Acraglas suggestions, hints and tricks?

[Cheyenne Ranger]

Decided to start work on my shotgun.  Got the finish off after many coats of paint stripper and hard work.  Didn't even burn myself with the stripper :grin:  It really wasn't as hard as I expected which is a rarity.

The wood is all washed down and figure I'll give it a couple of days to dry.  Right now in front of a fan inside the house.

This is the SxS that has small cracks in the stock at the very back center of the side plates.  Figure the recoil is driving the plates into the stock and cracking it.  

So I'm considering trying some Acraglas from Brownells.  Not so much for the bedding as for strengthening the stock.  Figure it needs it at all the metal to wood contact points plus I'll use a little to fill in the cracks and keep them from becoming bigger or breaking a piece clean off.

Now to my questions:

Is the release agent that comes with the kit sufficient or does the new aerosol release spray a better deal?

Is the gel better than the orginial?

Should I open up the gap at the back of the side plates a bit and fill in with acraglas--give it a buffer area so not contacting the wood directly?

Does the coloring packet do a good job of matching walnut?  I'll have to restain the wood and figure that if the acraglas will match walnut that's the color I'll go with.

Thanks,
Cheyenne

[Prof. Fuller Bullspit]

I've only ever used the Gel. The blue release agent works well, as does paste wax (the wood floor kind from Johnson and Johnson). I haven't used the spray on release agent. I like the paste wax for filling in voids in the metal where I don't want the expoxy to get.

My guess is that the non-gel version would flow into cracks a bit better, the gel version will work well for the bedding. If there are spaces where your bedding is needing work you won't need to make more. If your cracking is caused by uneven pressure on recoil this should help. If the cracks are due to lack of strength in the wood you will need to do some more support work or the cracks will continue.

The color packet does an ok job of staining the epoxy. It's tough to get the right shade to match a big repair.

[Cheyenne Ranger]

Thanks for the input.  the cracks are very short and just one on each side so I think I can epoxy them and not have it show too much.

Guess Brownells gets another order  :grin:

Cheyenne

[Will52100]

Goe easy with the dye, a little, and I mean little goes a long way, like a drop or two per cup.  Just keep adding drops till it looks about rite.

Accure glass is good stuf, though I've never used it for to bed guns.

[Big Paulie]

Here is a tip,

  If possible, wedge the cracks open just the slightest bit.  Apply the liquid accra-glass, and then use a can of compressed air, with a small straw nozzle on it, to gently blow the accra-glass deep into the cracks.  Then remove the wedges.  If possible, use some type of clamp (such as a padding your stock, and gently using a carpenter's clamp on the outside of it) to apply a small amount of pressure to close the cracks, during the curing period.  If you don't have a clamp, then even multiple strong rubber bands will help if you put them in the right place.   Let the whole thing cure for three full days before you remove the clamp.

  One problem with accra-glass though.  If the weather is really hot and humid (such as in Memphis, Tennessee during June, July or August) it is NOT going to cure properly.  I don't care what the label or instructions say, this is based on my personal experiences.  So wait until you have some nice 70 degree weather with low humidity, such as September or October.

  If you follow these instructions, then I think there is a really good chance that your cracks will be permanently fixed.  At any rate, it sure won't hurt.  Also, even if the walnut color of your accra-glass doen't totally match the wood, it generally blends in very well, and just looks like a normal grain pattern in the wood.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Big Paulie

[Cheyenne Ranger]

Thanks Big Paulie,

That was pretty much what I was planning to do on the cracks but I was going to use an air compressor.  I've  done this with Carpenter glue (blowing it in and light clamping so you don't force all the glue out) and it works well.

After the application I'm taking the stock inside away from the heat and humidity.  Nothing dries in Houston in the summer.

I lived in Whitehaven, just outside Memphis till the end of fourth grade.  Lived on Farrow Rd which is a stone's throw from Graceland.  Course we moved in June and Elvis arrived much later that year.   :grin:

I'll keep ya'll posted on how this goes.  Going to be a long term project.  Not in the amount of effort, just in the amount of time it takes.  Acraglas hasn't even arrived from Brownells yet so everything is on hold till at least then.

Cheyenne