Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Crack in stock Q

I lost track of the 722 part... The wood is not being stressed by the floorplate (thin stamped and bent metal in the 722) the way it would be in a 700 BDL which has some meat that sticks into the wood and is tightly fitted.

I assume the wood is not sressed when you put the action in???

The cloth will satisfy the need for reinforcement in the epoxy. I would not use any 5 or 10- minute epoxy. Get some that takes a bit longer to cure as it is significantly easier to work with and will be much stronger when cured.

ADL trigger guards end in front of the trigger... No metal under the magazine box.
art

I've not yet done stocker's index line-screw tightening test (prob can't get to it today).

FYI, the trigger guard/floorplate and the under-trigger plate are fully and snugly inletted on this custom stock, although it's true that they are both just sheet metal.


Art, let's assume that this 'web' is touching or just clearing the bottom of the action. If I go with your method as stated, I'd have to relieve it to make room for the cloth/epoxy and then deal with release agents, etc. Is there an alternative?

Doubt you have to do it with the action in the stock... Make the repair and grind a little off to clear the action. Would probably heat the wood a bit to get the epoxy to wick in better, also.
art

Yes Sir, I then squeezed the stock together from the sides after it had been completely saturated with the epoxy. Thanks...Bill.

Sitka:I was not referring to bending the ends of the Redi -rod. I meant to open the wood on either side of the slot/trough across the web to create a dovetail on either side that extends slightly into the side walls of the stock. Kind of a double keyhole effect. It is a mechanical as well as an adhesive lock.

I screwed action and stock together with three witness marks attached, noticed not the slightest change.
Lug seems to be well seated.

I've considered my capabilities; does this sound like a plan:



Dremel a trench across the web, somewhat into the sides of the stock. Include a little flare or 'dogbone'.
Heat the area a touch (with what, a hair dryer?), work epoxy into the crack as best I can and then fill the trench with epoxy also.
Include in the trench XX. (The thread has a yea/nay on redi-rod, and a top patch of fiberglass. The web shows shine, so I think it has contact with the action; I want to pass on the patch & grind. Art, any other suggestion for a 'micro re-bar', preferably something I might have on hand or available at the local hardware?)
Trowel even with surrounding surfaces.

To clamp or not to clamp?



The web is exactly 1 cm wide (L to R as pictured), barely more than that across. How wide and deep a trench?


((Please, nobody get sensitive that I don't follow a particular method exactly. I've got to synthesize with my own capabilities and tools in mind. Besides, it's consensus that this is not an emergency situation.))


PS, what is redi-rod? The threaded rod at the hardware store?

That's what redi-rod (probably correctly Redi Bolt) is. I know Sitka doesn't like putting steel internally but it is simple and if he's seen it break free of the glass he's one up on me. For my own purposes for that type repair I use one of the super strong non strech fishing lines (currently Whiplash 30 lb test).
I have a little jig that has two adjustable dowels. Wrap the line around the dowels about 20 times and tie in the middle with fly tying thread to form a figure 8 of bundled line. 40 strands (both sides added together) @ 30 lb test is a lot of break strength. It is set in the cavity ( somewhat larger than your drawing ) and fill with glass bedding and you've done about all you can internally. There's a number of ways to do it. I clamp with moderate pressure after the slow curing epoxy has had some time to penetrate. I do go back and examine the stock carefully after the job is completed to relieve any new pressures that may show up in event that portion of the stock is now tighter than the rest along the upper inletting of the action.

That's a cute 're-bar' system.

Stocker
That is a new one on me and I really like it! For once there is a use for superbraids! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

As an aside, epoxy does not require clamping for strength. If the wood is in the right place I would not clamp it.

Mac
Based on taste, presentation and originality I humbly cede to the good man to my SE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I like his plan and intend to test it within the hour.
art

Art,

Do you have a stock to break first <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I have a couple stocks to repair where the concept will work and since I have your old '96 mouser to bed it would be a good time... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Do I have the green light?
Trench size?
Heat method?

A couple of years ago Stocker and I were engaged in a similar thread, He's a good craftsman and I told him if he ever needed a job he could come and work anytime in my cabinetshop <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

Twice I have repaired cracks just like this one and as far as I know they are still holding. I take a hacksaw blade and completely cut out the center web, maybe 3/8 -1/2in. wide, making it nice and square. Find and size a suitable piece of wood and using a burr in a Dremel grind holes about 1/16in. deep on all 4 sides, apply epoxy to all sides and clamp, (I wouldd use a small handscrew clamp), finished! Just make sure the block is a close fit to the opening. Pedro

Hello Pete: Didn't know you frequented this forum. Still happily retired and doing stock work when it occurs or I am inclined. I'm just finishing a piece of myrtle wood that I did from a 3" blank to fit a friends Browning A-bolt. Terrible rifle to inlet with it's semi-clip and lack of draft on a lot of the metal. But the grain would knock you out of your socks. Fiddle back, mini-quilt and bits of burl all in the same piece. Full length figure, both sides. It also had a couple of small bark inclusions which were removed and filled but the join is in areas that are barely visible and I was able to match the grain perfectly. Also found a 22 bullet in the wood I removed for the magazine so no harm there, but I'm glad the guy wasn't shooting an automatic at a target on the tree. Maybe he shot a squirrel.

Hope all is well with you.

MacRabbit: I would make the trench wider than you have pictured and extend it further into the sides so the reinforce has plenty of support behind it beyond the trigger mortise. Deep as you like but don't come all the way through. About 2/3rds of the way seems about right. I usually don't bother heating the wood for this repair as there is also a generous shot of glass bedding compound going in the trench, although it may help absorption of the epoxy into the wood. For a small area a hair dryer would probably suffice to warm it. I think you can decide this one.

For better or worse, the deed has been done. I'll know more in 8 hours or so.

Thank you all for your help. We spent more time typing than I did performing the fix but the thread taught me a few things.

I'll check the stock in another 30 years and let you know how it held up.

Gee, my 'smith had that rifle inletted to a T! I thought my epoxy was flush but discovered that there was no longer clearance for the bolt stop lever to drop enough to allow removal. A little knife work and it's done.

macrabbit: Just back from Reno and checked to see if you'd done the deed. Glad to hear you forged ahead.