glue for repair?

[Acer Saccharum]

I have a stock to repair, and there is a section that is cracked thru, ACROSS the grain, starting under the lock, going thru to the trigger inlet. to really glue it up in a traditional manner, I'd have to break the stock apart, which I do not want to do.

There will be patching over this area, but I would like to stabilize it first. I am thinking of a water-thin cyanoacrylic glue might be just perfect.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Tom

[Mark Horvat]

Acer,  in my experience water is a catalyist for crazy glue.  Normally I like the gels, but for cracks I use the thinning, runny stuff.  Good luck.

Mark

[tallbear]

Tom
I would use boat building epoxy,I like West System.It can be colored with dry tempra pigments and can be injected with a syringe or can be forced into the crack useing a hair dryer .(the heat will thin the epoxy).Epoxy unlike the super glues maintains it's strenth even if the fit isn't perfect.

Mitch

[Curt Larsen]

Tom, what do you mean when you say "stabilize" it?  If it is to reinforce the wood fibers before you hide the rest of repair of the glue joint, one thought would be to use Smith's penetrating epoxy.  It is water thin and goes in fast and sets fast as well.  It really does penetrate and reinforce punky wood.  I've used it a couple of times with good results.  Depending on how much "stabilizing" you want to do, several coats of this stuff might be required.  Like other epoxies, it leaves a glossy surface which probably doesn't matter if you're hiding it anyway.  If you want to glue a break back together, this may not be what you are after though.  If you just want to fill a crack, this stuff might just do the trick.  Several coats would be necessary.  When set it still has epoxy strength.  Jamestown Distributors in RI market the stuff to the boat building crowd.
Curt

[Tim Crosby]

 If you use CA use thin first followed immediately with medium or thick. The thin will penetrate the crack better and in turn will wick the medium or thick in behind it. Depending on the size of the crack and how close the two pieces mate up will be the determining factor on Medium or Thick. Try it to get the feel for it.

 Tim C.    

[Blacksmoke]

Tom:  I am of the opinion that "anything" of modern manufacture that will stabilize a break in an old stock is OK.   Esp. if the joint is not going to be seen.   Modern epoxies are a God send for this type of repair.      I have good results with "plastic steel" - it also can be colored with various dyes.   It is very strong and will not shrink when hard.   The last batch I bought from Amazon.com.    Hugh Toenjes

[Acer Saccharum]

Thanks for all your info, gents. I do need something watery thin, or it won't penetrate. I'll look into the marine epoxies and two stage process Tim describes. Thanks again. I'll let you know how it goes, Tom

[bjmac]

Acer, I have had very good results in stabilizing deer and elk antler for both revolver grips and knife scales using several coats of CA. I let a coat soak in for a couple of minutes and then apply additional coats as needed to reach the strength needed. I have yet to have a failure using this method.

[Jerry V Lape]

I like to provide reinforcement when wood is broken cross grain.  Is there anyway to get a long 1/16" drill bit in there perpendicular to the break so perhaps a couple carbon fiber rods can be glued in spanning that break? 

[smshea]

I would use the thin stuff (Hot Stuff brand is what I have) and the accelerator, for those ' must penetrate into the crack' cracks .

[Black Hand]

Try warming the superglue before applying (hot water or microwave).  Watch the fumes when applying warm, they burn your nose.

[John Archer]

The thin super glue will wick into the tightest crack.

I wouldn't heat it...in my last life I used it heated in a fuming cabinet to develop latent fingerprints. It loves to bond to tissue and if you can smell it at all, it is bonding to your nose and the rest of your breathing tract. It is nasty stuff.

John.

[Tim Crosby]

 FWIW: The accelerator is good if you have two separate pieces, glue on one accelerator on the other. I would be careful putting glue in a crack and then spraying it.  When I tried it the glue seemed to dry quickly but it opened vents in the glue. Kind of bubbled up and the bubbles popped and left holes.

 Tim C. 

[Acer Saccharum]

I had some pretty thin CA glue in the shop, slow cure type. I applied it to the outside of the crack, and worked the stock crack open and shut, feeding more glue, until it squeezed out the other side of the crack. Then I clamped it up tightly with the rubberband style clamp strip(old bicycle inner tube, Rich Pierce, thank you).

Thanks for all your suggestions. You helped keep me from going over the edge.

Tom

also Acer Saccharum.