glass bedding

[Bob Chabalowski]

I've read Brannen Sanders article but he doesn't say how thick the glass bedding is .1/16in 1/8in thanks in advance

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

The glass bedding compound should be sufficiently thick to fill the entire space between the barrel and the stock. Better to apply too much and let it squeeze out the sides when the barrel is inserted (excess can be quickly wiped off) than apply too little.
Jim Burgess, 15th Conn. Vol. Inf.

[Terry Davis 10639]

I've read Brannen Sanders article but he doesn't say how thick the glass bedding is .1/16in 1/8in thanks in advance

I built a '55 rifle last year, and had my first experience glass bedding. I was working with a well know guy who has built many skirmish rifles and makes parts, so I had the benifit of experienced advice.

Since the stock was new and unfinished, I opened up the barrel channel until the barrel fit in uniformly. I used an acetylene torch to soot up the barrel, put it in place, tap with a hammer, and the remove the wood where the black is, until the black is uniform. If you don't have a torch, they sell a bluing compound for wood working.
Then, I went an additional heavy 1/16", not worrying if it ends up a bit deeper, since the compound will fill it in. I was advised to use some modeling clay, roll out a strip, put it in the barrel channel, add the barrel and squeeze, then measure the thickness of the clay. That was a big PITA, so I ended up eyeballing it after a while, with very occasional spot checks.

The main caution was to be very careful in the barrel channel as not to break through the ramrod channel. If you do, which even if you are careful, you may anyway since they are not all drilled straight, it is not the end of the world. You will need to coat the ramrod with release and put it in place when you are putting the compound on. The ram rod will act as a form and plug the hole you made.

I used the release that came with the accraglass kit, and on the advice of the above mentioned master gunsmith, I ALSO coated EVERY METAL PART with Johnsons paste wax, the stuff that comes in the flat yellow can with the pry off lid. It was hard to find, but I finnally found some at a wood working store.

Coat the barrel, the tang screw, the barrel bands, lock screws, lock, and anything that you will be putting in place while the glass cures.
Next, it was recommended to me to fill the inside of the lock with modeling clay to keep the compound from getting in the lock works. I used playdoh because it was cheaper, but in my case the wood was high enough that not much got in that area. Picking the playdoh out of the lock was a PITA, but better than trying to get glass compound out.
Also, make sure you break the screws free a few turns occasionally during the cure, to make sure they are free then retighten.

I had the benifit of an unfinished stock to work with. I can't imagine doing it on a finished stock because the compound gets EVERYWHERE. After it sets up for a while, you can take a razor blade and trim the squeezings, but if your stock is finishisd already, you will want to protect it with something. I guess some use low tack tape.
I started off worrying about how much of the kit to use, but I ended up just mixing up the whole thing. For the $20 or so it costs, better to have too much then not enough. Again, on the advice of my mentor, I used the extra to glass bed the buttplate. He pointe out that it doesn't hurt anything and keeps it from soaking up water when loading on a rainy day. Anyway, it was a good use of the extra. Again, coat the buttplate, screws, and patchbox if you have one with release.

As I said, I am a novice, but using the advise I was given, mine turned out great.

Terry

[J Weber 4114V]

On a finished stock I coat the outside with a heavy coat of the paste wax also. Same stuff that Terry used. I always slide the bands on after setting the barrel into the epoxy. Make sure they are well coated with release also.
Once the epoxy is about 1/2 cured ie still rubbery I start to pick off the excess. I usually use a utility knife to run along the top of stock to remove excess that squished out along barrel

Good followup Terry

[Southron Sr.]

When I wrote that piece on glass bedding, I didn't realize I left out the "depth" the glass bedding should be in the barrel channel.

I like to kid my friends that the breech and forestock on the muskets I have glass bedded muskets are made of "glass bedding with a wood verneer."

I actual fact, you can only remove so much wood in the barrel channel until you break into the ramord channel or only so much wood in the breech section until you break into the lock recess/lock bolt holes in the stock. My basic rule is that a thick layer of glass bedding is BETTER than thin layer of glass bedding, but you can only cut out so much wood from a stock.So my best suggestion is when you are removing wood, use discretion.

When I a merrily using my Dremel Tool to remove wood from the forestock and breech areas of the stocks I am working on, I also cut or undercut some grooves in the side of the stock's barrel channel so the glass bedding can flow into these areas and create a "mechanical lock" of the bedding to the stock. I think this also stiffens the stock up some more and secures the bedding compound to the wood of the stock even better.

ALSO- when you have finished putting the barrel back in the stock, AND WHILE THE GLASS BEDDING IS JUST STARTING TO "SET" you can use an old wash cloth, wet with HOT water to remove glass bedding compound from the finished surfaces of your stock's exterior. The bedding will easily wipe off-which is much metter than waiting until the bedding sets and it has to be sanded off.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BEDDING PROJECTS!

[David Disher 12143]

On that last step, I used vinegar to remove the excess. Worked like a charm.

Ddisher
110thOVI
12143