Ladies and Gentlemen:

I have been using the Brownells bedding compound for years to bed wooden and fiberglass stocks, and started to have some real problems with the mixture in 2004. Sometimes, the hardener had granules in it, and this morning I got pockets of unhardened resin after letting it harden over night. Also, after 2004 the color of the finished bedding is mottled. Prior to 2004, it was a consistent black color.

This bedding compound that I used yesterday was four years old, and it was replaced by Brownell's in 2004. A Brownell's customer service employee told me yesterday that the shelf life is seven years for their bedding compound. She also told me to heat the compound in hot water in its bag for 20 minutes to remove the granular hardener, which worked.

Nevertheless, after letting the bedding compound return to room temperature, approximately 66-68 degress, I ended up with unhardened pockets of resin in the bedding as mentioned above.

Brownell's is stepping up to the plate, and replacing the bedding compound again, but this is the fourth time that I have had problems.

Prior to 2004, their bedding compound worked flawlessly. I bedding approximately 15 rifles with it before 2004.

What type of bedding have you used that produced successful results?

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

Are you talking the liquid or the gel? It sounds like you are not mixing it enough in either case.

I normally use the gel and have never had a problem with it. I use a lot of it so I am not concerned about shelf life

+2 on the Gel...

The only problem I've had was i bought a jar of the BROWN coloring and to my eye it looks a little to much on the greenish side. Went to the local artist store and found a close out on some of their tubes of paint, bought several and can now mix until i get a color that matches what i'm doing.

If you are referring to "Steel Bed", I also encountered problems with it, when it got a little age on it. I started heating it, with a hairdryer, while mixing. I also made a "beater", out of a peice of #10 copper wire, that I chuck in my battery drill and use to "whip" the compound while mixing. This has eliminated the "flakes" and "lumps".

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Thank you all for your input.

I spoke with Brownell's today, and they are sending me some of their Marine-Tex bedding compound to try out. By the way, Brownell's is an excellent company, and I love doing business with them.

What I was using was the Brownell's "Glasbed", which they told me is really Acraglas, but in a plastic bag that you mix together for four minutes. I've used this compound on approximately 15-20 rifle stocks, and did not have any trouble mixing it, applying it or succeeding in producing a perfect bed until 2004.

Also, I've done my fair share of body panel fiberglass and Bondo repair work, so I know how to mix resin and hardener.

The technician at Brownell's said that over the past few years, they have had problems with "Glasbed" and Acraglas similar to my problems.

I have not tried the Steel Bed, and will give a report on the Marine-Tex after I use it.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

quote:

I normally use the gel and have never had a problem with it.

X3

I've seen that problem, we just figured that they sent the crappy batch to Canada.