanks!

I'm going to get it all set to go tonight and probably do the epoxying tomorrow.

I'm using the score high system.

-S

Ray ; I have question . Can you use the screws to align the action with pillars and then use a couple of wraps of surgical tubbing to hold it . Then remove the screws or back them off would be better right ?.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target. ...

I like to use inletting guide screws to guide the action into place on the epoxy, then clamp or wrap the action tight. I wax the screws and turn them a bit after the first hour or so to make sure they release from the epoxy.

quote:

Originally posted by Toomany Tools:
I like to use inletting guide screws to guide the action into place on the epoxy, then clamp or wrap the action tight. I wax the screws and turn them a bit after the first hour or so to make sure they release from the epoxy.

Agreed. So do I.

An additional nice thing about using the T-handled guide screws such as those sold by Brownells is this: If you DO get them stuck by the epoxy "glassing" compound, you can heat the "T" end with a hair dryer or heat gun and turn them right out. You don't need enough heat that either a wood or plastic stock need be damaged. Don't ask me how I know. (Learned this at the famous HK school back in 1959.)

Update:

Got everything set to go tonight and things were going really well. Then I opened up the epoxy containers and the goo inside was all dried out. So have to call and get some replacements.....

2 B continued.....

It may not be what you think it is. That stuff doesn't dry out. It does, however, separate over time. Just use a butter knife or something stiff to stir it up and get everything mixed together. Just make sure you don't use the same tool to mix one and then the other without cleaning it first.

You have been given some good advice here, and some suspect. You want to use the mold release agent in the kit, not paste wax. It is a real mold parting compound, made for that use and nothing else. Follow the instructions - paint it on with the acid brush, let it sit for about five minutes and buff it off. Put on another coat and do the same if you feel like it, but one is enough. Do use the T handles, because if you adjust the pillars properly there will be the slightest bit of rocking between the barreled action and the stock when the T handles are tight. That's the point to pillar bedding - the stock is not in compression. If you use surgical tubing then you are bedding stress into the assembly and defeating the purpose of the pillars. The Score High system does not work like other pillar bedding, everything is done in one shot and comes out correct if you follow the instructions.

As for cleaning up excess epoxy, I use a wet cloth and toothpicks. No vinegar is needed with Pro Bed, and is not recommended because it can attack stock finishes sometimes. And don't put tape on your stock, because then you will have a thin line where the tape ended that you can't clean off. Just wipe everything clean and inspect it closely to make sure you didn't miss a fingerprint or any that squeezed out around the bottom metal.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to call, the toll free number is 1-800-326-5632

Another thing I like to do is apply a layer of electricians tape to the front,sides,and bottom of the recoil lug and be sure to apply release agent to these surfaces also. After the action is removed, the tape is taken off and there is just a bit of clearance for the recoil lug. Electricians tape is smoother than duct tape and works better I think. Good luck.

I use my screws and tighten them when I bed, but then I have not done "thousands of them". If it is properly inletted, the action will not be stressed by tightening up the screws. I bed the front recoil lug area and a small portion of the barrel and a small portion of the rear tang. The rest is just good wood to metal fit. I want the final product to fit the way it did with the actions screws and you are not guaranteed that with clamps or surgical tubing, you are with the screws. T handled guide screws will work just as well.

I do not buff the metal after I put on a paste wax, I leave the excess on and usually do 2 coats. I use a carnuba floor wax. If you have some recesses where the epoxy might be able to find it's way in there, and it will, then fill it with modelling clay and wax over the surface.

Half way down this web page is a good tutorial for bedding 700's

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/GunTech/NewsletterArchive.aspx?p=0&t=1&i=510

thanks all lots of great advice.

Couple things I learned. Some were also posted above but after I had finished.

- not using tape is a good idea. Else as stated you get a little line you can't clean off

- I used the release agent that came with the pro bed kit. Then i used the release agent that came with the brownell's kit on top of that.

- I used past wax in the mag box as its an ADL stock. this worked just fine, the epoxy that dripped down there just chiped out with a razor knife with out any problem.

I had tape on the stock which made it very difficult to tell what was going on in terms of propper alignment. (bad idea) (thanks american rifleman Mag for the tip on the tape...)

- I followed the directions per the pro bed kit and used the T-handles. had no problem with them sticking at all. backed off the t-handles after 1 hour as advised here. Worked just fine.

- Some how didn't get the rear of the action all the way down against the stock, thus the pillar is maybe 1/8" too high. not good Perpase tightened the front screw down too much poping up the rear....

With all that relase on it the action poped out smooth as can be.

Used extra modeling clay to fill in all the gaps around the mag box etc... this worked well.

- Its best to use more epoxy than you need to ensure it fills in everywhere and doesn't leave hollow spaces.

- Its easy to sand down the epoxy with a dermel

- not sure I'll bed another stock.

all in all a good learning, not sure how to do it better next time to get better results. I think i only about about 200-250 into it. but that's how it goes some time.