All,

I am about to start refinshing a stock and realized it has a very small and non-displaced crack in the for end. I would take a picture, but am relatively confident it would not show-up.

The crack is right at the tip of the forend, starting at the end-grain and running back about 1 inch, it is about 3/8 in down from the bbl channel edge. It looks like either the stock took a hit there, or pressure from the barrel (which is now free-loating) may have been the culprit.

You can see the line, and it only barely moves when I apply a goodly amount of pressure with my thumb. It isn't going anywhere, but I would like to stabilize it as best as possible since I am going thru with refinishing it.

So, how best to do this? It is small and it will be difficult to get any epoxy or glue in there. I was thinking of heating the wood with a hair dryer, then trying to squeegee some cyanoacrylate (Krazy glue) in there.

Whatcha all think???

TIA

Bob

After stripping the finish ( your refinishing any way )

Tape off all around the crack and pressure it open and either use a clear epoxy or Type 2 wood glue .

Force it in and keep forcing it until it's saturated within that hairline crack . Relax the fore end

Surgical tubing wrap or light clamp pressure . Allow FULL CURING , before proceeding with refinishing !.

BOL .

Acraglas heated with a hair dryer will turn watery and run into some pretty small cracks. I don't know if any other epoxy would work the same.

quote:

Originally posted by Blackbart2:
It is small and it will be difficult to get any epoxy or glue in there.

Bob

Because you said that the crack was caused by incorrect fit that has been corrected, I would guess that you won't need to do anything special to make it hold.

I have had good luck completely covering the entire crack with epoxy, then wedging it open. When the crack is opened pressure draws some epoxy into the crack. Then you clamp it shut and wipe off the excess.

But Chic Worthing has by far the best method I have come across. He wedges the crack open, covers with epoxy, then uses compressed air to "blow" the epoxy into the crack. Then he clamps it shut and wipes off the excess.

I like Chic's method because it ensures near 100% coverage inside the crack.

A simple squeeze bottle will suffice for forcing adhesive into the crack .

I some times use a vacuum set up to get epoxy into crevices , however for what you have described force it

open as best you can and just use a small plastic squeeze bottle to force into the crack .

Type 2 wood adhesive is nearly as good as epoxy for wood ( remember adhesives are formulated for specific

purposes and materials and cost far less than epoxies ! ) .

If you're stuck on using Epoxy I use a similar product to this and it has yet to fail even in severe

service . http://www.ellsworth.com/displ...tid=936&Tab=Products

For wood adhesives there are none better for retail usage than ;

http://www.titebond.com/IntroP...goryTB.asp?prodcat=1