Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Glue On Decelerator Pad (For JeffO)

A brief summary on glue on pads & syn stocks. The pics will show various stages on several different stocks. This method works well on Bansners, McMillans and a few others.

The disclaimer: This thread is for informational purposes only!! Do your own stockwork at your own risk!

Tools & materials:
Disc sander with 80-120grit pad
dremel tool
Hack saw
Phillips
Rubber clamp bands (from woodworking tool supplier)
Gun vise
3/4" flat plywood with 12" disc pad (80grit) pasted
masking tape
1/4" wood dowels
1/4" wood dowel markers
Acraglas gel (for backing)
Acraglas or Devcon Plastic Welder glue (w/black epoxy dye)
Respirator
Safety glasses
Rubber gloves
Scrub brush


The desired pitch and LOP is measured and taped. The tape line is even all the way around the buttstock and to the desired pitch.
A hack or chop saw is used to cut off the excessive buttstock. The buttstock is sanded/trued to within 1/16" of the tapeline guide (more on that later)on the pasted 80grit pad, a scrub brush helps unclog the 80grit sanding pad:


The decelerator pad's hard plastic backing is degreased and trued up on the 80grit pad, only enough material is removed so the pad will lay flush and no molding surfaces are left. This step will give the pad's backing a "tooth" for better adhesion:

The buttstock end should be flush and even with the desired pitch. Take a dremel tool and remove the foam like filler about 3/16" deep especially near the fiberglass shell. This recess can be filled in with Acraglas, fiberglass resin or even Devcon epoxy. I prefer Acraglas since it's cheap. In the past I used to make a 1/4" backing but have found a an 1/8" backing works well and is pretty strong. Here is a shot on a McMillan after it has been dremeled out, the recess is about a 1/4" but 1/8" would be fine:


Tape is wrapped around the buttsock and slightly above for holding the backing filler, the stock is placed upright and the desired backing filler poured in (Acraglas, fiberglas resin or Devcon 2-ton epoxy, etc). Fiberglass matting is added to the poured resin. Resin is poured in just enough to fill the void, as later the cured resin and buttstock will have to be re-trued on the sanding pad/board. This is why the buttstock is left 1/16" above the tape line earlier:


After the epoxy resin has cured and hardened, the buttstock is re-trued on the 80grit sanding pad/board. A brush comes in handy to unclog the 80grit sanding pad. The 120grit pad is used to true up to the tape line, (less chipped edges). The tape acts as a guideline and prevents excessive chipping at the edge.

A 1/4" drill bit is used to open up the recoil pad's screw holes for the 1/4" wood dowels. The hole is drilled to the metal plate inside but not thru it:

1/4" dowel pin markers will fit inside the holes afterwards. A line is scribed with an ink pen down the center of the buttstock:
Care is taken not to touch the sanded surfaces with bare hands, acetone is used to degrease any surfaces that receive epoxy before and after sanding.

Once the recoil pad is positioned and the dowel holes marked (by pressing hard so the dowel pin markers leave a dimple on the center line), 1/4" holes are drilled and the wood dowels glued in with epoxy. After the dowel pins are glued in, they are trimmed to length: [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/11-09-04005-1.jpg[/img]

A line is then scribed into the pad with the pad in place, and the mating surfaces are checked for fit:
(different stock pictured but the procedure is still the same) [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob001.jpg[/img]

The pad is then removed and shallow dimples are added with a dremel inside the scribed line, dimples are also made into the buttstock's mating surface: [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob002.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/11-09-04006-1.jpg[/img]
Fit is checked and re-checked especially before the glue on stage.

After the fit is checked, both surfaces are degreased with acetone. Either Acraglas (not the gel!) or Devcon Plastic Welder is used with a bit of black dye added. Both types of epoxy are very strong, the Acrglas gives a longer working time. The buttstock is taped off around the outer edge, the epoxy is applied to both surfaces. The pad is placed on the stock and the buttstock/pad is placed on the floor and given a hard push to seat the pad. Excess glue is wiped off and heavy rubber bands are placed over the pad and an inserted phillips screwdriver to hold the pad in place (this is for a non Edge stock only):
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob003.jpg[/img]
After the epoxy sets up and cures, the rubber bands are removed:
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob005.jpg[/img]
The tape is removed and replaced with 20mil plumber's tape:
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob006.jpg[/img]
Cotton is placed the person's ears (to keep rubber filings out) and eyeprotection is worn. Grinding pads is messy and best saved for early A.M when one is alert and at their best:
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob007.jpg[/img]
The pad is grinded down evenly and level with the tape (or within 1/32" of the tape's plane):
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob007.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob008.jpg[/img]

After grinding, the plumber's tape is removed. And the final sanding can take place using a small homemade sanding block, lemon oil and 220-360 wet or dry: [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob011.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob012.jpg[/img]

The pad is taped off with electrical tape including the pad's plastic back-plate, only the pad's rubber will be finished sanded first. After the rubber portion is finish sanded with lemon oil, the tape is removed and the plastic portion of the recoil pad is sanded flush with the stock after retaping just the stock. Sanding the rubber portion:
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob014.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob015.jpg[/img]

The finished pad (and not a grind mark on the stock!):
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/MtnHtr/Padjob017.jpg[/img]

Most smiths do an abbreviated method to save time over this method (they do have to make a living). I feel the dimples add strength to the bond by allowing some epoxy to remain in place (and not squeezed out). I can assure you this method will result in a durable recoil pad job. I've used McMillan stocked rifles as hiking staffs (unloaded of course) in steep, rugged country while packing game out and have never had a pad fall off. And I feel the Decelerator pads offer the best balance of grindability, durabilty and recoil absorbtion. And Decelerators look great too!

MtnHtr

I use a abbreviated method but if you want a BULLET PROOF install follow this. I don't hollow out the back which also eliminates filling with epoxy or do the dimples. Pretty much else is the same.

Dave