the ugly duckling...........help please - The Firearms Forum

old semperfi · 12-10-2011, 05:45 PM

i just bought another firearm,it is probably the best deal i ever made,and the worst rifle i ever purchased.its a thompson hawken 50 cal percussion.the gun was i think a kit gun put together by a three year old or someone newly blind. to say the gun was mistreated is an understatement,i paid only twenty dollars.i have refinished many guns before but this one has the side plate even on one side and too far inletted on the other.the difference from one side to the other is close to one quarter inch,the barrell is inletted at the tang also close to a quarter inch if not more.what i need is what to use as a filler that can be filed or sanded fairly easily.my thoughts are jb weld,fiberglass,or possibly wood putty,any idea what i need.the gun as is looks like it was stored in an active flue pipe on a wood stove and then put in the bottom of a lake for a few months to cool down.keep in mind that the stock has been oil soaked and i will remove as much as possible to get a clean dry surface.i must also reblue the barrell and ideas on that. old semperfi

Hawg · 12-10-2011, 06:27 PM

Acraglas on the wood. Have the barrel professionally reblued

AL MOUNT · 12-10-2011, 07:28 PM

Make a lamp outta it...

jack404 · 12-10-2011, 07:53 PM

wood putty needs support as its too brittle

Acraglas is way better ,

JB ?? its good but on wood? it can go funny if the woods not sealed , i think ( unsure) the solvent bleed into the wood so it dont set right ..

here i use a two part epoxy but your then time limited to get in in place before it set's , but then you can sand it drill it and even tap it ( though i prefer to inset a threaded tube to fit the screw if i need a screw and that screw will be removed occasionally)

good luck eh

the Birchwood casey blue kits are brilliant now days , lots of work but it is rewarded

it's the first time i've had tank quality finishes from a store kit , i'm doing a LE jungle carbine at the moment with one , 4-5 years ago i'd never have got a store bluing kit , but the new formula , heck swallow old time pride its cheap and works well if you do the need preparation

Diamondback · 12-10-2011, 08:25 PM

2nd the acraglass. Permanenet solid , can be drilled, sanded. Be sure to use the release agent on all metal parts. Real bummer to remove once it sets.

old semperfi · 12-16-2011, 12:14 AM

where can i get the acraglass and release agent,i chked midway and they dont carry it. old semperfi

Inthewind1976 · 12-16-2011, 04:05 AM

Brownells, or most any neighborhood gun shop - not sure about the "chain giants" like Dicks or Dunhams. Acraglass is the way to go. Ive used it quite a few times - it works as an epoxy if you are gluing and pinning a cracked stock, and its fantastic for bedding the recoil area of a bolt action for accuracy. Its really just a two part epoxy, which frankly, is all that JB is too. But Acraglass was pretty much designed to be used for firearms, and especially wood stocks. It also works very well when bedding an action to a synthetic stock. I usually put two or three coats of the release agent on any parts that will contact the epoxy, but that you dont want to permanently glue together. Let the release agent dry for a little between coats. I have seen one mauser rifle that was glassed to a synthetic WITHOUT the release agent. An old time gunsmith DID manage to get the metal outta the plastic, but the stock looked like someone used a hatched to get it out; lol. Its one hell of a permanent bond.

StoneChimney · 12-16-2011, 06:13 AM

Best way to separate a barreled action that has been Acraglassed without release agent is to freeze the hell out of it. Have fixed a couple of customer DIY's like that.

Jim K · 12-16-2011, 12:57 PM

Make sure to use the release agent and you won't have a problem.

But, for the problems you describe, I would not bed the parts into the Acraglas, I would put it into the holes, let it harden, and then rout it out with a Dremel tool to the right size and depth, drilling where needed. (Use a mask, latex gloves and goggles and good ventilation to keep fiberglas particles away from your face and skin.) That way you don't take a chance of getting Acraglas into the lock parts or screw holes.

Jim

swiftman · 12-16-2011, 01:43 PM

This is MUCH better than Accu Glass.. use Kiwi clear shoe paste as release agent .
Read the reviews.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/647...und-putty-1-lb..

okie headhunter · 12-16-2011, 11:06 PM

i use paste wax. johnsons makes it for wood floors. i could how shoe polish would work.

12-10-2011, 05:45 PM	#1
old semperfi Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: i live in southern indiana,old country boy at heart Posts: 1,506	the ugly duckling...........help please i just bought another firearm,it is probably the best deal i ever made,and the worst rifle i ever purchased.its a thompson hawken 50 cal percussion.the gun was i think a kit gun put together by a three year old or someone newly blind. to say the gun was mistreated is an understatement,i paid only twenty dollars.i have refinished many guns before but this one has the side plate even on one side and too far inletted on the other.the difference from one side to the other is close to one quarter inch,the barrell is inletted at the tang also close to a quarter inch if not more.what i need is what to use as a filler that can be filed or sanded fairly easily.my thoughts are jb weld,fiberglass,or possibly wood putty,any idea what i need.the gun as is looks like it was stored in an active flue pipe on a wood stove and then put in the bottom of a lake for a few months to cool down.keep in mind that the stock has been oil soaked and i will remove as much as possible to get a clean dry surface.i must also reblue the barrell and ideas on that. old semperfi -->

12-10-2011, 06:27 PM	#2
Hawg Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,554	Re: the ugly duckling...........help please Acraglas on the wood. Have the barrel professionally reblued

12-10-2011, 07:28 PM	#3
AL MOUNT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cleaning my Thompson in The Foothills of the Ozark Mountains Posts: 3,107	Re: the ugly duckling...........help please Make a lamp outta it... __________________ 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division Vietnam 67-68

12-10-2011, 07:53 PM	#4
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: the ugly duckling...........help please wood putty needs support as its too brittle Acraglas is way better , JB ?? its good but on wood? it can go funny if the woods not sealed , i think ( unsure) the solvent bleed into the wood so it dont set right .. here i use a two part epoxy but your then time limited to get in in place before it set's , but then you can sand it drill it and even tap it ( though i prefer to inset a threaded tube to fit the screw if i need a screw and that screw will be removed occasionally) good luck eh the Birchwood casey blue kits are brilliant now days , lots of work but it is rewarded it's the first time i've had tank quality finishes from a store kit , i'm doing a LE jungle carbine at the moment with one , 4-5 years ago i'd never have got a store bluing kit , but the new formula , heck swallow old time pride its cheap and works well if you do the need preparation

12-10-2011, 08:25 PM	#5
Diamondback Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Silver City, Oklahoma Posts: 659	Re: the ugly duckling...........help please 2nd the acraglass. Permanenet solid , can be drilled, sanded. Be sure to use the release agent on all metal parts. Real bummer to remove once it sets.

12-16-2011, 12:14 AM	#6
old semperfi Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: i live in southern indiana,old country boy at heart Posts: 1,506	Re: the ugly duckling...........help please where can i get the acraglass and release agent,i chked midway and they dont carry it. old semperfi

12-16-2011, 04:05 AM	#7
Inthewind1976 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 533	Re: the ugly duckling...........help please Brownells, or most any neighborhood gun shop - not sure about the "chain giants" like Dicks or Dunhams. Acraglass is the way to go. Ive used it quite a few times - it works as an epoxy if you are gluing and pinning a cracked stock, and its fantastic for bedding the recoil area of a bolt action for accuracy. Its really just a two part epoxy, which frankly, is all that JB is too. But Acraglass was pretty much designed to be used for firearms, and especially wood stocks. It also works very well when bedding an action to a synthetic stock. I usually put two or three coats of the release agent on any parts that will contact the epoxy, but that you dont want to permanently glue together. Let the release agent dry for a little between coats. I have seen one mauser rifle that was glassed to a synthetic WITHOUT the release agent. An old time gunsmith DID manage to get the metal outta the plastic, but the stock looked like someone used a hatched to get it out; lol. Its one hell of a permanent bond.

12-16-2011, 06:13 AM	#8
StoneChimney Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,087	Re: the ugly duckling...........help please Best way to separate a barreled action that has been Acraglassed without release agent is to freeze the hell out of it. Have fixed a couple of customer DIY's like that. __________________ Full service gunsmithing and firearm manufacturing shop. Licensed FFL 07/02 Manufacturer. Visit our website!

12-16-2011, 12:57 PM	#9
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: the ugly duckling...........help please Make sure to use the release agent and you won't have a problem. But, for the problems you describe, I would not bed the parts into the Acraglas, I would put it into the holes, let it harden, and then rout it out with a Dremel tool to the right size and depth, drilling where needed. (Use a mask, latex gloves and goggles and good ventilation to keep fiberglas particles away from your face and skin.) That way you don't take a chance of getting Acraglas into the lock parts or screw holes. Jim

12-16-2011, 01:43 PM	#10
swiftman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: East Central Ill Posts: 220	Re: the ugly duckling...........help please This is MUCH better than Accu Glass.. use Kiwi clear shoe paste as release agent . Read the reviews. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/647...und-putty-1-lb.. Last edited by swiftman; 12-16-2011 at 01:46 PM.. Reason: Added comment

12-16-2011, 11:06 PM	#11
okie headhunter Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: tulsa ok Posts: 44	Re: the ugly duckling...........help please i use paste wax. johnsons makes it for wood floors. i could how shoe polish would work.