Nice work pierce...!!!!
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Favorite bedding compounds
- Thread starter Coldfinger
- Start date
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I've used Devcon 10-110 and Marine Tex without any problems afterwards but, Marine Tex is easier to mix and remove. I remember reading a study of bedding materials and Marine Tex has a slower curing rate (which is supposed to lead to more cohesiveness) and Devcon 10110 is the hardest material once cured correctly mixed. But hard can be brittle. My preference is Marine Tex, as I don't think any good bedding job can be done in a hurry and mixing and clean-up is easier.
Doozy
Well-Known Member
Disclaimer, I have only bedded one rifle, but I did a lot of research and found great writeups on this site.
I have no doubt that Devcon steel (10110) is great. But their own published specs show that their aluminum putty is better (and better than titanium in I believe all but one attribute).
The moral of the story is to do some research. Attributes to look for are high hardness, low shrinkage, high resistance to temperature changes, ability to perform in temperature extremes, and a slow and low-temperature cure (it won't matter if shrinkage is low if it super-heats while curing; the heat will cause the surrounding material to expand, then inevitably shrink.) One of the popular ones had issues with rusting! (I want to say Pro Bed 2000, but I can't remember; again here's a plug to search the history of this site because there is such good info from some of our resident experts).
After researching, I came to the conclusion that Brownells Steel Bed was best. It's hard to know for sure because they don't do as well publishing their specs as Devcon. But I remembered my decision coming down to Devcon Aluminum or the Steel Bed. Although I didn't know the Steel Bed's resistance to temperature swings (in the atmosphere), I figured the Steel Bed was a safe bet since it has a ridiculously high concentration of stainless steel, and stainless steel if far less susceptible to temperature than aluminum.
The one tip I can say from experience is don't bother with the dyes that come with the Steel Bed. I'm not convinced they do a thing but adulterate the proportions of putty and hardener.
I have no doubt that Devcon steel (10110) is great. But their own published specs show that their aluminum putty is better (and better than titanium in I believe all but one attribute).
The moral of the story is to do some research. Attributes to look for are high hardness, low shrinkage, high resistance to temperature changes, ability to perform in temperature extremes, and a slow and low-temperature cure (it won't matter if shrinkage is low if it super-heats while curing; the heat will cause the surrounding material to expand, then inevitably shrink.) One of the popular ones had issues with rusting! (I want to say Pro Bed 2000, but I can't remember; again here's a plug to search the history of this site because there is such good info from some of our resident experts).
After researching, I came to the conclusion that Brownells Steel Bed was best. It's hard to know for sure because they don't do as well publishing their specs as Devcon. But I remembered my decision coming down to Devcon Aluminum or the Steel Bed. Although I didn't know the Steel Bed's resistance to temperature swings (in the atmosphere), I figured the Steel Bed was a safe bet since it has a ridiculously high concentration of stainless steel, and stainless steel if far less susceptible to temperature than aluminum.
The one tip I can say from experience is don't bother with the dyes that come with the Steel Bed. I'm not convinced they do a thing but adulterate the proportions of putty and hardener.
Wow, that is clean.
rpierce
Official LRH Sponsor
thank you for the compliments guys. every single one looks like that when it leaves the shop. I take and post pics of the inside of every rifle and post those along with the outside pics. Probably only a handful of other builders out there take pics of the inside. My thoughts are anyone can make the outside pretty with a can of paint. But the inside is what matters. I can also send pics to customers of their chambers if they wish. The Haas setup Im using cuts the most beautiful threads and perfect chambers. Pin gauges are used to ensure the back of the chamber isn't oversized and then the chamber, throat and 1" forward is measured to ensure there is zero runout. I can record the timing of each action and its headspace. Then I can time even a fluted barrel and chamber it without the action in hand. That is handy for my fclass customers who don't want to send their actions in during the middle of the shooting season for new barrels to get chambered up. The problem is very few actions time up the same. Ive even seen some Defiance actions that timed up 90 degrees apart. Being able to record the actions timing solves that issue and allows the timing and headspace to be perfect everytime. I have a tool that I made up and sell to other gunsmiths so they can do that as well. The tool is only like $50 per thread size.
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rpierce
Official LRH Sponsor
Im not aware of any top shooters in Fclass or 1000 yd benchrest that are currently using JB weld for bedding. Maybe 30-40 years ago. Theyre either using Devcon, Marine Tex, or its glued in.
I have chambered several barrels and have tried to "true up" my lathe and have had by tailstock ground as it was over 2 thousands high. It still is a worry of a fat chamber which is very obvious with a pin guage. To me a shop that uses pin guage shows their attention to a good chamber. I think many chamber jobs do have big chambers and even though the throat is dialed to zero runout the chamber allows the brass to swell at the back near the web. With belted cartridges the belt will swell. I have reamers and two new barrels but am reluctant to "ruin" a chamber being even two thousands big at the chamber mouth. I feel that the tailstock is the enemy as even zeroed tailstock changes as the barrel is extended.
rpierce
Official LRH Sponsor
Your definitely correct. The vast majority of shops cut oversized chambers. Everything has to be perfect to get literally zero runout and no oversize. I have a pin gauge for my 300 norma improved that is .0002/ two tenths of a thousandths bigger than my reamer. It doesn't go in. The haas tl1 I have is cutting better chambers than I ever did on my manual clausing. And does it in a fraction of the time. The results of it being perfect are also noticeable on paper at long range. My customers on the national f class team have told me ever since I started using the Haas their barrels have shot smaller groups and are easier to tune and have wider nodes. The one guy sends me groups under an inch at 600 with every barrel Ive done for him. Great shooter and very good at load testing. My 33xc for example has an extremely wide seating depth window. .070-.095 off the lands consistently shoots 2-3" vertical @1000. 300 gr berger at 3225 fps. Rifle is 14.5 lbs w optics and modular evolution bipod. That rifle is set aside for only hunting now that loads are found and barrel life sucks LOL
The other benefit I have found is that warner tool and die can make a run of dies for me and they all work the same. You don't have to send 3x fired brass to him and wait 3+ months for dies for that exact barrel. Dan Warner has even told me he was very surprised how close the brass is to reamer spec. The dies are made to size brass to an exact "x" amount at the shoulder and web. When i size brass with his dies the runout needle barely twitches on sized brass. While his dies aren't cheap they are by far the best Ive ever seen. Cutting an oversize chamber wouldnt allow them to work optimally and would be very hard on the brass. Ive had dies that were out of spec before for the norma and one of em sized the brass .004 at the shoulder and web. The amount of force required to do that on the Lapua 300 norma brass was substantial.
The other benefit I have found is that warner tool and die can make a run of dies for me and they all work the same. You don't have to send 3x fired brass to him and wait 3+ months for dies for that exact barrel. Dan Warner has even told me he was very surprised how close the brass is to reamer spec. The dies are made to size brass to an exact "x" amount at the shoulder and web. When i size brass with his dies the runout needle barely twitches on sized brass. While his dies aren't cheap they are by far the best Ive ever seen. Cutting an oversize chamber wouldnt allow them to work optimally and would be very hard on the brass. Ive had dies that were out of spec before for the norma and one of em sized the brass .004 at the shoulder and web. The amount of force required to do that on the Lapua 300 norma brass was substantial.
Vaughng
Member
I have made my own Just normal epoxy I bought powdered stainless steel and filler called Carbosil, when this stuff sets up it is hard as a rock a blow with a hammer in my steel bench did not significantly marr it or bust it. Of course you can modify the consistency by using stiffer grades of epoxy. Its just that it is handy for me to use as I do not have to keep a jar of Devcon as I use epoxy all the time. I really think it is the carbosil that makes it so hard I think this stuff would dull milling cutters rapidly. With these additives I Believe it is harder and tougher than Devcon.
There is no special mixing apart from getting the amounts of epoxy right just thicken to what you think is a desired consistency the Carbosil takes some mixing in to the epoxy
The disadvantages with this and all steel epoxies is the inability to colour to a timber tone , I think Next lot of epoxy I purchase I will get a stiffer Blend,
Vaughn G
There is no special mixing apart from getting the amounts of epoxy right just thicken to what you think is a desired consistency the Carbosil takes some mixing in to the epoxy
The disadvantages with this and all steel epoxies is the inability to colour to a timber tone , I think Next lot of epoxy I purchase I will get a stiffer Blend,
Vaughn G
ntsqd
Well-Known Member
Some time back in one of these threads I collected and posted the differences in the the 3 main different Devcons (Steel, Al, & Ti). My own choice is AL. I think it has the best combo of traits. Ti was the loser in almost every aspect that might be important to bedding a rifle.
I use JB-Weld to bond in the pillars.
I use JB-Weld to bond in the pillars.
