Can this Stock be saved ??

12 July 2009, 18:41

hit-em

I decided to make my wife a new rifle based on a Sako L579 using a octagon barrel
She picked out a really nice piece of Claro Walnut with tons of color & figure..not my first choice but she liked the foo foo that this stock had.

Any way,after I got it inletted I decided to fully bed the barrel action. I thought I had cleared all of the bedding compound from any areas that would of bound the action.

I should of know I had a problem when I had a heck of problem breaking it free, but going into my brain dead mode I kept at it until it finally broke free.

I thought everything was fine until I noticed I had a crack coming from the back of the bolt release traveling down toward the grip.
It's about 1 1/2"-2" long ....I was thinking of taking some very thin super glue & seeing if I can glue it.

My question is will this work & can I save the stock, if not what can I do if anything to save the stock ??? or do I start over ???

The picture is not the stock, but shows where the crack is .....

12 July 2009, 18:42

hit-em

I tried to post a pic, but it didn't work....

12 July 2009, 19:15

tiggertate

Probably yes. If you send it to a pro, it can be done invisibly. Try the Stock Doctor if you don't want to do it yourself.

12 July 2009, 19:44

scr83jp

quote:
Originally posted by hit-em:
I decided to make my wife a new rifle based on a Sako L579 using a octagon barrel
She picked out a really nice piece of Claro Walnut with tons of color & figure..not my first choice but she liked the foo foo that this stock had.

Any way,after I got it inletted I decided to fully bed the barrel action. I thought I had cleared all of the bedding compound from any areas that would of bound the action.

I should of know I had a problem when I had a heck of problem breaking it free, but going into my brain dead mode I kept at it until it finally broke free.

I thought everything was fine until I noticed I had a crack coming from the back of the bolt release traveling down toward the grip.
It's about 1 1/2"-2" long ....I was thinking of taking some very thin super glue & seeing if I can glue it.

My question is will this work & can I save the stock, if not what can I do if anything to save the stock ??? or do I start over ???

The picture is not the stock, but shows where the crack is .....

I watched my gs stop a crack in my remington 870 forend by using a fine drill bit at the beginning and end of a crack then he sealed it.for more blanks go to www.hunterbid.com

12 July 2009, 20:21

congomike

A gunsmith I used to work for used this method:
Take some acraglass, the very thin, liquid type, and use an air compressor to blow it into the crack. He used to just VERY SLIGHTLY spread the crack so as to get more in. Clamp tightly and wipe off excess. I saw him repair many cracked stocks this way, all kinds of wood, figured and plain, and none ever came back.

12 July 2009, 21:45

hit-em

quote:
Originally posted by congomike:
A gunsmith I used to work for used this method:
Take some acraglass, the very thin, liquid type, and use an air compressor to blow it into the crack. He used to just VERY SLIGHTLY spread the crack so as to get more in. Clamp tightly and wipe off excess. I saw him repair many cracked stocks this way, all kinds of wood, figured and plain, and none ever came back.

This sounds like a way to go...Is there a way to thin Acraglass to make it even thinner ??

12 July 2009, 22:01

tiggertate

You can heat it. But remember that some will seep on the finish and you'll need to clean it off with acetone. Be sure your finish won't rub off too. That's where the pro part comes in; they can match the finish of it gets damaged in the process. If you are finishing it yourself never mind the pro part.

12 July 2009, 22:25

Jim Kobe

quote:
Originally posted by hit-em:
quote:
Originally posted by congomike:
A gunsmith I used to work for used this method:
Take some acraglass, the very thin, liquid type, and use an air compressor to blow it into the crack. He used to just VERY SLIGHTLY spread the crack so as to get more in. Clamp tightly and wipe off excess. I saw him repair many cracked stocks this way, all kinds of wood, figured and plain, and none ever came back.

This sounds like a way to go...Is there a way to thin Acraglass to make it even thinner ??

Some Lacquer thinners will thin epoxy.

12 July 2009, 23:18

J.D.Steele

Brownell's has a procedure for spraying Acraglas as a stock finish, and of course the spraying requires thinning. The procedure is recounted in one of their Gunsmith Kinks books and should give all the details of how to thin it.
Regards, Joe

12 July 2009, 23:36

quote:
Originally posted by congomike:
A gunsmith I used to work for used this method:
Take some acraglass, the very thin, liquid type, and use an air compressor to blow it into the crack. He used to just VERY SLIGHTLY spread the crack so as to get more in. Clamp tightly and wipe off excess. I saw him repair many cracked stocks this way, all kinds of wood, figured and plain, and none ever came back.

I was going to suggest this.I have been a cabinetmaker for 25 years,and it works very well.Before putting glue on,test your clamping setup and make sure you can get clamping pressure where you need it when the time comes.