Getting close to the end of this project (in posts, not time). I am now ready to glass bed the stock into the action. On this rifle, it will help with cosmetics as it will let everything fit together nicely. The glass bedding will also protect the wood from cleaning solvents and gun oils in the areas under the metal. Here we can see the stock ready for application.

Ready

Although it can not be seen in the picture all the metal parts are now coated with a mold release agent. This will prevent the metal adhering to the glass bedding. If you do not use a release agent, all you are creating is an expensive club as it will be very difficult to remove the stock from the action without destroying something.

Receiver ready

The next step is mixing the glass bedding material. I am using Brownells Acraglas Gel® for this project. Basically it is a two-part epoxy with a small amount of dye added to color match the wood.

Mixing the glass

Once the Acraglas is mixed, it is applied to the stock, the receiver inserted and tightened as it would normally be. At this point, there is no internal parts in the receiver. In order to make sure there is space for all the parts and to prevent the bedding material from going into place I do not want it to go, I used play-do as a filler. That is the green stuff you see. Who says a gunsmith can not have fun!

Bottom

After the Acraglas hardened for a while, I removed the receiver from the stock to verify it can come out of the stock.

Play-do!

I also removed as much of the play-do that I could at this time. The receiver was then coated with a release agent again, re-assembled and left to cure overnight.

Left side, waiting to cure

Right side, waiting to cure

After the Acraglass cured, I removed all over spatter and streaks from the wood.

Ready for the first finish coat

The stock is now ready the first finish coat. (Or so I thought) In the next post I will show the start of the finishing process.