doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com New Inletting - Surface Finish?

What are your thoughts about the possible finishing of freshly inletted wood?

Assuming the inletting is precisely cut and wouldn't need any bedding compound to correct flaws, do you leave the wood as is or do you apply some sort of wood finish or epoxy?

Applying a penetrating stock finish should prevent the wood from drawing lubricating oils and the finish should greatly reduce water (-also vapor) penetration, too.

Some stockers propagate the use of epoxy (-bedding) over the whole inletting area for the same purpose with the added benefit of strengthening the wood and perfectly correcting any minor irregularities, thus giving 100% bearing surface.

There's no question in my experience regarding the superb bedding properties of epoxy. However, except on end-wood faces where penetration can be amazingly deep, depending on the product used and the particular wood, epoxies generally won't penetrate as deeply as stock finishes do but will adhere to the surface rather. Although there are so called penetrating epoxies available, experience and test reviews show that they basically won't penetrate substantially deeper than regular medium- to low viscosity products.
Just as an aside: The often propagated and quite popular thinning of epoxies with solvents like acetone etc. is normally not a good idea; other than negatively altering the strength- and ageing properties of the product, the thinning won't do much. It would be better to use a thin epoxy from the start or using the appropriate reactive thinner (= specific hardener) when using one of the system epoxies.

What's the opinion of you professionals?

I believe you are asking two questions here: 1) Epoxy as a bedding and finish; 2) Finishing the inside of the stock.
I'll provide you an answer to no. 2 and a thought about no. 1.

Absolutely, you must finish the inletted area and the butt or you will have moisture problems that not only affect accuracy but will eventually damage the wood. I use 50-50 Pro Custom Oil/mineral spirits in several coats to begin the process of sealing the butt and the inletted area gradually moving to full strength oil. It is important to get the finish in the wood and not build up to the point of interferring with the fit of the action/barrel. OOOO steel wool is the preferred means of between coats cleaning. Blown out with an air gun. I usually start the steel wool after the 3d or 4th application of diluted oil and every other application.

I am of the school glass bedding belongs only in certain areas. I have fully bedded a rifle (action, barrel and floor plate area) with good results, but found it was more work than necesary.

There are far better experts that will weigh in, but like so many questions I do not believe one answer is absolute.

Jim

As far as penetrating glues, I'd be interested in seeing some test data on these. I've used the super thin cyanoacrylates on maple model airplane propellers for abrasion resistance. The penetration was very shallow, maybe .010".

I feel there is on;y one answer. Soak the inleted area with Krazy glue until the wood stops absorbing anymore. Talk about deep penetration and 100% oil and moisture proof. This,glue also strengthens the wood as well. Of course, glass bedding face of stock afterwards for best fit/bearing. Ken