I'm about to embark on my first bedding job. The stock is a laminated version that was inletted rather poorly by a 'smith. My question is:

How much (if any) material needs to me removed in the areas to be bedded (tang, recoil block, etc)? I guess the inverse of this is, how thick does the bedding compound layer need to be?

Also, how do you keep the compound from "running" into the action screw holes? A thin ring of modeling clay around the holes?

Thanks.

The thickness question depends on the type of epoxy bedding compound you are planning to use. I would put 1/8 to 1/4 inch behind the recoil lug if I were doing it, but there may be other opinions on this. You definitely want to keep the bedding compound out of the screw holes and other recesses. Make or buy a couple of headless guide screws for the action. When seating the barreled action into the wet bedding compound, the guide screws will push the compound out of the way. Then, remove the screws and replace with the regular action screws, or better yet use the special hand screws made for that purpose. I assume you know about release agent, putty in the gaps and recesses and all that.
good luck!

Thanks for the info. I do know about release agent and putty use. I do have one question, though...

There are some very small rust pits on the recoil lug (it's a buddy's gun). Do these need to be filled with putty, and how's the best way to do that if so?

Put one layer of masking tape on front and sides of the recoil lug (some also tape the bottom, I never have). That will cover any pits in those areas. If the pits are minor as you say, a heavy coat of paste wax on the rear of the lug should take care of it.

Texan,
The bedding does not have to be very thick at all. The intention is to get a uniform surface that matches the recoil lug. Keep it to a minimum. Coat the metal everywhere with a release agent, including those areas where you are certain that any of the epoxy can not make contact as it will in the some cases. I do not use any tape on the front and sides of the lug. I do however relieve those surfaces after I remove the action. I use carnuba floor wax for a release agent. You can get it at hardware stores. Push the action screws into it and coat the female threads by using a q tip.

As far as keeping out the compound from the holes try this. Hold the stock in a vice with access to the bottom of the action. Insert the screws into the bottom metal and put the bedding compound around them but with enough material to fill the voids and leave it away slightly. Lower the action down onto the screws and align the screws with the holes. Slowly tighten them one by one and a little at a time. Once they are threaded in, you are home free. Take your time.

Do not wait until the compound is rock hard to remove the screws. Leave some of the ocmpound and test it and when it is just solid and beyond the gelled stage remove them. Then let it set up further before you remove the rest of the metalwork.

I didn't see any mention as to what kind of rifle this is (what action etc.)and my way of doing things varies a bit according to the type.
On today's laminated stocks, the veneer used to make them often isn't all that great and is the weak link. Because of this they may have a bit of a tendency to split so I think the installation of some sort of cross re-enforcement is a good idea. In most cases a wood screw with the head cut off which is bedded into a groove cut across the bedding works well. In other words the screw is within the bedding and will be invisible but will add strength to the stock. If one prefers, a piece of hardwood doweling installed in the same way will accomplish the same task.
My preferred method of bedding is to cast acraglas pillars around the screws when bedding. To do this I drill down through, or very nearly through, the stock at the location of each screw. Then I remove whatever wood I want behind the lug and up to within 1/16" of the top of the inletting. I usually remove quite a bit of wood depending on the nature of the job and the quality of the wood. A crappy, porous piece of wood is well replaced with Acraglas. A good. dense piece of French walnut is pretty darn good on it's own.
After I apply release agent (I use paste wax and have for over 30 years)to the bottom metal and the screws I install these into the stock and hold them in place with some masking tape. I mix up the glas using quite a bit of fiberglas in the mix then put glas down around the screws. You have to make sure to work it around to exclude all air pockets. At the same time I'll install any concealed cross screws or dowels as previously mentioned and glop (advanced gunsmithing term) a bunch into the action mortice. When I put the wax on to the barrelled action I have smeared some into each of the guard screw holes and been careful that all surfaces are coated. Now I put some acra glas mix in those places where air is likely to be trapped and create a void in the bedding. Like behind the recoil lug and along the side of a mauser, behind the lug and under the tang of a M70. Put the barreled action into the stock and turn the screws in until the action is pulled down to the correct level. Then back the screws off about 1/4 turn. Then set it aside until the next day.
On the next day the nicely waxed screws will come out with little difficulty as will the barrelled action. Run a 17/64 drill bit down through the guard screw holes and there you have it, a strong stable, and pretty darn handsome bedding job.
This is the way I bed a factory stock or a stock for a target rifle or rough use hunter. It is also the method for a remedial bedding job where I'm correcting poor inletting.
In Customstox' scenario, his stocks don't have poor inletting and are usually made from quality wood. For this reason he nevr needs more than a minimal amount of glas as a sealant and likely doesn't "need" that. Regards, Bill

I use a wetting coat of glass on the areas of the action that will be bedded. And when putting the bedding material into the action recess, put a thin coat over the are to be bedded but pour the main quantity of the material in a windrow down the center of the inletting. As the barreled action is lowered into the inletting the glass will be pushed up the sides. This forces air out of the inlet preventing air pockets in the bedding job.. The wetting coat on the action and the wood is needed to help the bulk of the material to flow and bond a bit better. Also I pour the bedding first and pillars in a second pour. The purpose of pillars is not so much to bed the action as to prevent the bedding from changing and I find it easier to get the inletting right before creating the pillars. Also one can use inletting guide screws when bedding and simply use surgical tubing to apply the tension to the bottom metal and the action. Blocks are sometimes needed to apply the pressure to the bottom metal and beware... Only apply pressure to the front and rear action screw areas. The tubing when wrapped tightly can actually slightly warp an action if applied to thickly in the center area.. I also break the beddings bond before it sompletely hardens and at that time I remove any overflow.. Use a plastic chisel made from the handle of an old toothbrush.. won't scratch the blue!!

Tex,

A few seconds with calipers on the lug to make sure the geometry doesn't lock it in the bedding is time well spent.

The standard way to get clearance around the action screws after pillar bedding is to just drill out the holes with something like a 17/64" or 9/32" bit. To split hairs, that may or may not result in a centered hole. Here are a couple of admittedly obsessive-compulsive techniques I use. The simplist is to get a chucking reamer the size of the desired hole, say 17/64" or 9/32" which I prefer, with a 1/4" straight shank, and sharpen the back side of the flutes (or have a machinist do it for you). To use it you simply push the shank down the hole in the pillar, chuck the shank in an electric drill, and pull the reamer backward through the hole. The 1/4" shank acts like a pilot and keep the enlarged hole centered. A low tech method is to get a piece of brass or aluminum 1/4" I.D. tubing from a hobby shop. Cut a couple of pieces the depth of your pillars. Wax them up real well and slip them over your action screws before you run them into the bedding compound. When the bedding has hardened, degrease the inside of the tubing and inject a bit of epoxy and let it harden. You now have a plug. Take a punch and knock out the plugged sleeve. You now have a pillar with uniform clearance around your action screw. Be careful when knocking out the plug that it really does meet the surface of your bedding or some will chip out around the edges. Won't hurt the function any, but looks a bit sloppy. Before punching you may want to take a drill the diameter of the tubing and drill just a bit to make sure the edge of the tubing is exposed so that it will come out clean. Both of the techniques have worked well for me (a non-pro non-machinist), and I am comfortable knowing that my action screws are dead-centered.