5 min epoxy for bed?

[nekshot]

Yup, you guessed it now I am getting tired of buying acraglass and the other bedding epoxies. Any one use any of the more seasonable priced epoxies from Lowes or other similar stores?

[2AMMD]

nekshot
Be careful and check some before you use it on your gun. Most of the fast curing (5 to 15 minute) hardware store epoxies I have used are softer when cured than regular epoxy. Some of them were even almost rubbery.
2AMMD

[country gent]

I have used Marine tex with good results when a couple guys requested it. I perfer Bisonite over the others personnaly. The 5 min epoxies may be softer or be brittler have more shrinkage and a much sorter working time. I have added steel filing to acraglass gel to increase strength. A real pain making that many steel filings though. Plastic steel putty has been used with decent results to I believe. My issue with the 5 min epocies is mostly the short working time and having it cure set before ready.

[M-Tecs]

Some of the factories use hot glue – not very well but they use it. With the better bedding epoxies the shrinkage is nonexistent and they are very chemical resistant.

I use DEVCON Titanium Putty on match rifles and DEVCON PlasticSteel Putty (A) for general use.

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-bedding-adhesives/epoxy-metals-prod5808.aspx (http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-bedding-adhesives/epoxy-metals-prod5808.aspx)

Not cheap but I have not found a better product.

Bisonite is also good. http://championshooters.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=productdetails&virtuemart_product_id=845&virtuemart_category_id=25

Good read http://www.6mmbr.com/pillarbedding.html

[nicholst55]

A lot of benchrest shooters are using J-B Weld - not the 5-minute version, but the old standby, with very good results. I have had very good results with Devcon products, as mentioned above. Not cheap, but very good results.

I've used Marine-Tex a couple of times with varying results. I know a lot of people swear by it, and I might just need more experience with it. One tip on using MT - if you plan to dye it to match your stock, buy the gray stuff and NOT the white stuff! The gray dyes easily, but the white just sucks up your dye and barely changes colors.

[Larry Gibson]

Given the importance of proper bedding is it a good Idea to go "cheap" there?

Devcon and J-B have been good over the years but I would not use the 5 minute kind. By the time you've mixed it and got it into the stock on a full bed job it will be curing/cured. You'll really want a bit more time than that.

Larry Gibson

[W.R.Buchanan]

If you simply must use something cheap get some Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy. it is available in most Hardware stores. if you get really creative you can mix in stainless steel filings (use very fine ones) and you will have essentially the same thing as the Devcon that everybody above has been suggesting.

Or you can just go buy the real thing. It's not like you're going to be bedding that many rifle actions in one week, also Devcon does come in larger quantities, like 1 QT or even in Gallons.

Randy

[nekshot]

I tried some of this stuff yesterday. It got hard and gave me enough work time but I believe acraglass is cheaper in the big picture. I was surprised how little actually came out of the tubes. I had a great idea that went flat! I am gonna stay with accra glass for now because I know how it works.

[Doc Highwall]

My take on this is that it takes the same amount of time in preparation to do a good/great job wither you are using a known/proven bedding material, or a cheep bedding substitute that has most likely a greater shrinkage factor and may not take the recoil pounding at all or as long. The real difference in the end is the cost difference between the two bedding materials only and how well/long they last.

[Stephen Cohen]

I too use Devcon, the one time I tried to cut corners, I had to scrape it out a week late when it did not harden, in fact that was 3yrs ago and it is still sticky on my shed floor. By good quality the first time and do the job once.

[Ben]

Brownell's Acra Glass,- - - a proven performer over the years.
I wouldn't use anything else.

Ben

[Garyshome]

I think I'll try JB weld on my mosin, when I get around to it.

[Goatwhiskers]

Re: steel filings, Brownells sells, or used to sell, a tub of atomized stainless steel, still have some, Works great if you feel compelled to reinforce your bedding. GW

[Safeshot]

You might want to do a "Test" to see how well the 5 minute epoxy penetrates and bonds to the wood. I like the original "slow curing" epoxies. Devcon, Marine Tex and Acra Glass have all worked well for me in the past. They bond well and have sufficient "working time".