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acraglass and crack

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Someone had a post on fixing a crack in a stock using acraglass from Brownells. It works very well if the acraglass is heated with a (paint stripper) heat gun. It doesn't take long to heat the acraglass, it will turn to a water consistency. Then pour it into the crack. Dont clamp it too hard where it pushes all the glue out. Heating the acraglass will make it dry faster also. I hope this helps.
 
There's two types of acraglass that I use. Gel, and regular. The gel (50:50 mix ratio) is tough to get worked into a crack and tends to stay pliable for a long time. It eventually hardens completely but takes a long time. A trick for the white epoxy part when it gets crystallized in the jar from age is to put in the microwave for 5 or 10 secs. Restores it back to its new state. I let it cool to room temp before mixing with hardener.
I prefer fixing cracks with the regular acraglass (4:1 mix ratio). It's viscosity is like warm syrup. Very runny. It works itself down in a crack very well when freshly mixed. It hardens much faster and harder than the Gel. To change the viscosity to whatever stiffness you need I add "micro balloons" or phenolic micro beads.

Both gel and regular can be dyed brown or black with the dye tubes that Brownells provide.

As far as adding heat on purpose, note that heat is what activates the epoxy to cure and harden. Alone it's a chemical reaction when the two parts are mixed. Adding heat will drastically decrease the work time available if you're doing something like bedding a rifle with it.
 
Extremely thin CA glue may be the best choice. Starbond is particularly good. I use CA to glue to attach tip overlays to glass/wood laminated bows. They stay stuck.

Flowing glue into a stock crack is fast, effective and economical. I fixed a crack in a forearm a few days ago. Five minute project including one minute of holding it tight by hand.
 
Someone had a post on fixing a crack in a stock using acraglass from Brownells. It works very well if the acraglass is heated with a (paint stripper) heat gun. It doesn't take long to heat the acraglass, it will turn to a water consistency. Then pour it into the crack. Dont clamp it too hard where it pushes all the glue out. Heating the acraglass will make it dry faster also. I hope this helps.
That's a good "hack" and very valuable to me, as the lads are tough on The King's Musket and fixing cracking damage on them is my primary role as a unit armorer.

LD
 
Also heat the wood. Air will come out the pores. As it cools it will suck the epoxy into the pores.

This is important in applying finish too. If you put a stock in the sun after you apply finish you may get bubbles in the finish. I you heat it first the finish penetrates better and no bubbles.
 
As far as dying AG one can use oil base artist paints. I do it all the time. Dont use water base. Using oil paints one can mix different colors to get desired effect. Dont put first coat on thick. Let first coat dry and add the second coat. It is best to do it in layers. Let it completely dry then add desired coats of finish.
 

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