Acraglas gel

[577SXS]

I use nothing but JB Kwik now for any kind of bedding. You have to work fast but it is really strong and brown in color when mixed. JB is really easy to mix in small amounts for tiny fixes. I haven't used Acraglass in 15 years or more, never really liked it. It was a mess to work with.

[Dphariss]

Years ago, I bought a package of Plasticine for plugging holes or places I didn't want bedding compound. Works well on larger areas and screw holes.

I suspect that the child’s modeling clay I have used in the past is about the same stuff. I have not done a Sharps or HiWall in a long time. Your post jogged my memory.

[Dphariss]

I use nothing but JB Kwik now for any kind of bedding. You have to work fast but it is really strong and brown in color when mixed. JB is really easy to mix in small amounts for tiny fixes. I haven't used Acraglass in 15 years or more, never really liked it. It was a mess to work with.

The gel has the same viscosity as JB Weld. The liquid Acura-Glas is very useful for some things. Fixing a rod in a broken wrist for example.  But not for bedding.

[Daryl]

I only used the thin Acra-Glass once, for a bedding job, back in the late 70's. Though, at that time, I much preferred the 50/50 Devcon plastic Steel
I bought in Vancouver in 75, I guess it was.

[Reegee/Flint]

I have bough t 50/50 epoxy from Harbor Freight and mix into it Fiber Glass insulation. I recently repaired a cracked motor housing on my table saw that literally blew to pieces. I assembled the jig saw puzzle and completely covered the housing with a 1/4 in of the mixture with 2 clamps around it. It has been 6 mo and no problems, Black&Decker said motor was obsolete and a replacement would cost $780.  It is a direct worm gear drive so fixing was my only alternative. I have also bedded bbls with the mixture. However the color turns out gray.

[barracudadave67]

Well funny this thread came along.
 I just finished  Acra-Glas gel bedding my Pedersoli Brown Bess Carbine kit. Got the kit from Dixie late last fall. I modified it a little by installing some sling swivles. I silver soldered a lug just in front of the front barrel pin, and drilled it thru the stock, for the swivle screw. Stock is not finnished yet, has been stained with my home made stain. I made it kind of reddish. Made with LMF nut brown, and Feibings leather red stain. So far it only has 2 coats of LMF sealer.
Kind of getting anxios to shoot it. Heres a few pics. I hope they turn out   
 Dave

[elkhorne]

Barracuda,
Please explain the tape or cellophane that shows in your photos. Did you apply the Acraglas and then lay the barrel in over the plastic? Please explain as I need to do some bedding and am open to any new techniques I can learn! Thanks.
elkhorne

[smart dog]

Notes about Acraglas gel.

3.  Mixing with their dye gives superior results.  Mixing with other coloring agents results in it not hardening and having a rubbery consistency.

Hi Dave,
Laurel Mountain Stains also work very well to color AcraGlas with no effect on hardening.  Thanks for the tips about softening old resin.

dave

[barracudadave67]

elkhorne
That is not cellophane, it is aluminum tape, that is used on ductwork, for heating, and Air-conditioning. It does not go in the barrel channel. i Only put it about 1/32nd down into the sides of the channel, then fold it over the out side of the sides.  The tape will keep the glass bed material that  oozes  out, from runnig down the side of the stock, and also makes it neater looking when done. I use my popsicle stick to run along both sides of the BBL channel to scrape away the material that oozes out, just before it kicks over hard, and unworkable. I also put the tape around the BBL tang area, for the same reason.
I use the Brownell spray can release agent, on all my parts. It works excellent. I also use Kids play dough to plug all holes, and spots where you don't want the bedding material to creep into.
I use extra long BBL pins to hold the bbl in place, they are also sprayed with release agent. When you go to take it apart, the extra long pins give you something to work with. also spray the BBl tang screw.
Coat, and spray everything you think will come in contact with the bedding material with release agent, lock, screws, anything, and everything.
 The last thing I do is mix the Acra-Glass gel. Everything else should be ready to bed, at this stage .   I mix Walnut sanding dust in my material, after I dye it. Spread the material into the stock with a popsicle stick. I start at the tang area, and work to the muzzle end, and smooth it as best that I can, then put your release agent coated BBL in, and secure it down, with the extra long release agent coated pins, also tighten the release agent coated lock, and screws down, because when it dries thats wher eveything will stay.
This is how I glass bed my BBls, and parts.
I hope this helps, and gives you some Ideas.

Dave
Thanks. I got a lot of insporation for this project from your articles on rebuilding the varios Bess muskets you have shown people to do. They are very imformative. I also used the book by Goldstein & Mobray.

My next project will be a NW Trade Gun.

Dave C.

[Daryl]

I use axle grease to keep the ooze from adhering to the wood. It is easily removed either before or after it hardens.

[PAFlinter]

You are doing this after you finish the stock??? 

[barracudadave67]

PAflinter

NO..... Stock is not finished, It has been stained, but only has a couple coats of sealer on it. I finsh the stocks last.

Thanks:
 Dave

[PAFlinter]

PAflinter

NO..... Stock is not finished, It has been stained, but only has a couple coats of sealer on it. I finsh the stocks last.

Thanks:
 Dave

Was gonna say I hope not!

[nobade]

Probed 2000 for me. Get it straight from the source - www.probed2000.com
Something to keep in mind is while regular runny Acraglas is epoxy resin and a curing agent, Acraglas gel is actually nylon. It does eventually cure completely, but takes around 10 years to finish cross linking.

[Curtis]

Notes about Acraglas gel.
1.  It's mixed 1/1 so you can mix small amounts.  Mix it on poly-plastic, cardboard or those fake credit cards you get in the mail.  The latter can also be used as spreaders.  Saves screwing around with the liquid variety.
2.  It can be thinned with lacquer thinner and injected into cracks with a hypodermic.  Whenever I or my pets get shots, I have them save the hypo for me (no needle, just the body).
3.  Mixing with their dye gives superior results.  Mixing with other coloring agents results in it not hardening and having a rubbery consistency.
4.  Forget about shelf life.  If either component gets crusty, stir it and give it 5 second zaps in the microwave until it mixes creamy again (per a Brownell tech).  I've done this with product that is over 20 years old and it still works.
5.  If you have over-run, wait until it sets up but before it completely hardens and shave any excess off with a razor blade, Xacto knife, etc.  Saves a lot of clean-up and sanding after it hardens.

Your experience may vary, but I don't care.  I've used the above tips successfully for 30+ years.

Great advice above!!!!!  What Dave said x2.

Curtis

[B.Habermehl]

When this thread came up, it reminded me of a time a beginner did a really rough inletting job on a guns breech, and I recommend that he epoxy bed it to prevent splits etc. Heaven forbid. One of the characters that inhabited that mailing list flamed me to the point I still have blisters on my tail. It’s nice how civil we’ve become since. I normally try to avoid epoxy use, just because I’m trying to build a imitation of a product that predates it’s use. Epoxy does have its uses, and I do use it where necessary, I’m not a purest. The thread does show how a civil conversation can be. BJH