Hey Joe,
If I am going to pillar bed it I start with boring the action holes with an aircraft counter bore. I then attach the pillars to the action using custom made bolts. I purchased bolts long enough to screw into the action and a half inch longer than needed to exit the floorplate holes. I then cut the heads off and finished threading the rest of its length. This way you can attach and hold the pillars in place all the while you are inletting the stock. Before attaching the pillars I wrap a turn or two of electrical tape around the bolts to keep them in the center of the pillar and tighten the nut on the other end. If I am not going to use pillars I still attach the bolts but this time use a few extra wraps of tape around the bolt to make sure I will have enough clearence in the holes. If after counterboring or trial fit with the bolts in place and the bolts do not fit down in the holes, I then use a small round file and drummel to make a nice fit through the stock.
Now that the action is aligned via the bolts or pillars, I slide the action down into the stock. When the action or barrel comes in contact with wood I simply run a pencil along the action or barrel and then use a sharp round file to work the wood out to the line. If there is no contact on the exterior and I have to start working the interior, I wet the area of the barrel or action that I think is touching and slide it down in until it makes contact. I then relieve these hidden areas with a large ball type dremmel tool bit. I continue until the action and barrel is far enough down in the stock. Then for the barrel channel you should have a clean line, done with the round file but it will be a bit rough underneath from the dremmel. To clean this area up, I have found a chunk of slightly undersized old pool cue works great for smoothing the barrel channel with sandpaper, taking care not to ruin the clean lines done with the round file. Then when inletted to your satisfaction, I usually break the sharp edge of the barrel channel with some sandpaper and a light touch. The areas around the action I leave as it will get bedded anyway. At this point I epoxy the pillars in place and allow to harden. I remove the nuts and pull the action and bolts from the stock and relieve a little more in the hidden areas that I will be applying bedding. Then after prepping the action for bedding, I reinstall the barreled action on the pillars and into the bedding compound and then reinstall the nuts on the bottom of the pillars to hold it perfectly in place.
Good luck,
HPA
