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Char-Gar
07-27-2006, 11:28 AM
Just finished another beding with Acra-glass. It works just fine, but lordy I have the runny factor on the stuff.

Has anybody come up with something that works just as well, that is more of a paste or putty texture that stays in place?

sundog
07-27-2006, 11:48 AM
Chargar, Acra-glass Gel. sundog

Char-Gar
07-27-2006, 11:53 AM
Sundog.. I know Brownell sell such stuff. Have you every used it and if so how does it compare to the stuff with the runs in terms of doing the intended job?

I have used Acra-glass since the 1960's and am familiar with it's quirks. However I have three more rifles to do and I am stick and tired of the runs.

Ben
07-27-2006, 02:45 PM
Standard acra glass and the new acra glass gel is like comparing apples and oranges, I have no use whatsoever for the old " runny kind ". It creates more messes than it is worth.

The new Brownell's acra glass gel is clearly the hands down choice in bedding compound.

I've never had a problem of any kind with agra glass GEL !!!!!

Here is a Rem. 700 that I did 2 days ago:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0004-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0002-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0003-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0010.jpg

Thanks,
Ben

StarMetal
07-27-2006, 02:48 PM
Ben,

I have no use for either Acru-glass product, I'm dyed in the blue Devcon fan. If it was good enough for the Marines back in the old days, it's good enough for me. Actually I use the Devcon Steel which you mix to a putty like material. Very easy to work with and dynamite stuff.

Joe

sundog
07-27-2006, 02:51 PM
Chargar, I did my 03 sporter with it. Mixes and applies with pop sickle sticks or tongue depressors. NO runny. It will take dye. The gel is, "good stuff, Maynard!" I did have a tad squeeze out around the front of the receiver and got against a spot on the bbl with no release, and it took a little prodding to get apart. But it certainly did not run. Give it a try. Methinks you will like it. sundog

Ben
07-27-2006, 03:01 PM
Joe:
One better than another ? ? ?. I don't know? ?, you pays your money, you makes your choices.

Ben

Char-Gar
07-27-2006, 05:54 PM
OK guys.. that is what I wanted...hand on experience.. I will get some Acra-glass gel for my next project. Sorry Joe..

waksupi
07-27-2006, 07:47 PM
Acragel is a real favorite at work. We did try Pro-Bed, and found it would change dimensions too much, often requiring re-inletting. Devcon is good, although I prefer aluminum, to the steel type. And, it will not generally take dye. The manufacturer tells you that right up front. So, if you are a carefull bedder, and are not trying to fill in gaps between wood and metal, it will work fine. If you have gaps, you will have some ugly color showing. Many benchrest shooters prefer the Devcon for pillar bedding. If you use Devcon, DO NOT use the two part putty type. You will create a nightmare for yourself.

Hackleback
07-27-2006, 09:49 PM
I asume that Acru-glass is an epoxy product. There are several things that can be used to thicken epoxy and are used all the time in wooden boat building. They include; wood flour, hydrated silica and micro ballons. Wood flour is nothing more than sanding dust. Hydrated is a white fluffy powder, and micro ballons are very small glass spheres. For more information on these and other epoxy products, check out the sites below. Note; ther is a BIG difference between Epoxy and the much cheaper polyester resins (Bondo).

I hope this is helpful

http://www.westsystem.com/
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com

shooter575
07-28-2006, 10:43 AM
I have been using the westsystem epoxies for a few years now.The epoxie is thin as mixed.But by adding any one of the fillers you can thicken it up to peanut butter stiffness.I use the wood dust they sell as a filler,gives it a light brown color.I add a bit of powdered poster paint to to go darker.They have a nice pump set up to get the right mix. Once you get used to the stuff you will find all kinds of uses for it.
Here is a 1855 rifle I built with full length bedding.The lock mortice was cut a little deep so the channel was built there with the epoxie.Hence the color diffrence.I use the stuff to repair cracked stocks with good results also.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/shooter575/Mvc-026f.jpg

Junior1942
07-28-2006, 10:55 AM
>Hence the color diffrence

Huh? That's the most perfectly matched bedding job I've ever seen.

PatMarlin
07-28-2006, 03:57 PM
Grasshopper... Ben is a shaolin stock bedder...:mrgreen:

Blackwater
07-31-2006, 02:02 AM
Chargar, I've also used Micro Bed, which I believe is also available from Brownell's. Its working time is MUCH longer than the thinner 4:1 Acra Glass, and longer than the Acra Glass Gel, too, or at least in my limited experience with the AGG.

One trick to thickening up the thinner 4:1 ration (resin to hardener) is keeping handy some vials of walnut dust. I collect mine from the belt grinders. It'll turn the glass dark red/brown, and you just mix more wood dust in until you get the consistency you want. In my experience, it hasn't worked to the detriment of the few bedding jobs I've used it for. It's good for filling in holes or voids in stocks, too, but that color won't usually match walnut. Looks kind of like a knot, though, so it COULD be worse. I'd much rather use a harder material than wood to thicken it, though, and steel or aluminum dust would be what I'd use for stock bedding. The thin AG does take dyes, though, and we keep both brown and black at the shop. The black's used on metal (matches hot blue/black oxide finishes well), and the brown on wood. A pinhead size dollop of the dye will treat a darned large quantity of AG, and Brownell's has that, too. Would make the bedding look a lot nicer, IMO, than using a silvery metal dust in the cler finish.

Nothing I know of is as strong as AGG. I think or have heard that Micro Bed uses diatomaceous earth to fill its resin, and it's pretty stiff stuff until you mix it with hardener and stir. Haven't used Devcon yet, but need to try it.

Bucks Owin
07-31-2006, 12:15 PM
Just for kicks, I used JB weld to float/bed my "project 10/22" with Boyds stock and GM barrel about a year ago. You can mix or let sit to about any consistency you like....(within reason!)

Turned out very well and it stays sighted in just fine even after dozens of disassemblies...

FWIW,

Dennis :Fire:

Junior1942
07-31-2006, 12:41 PM
Just for kicks, I used JB weld to float/bed my "project 10/22" And I used J&B Weld on my Turk 38 project. I like it.

Char-Gar
07-31-2006, 08:22 PM
Just as an update. I picked up some Acraglass Gel at the local gunstore. It was $3.00 less than Brownells price and no shipping. I mixed up just a tad to fill a couple of small gaps between the wood and the metal. The runny stuff would not stay there. The Gel worked to perfection. Thanks guys... I am a convert.

AZ Pete
08-08-2006, 10:39 PM
Marine-Tex is a two part expoxy that is the consistency of modeling clay. I use acra-glas gel with satisfaction, but got some Marine-tex to try, and it is good stuff too, really stays where you put it.

BeeMan
08-09-2006, 03:43 PM
Another method for thickening epoxies is to pre-stiffen the resin with a portion of the proper amount of hardener. Simply measure out the full amount of resin and add maybe 1/3 of the total required hardener. Mix thoroughly. After waiting the cure time appropriate for your particular epoxy, the resin is less runny. Add the rest of the hardener to complete the proper ratio, mix thoroughly, and proceed as usual. This gives a job that is pure resin.

This can be also done in conjunction with powder fillers or thickeners. Note that fillers are used to add bulk or strength, without necessarily changing the tendency of the liquid epoxy to run. Thickeners like Cab-o-sil create a thixotropic paste, from which resin will not leak before curing. Thickeners reduce wetting action of the resin, so precoat with unthickened resin when bond strength is paramount.

This info came from the System Three Epoxy book, see http://www.systemthree.com/index_2.asp

BeeMan