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Controlling epoxy (and action) height when bedding with pillars

5K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  deadshot2 
#1 ·
Greetings forum!

My name is Soren and I'm from Denmark. This is my first post on this forum and please note that english is not my first language :)

The case is that I'm about to bed my first Rifle, a Howa 1500 in a wood stock, and I'm a bit unsure on the procedure to make the perfect pillar bedding job.

I have seen several guides on the topic, but I find the question of controlling the height of the epoxy layer (and thereby action) when using non-adjustable pillars only part covered.

I have drawn some simple illustrations to show you guys what I mean..

First, this is how I figure the perfect pillar bedding job should be:

(I have over exaggarated some parts of the drawing to make my point clear)



The action is fixed to the pillars that on the top side is alligned with the top of the epoxy layer. The pillars are glued to the stock and the bottom part of them is slighty offset with the stock so the bolts does not put any tension to the wood stock when tightning. There are no direct contact between the action and the wood stock, only through epoxy.

(Question, is this correct understood to be the principle of stress free pillar bedding?)

But if this is the optimum bedding job, how do you normally control the thickness of the epoxy layer to make sure bottom of the pillars are where they should be, slightly offset from the bottom of the wood stock? I figure most people use pillars with adjustable height because then when you squeeze the action and the stock together, you can just afterwards correct the height to get the right fit. But what if you want to use non-adjustable pillars?

Here is a drawing of how I have imagined to proceed my bedding job:



Using tape I secure the barrel is at a height where it is completely free floating. Using a bolt through the stock I can adjust the height I want the for the action after removing material from the stock to make room for the epoxy layer, but before applying the epoxy compound. This method provides two "removable" contact point that can ensure the right thickness of the epoxy layer before adding the time stress after the epoxy has been applied. Atleast to my thoughts

My questions is, since I have not seen others using the procedure, if this is the way to go or there is something I have misunderstood in the pillar bedding procedure?

Best Regards

Fresh @ Denmark
 
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#2 · (Edited)
"Height" when bedding is usually controlled by wrapping layers of tape around he barrel where it lies in the front of the stock barrel channel until it has the desired clearance above the stock forened. At the tang the height can be controlled by a variety of methods. Many who are bedding in a wood stock will inlet a little extra around the action but retain a small amount of the stock where it will support the tang at the desired height. This will result in the barreled action being supported at both ends, barrel and tang, allowing the bedding material to fill in the gaps.

Using properly sized machine screws that fit the action, attach the pillars so they are snug against the action. When bedding the pillars and action are ideally installed as a unit. When I do this I first apply bedding material around the pillars and then "butter" the action with a fairly thin layer of bedding material. This assures me that the bedding will be tight against the action and then I insert the prepared action into more bedding compound that has been spread in the stock.

I also go a step further. Once the action is in place I remove the screws I used to hold the pillars in place, clean bedding material from the bottom of the pillars, then install the bottom metal with actions screws that have been well waxed with Kiwi Shoe polish. Finger tight with only enough pressure to keept the pilars against the action and the bottom metal flat on the pilar. A properly sized O-Ring, one that when installed on the action screw will just slip inside the pillar itself, will help keep the pillars centered while the epoxy cures.


Using this method I find that the whole assembly is stress free and when torquing action screws there is no deflection in any part of the action or barrel when measured with a dial indicator.

"Buttering" the action and then inserting it in a bed of epoxy will sometimes mean a little extra cleanup but better too much than too little that will leave behind gaps. After the first couple of "jobs" one learns what is "enough" without a lt of extra "ooze".


BTW, your "English" is a lot better than my "Danish":cool:
 
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