I need to glue up 2 small cracks in a Rem 12a pump buttstock. There are 2 small holes close to the outside of the grip for 2 locator pins and the wood is cracked slightly. Not a structural issue but unsightly. Of course this gun was made in 1928 and there has been oil rubbed on the wood that is in the cracks and glue wont hold. What can I do to get the oil out of the wood so I can glue up the cracks?
Stock oil
- Thread starter bogie
- Start date
Soak the area down well with a good de-greaser such as lacquer thinner. Use smaller amounts and change to fresh wash amounts after a few rinses of the area. The solvent will become contaminated quickly. Go by the colouring you get. Pour it from a small container and use a basin to catch the drain off. Use the same solvent a couple of times then discard it and use a fresh couple of ounces. Done this way a liter size container will be enough to rinse away the oils.
You'll need to re-finish the stock after you do the repair as the lacquer thinner will remove all the oil and much of any other finish.
You'll need to re-finish the stock after you do the repair as the lacquer thinner will remove all the oil and much of any other finish.
Good advice (I use acetone...but same principle.)
The only add-on I have would be to try n' remove oil from the entire surface of the stock. It won't help your glue hold any better, but when refinishing time comes, it'll be easier to blend your repair. If you only degrease where it's glued, it'll stick out like a sore thumb when refinished.
The only add-on I have would be to try n' remove oil from the entire surface of the stock. It won't help your glue hold any better, but when refinishing time comes, it'll be easier to blend your repair. If you only degrease where it's glued, it'll stick out like a sore thumb when refinished.
I bought some Lee Valley chair glue.
Comes with a syringe and a few different sized needles.
The stuff is fair liquidy and runs into cracks well.
Not a huge investment and the syringe you could try and use
for applying the solvent.
Not sure what this would do to the rubber syringe grommet.
You appear to be at the coast, a call to Lee Valley might answer
some questions.
Still awaiting a report back on the fore wood I glued and the chap
that bought it.
Keep us posted.
Comes with a syringe and a few different sized needles.
The stuff is fair liquidy and runs into cracks well.
Not a huge investment and the syringe you could try and use
for applying the solvent.
Not sure what this would do to the rubber syringe grommet.
You appear to be at the coast, a call to Lee Valley might answer
some questions.
Still awaiting a report back on the fore wood I glued and the chap
that bought it.
Keep us posted.
- Location
- West Quebec
I like the LeeValley solution...for several other projects..
Good info all around. I think I will use the laquer thinner and then go with epoxy.I have a couple of Gorilla glues too and they work better than my Lepages Carpenters glue but I dont want to experiment with this. Has to work first time. I have the glue syringes in the shop and will go that way. I usually tap toothpicks into the crack ends to spread them enough for the thicker glues like epoxy to get in all the way. I work for Acklands Grainger and have access to an amazing assortment of adhesives but I trust the epoxies and will go with some Devcon 2 ton. That should do the job. I have a variety of solvents like laquer thinner, turps, thinner, Varsol(same thing) and methyl hydrate but the laquer thinner and the methyl hydrate are the only ones that do not leave a film behind adding to the problem. Cyanoacrylates penetrate easy but they are too brittle for this app. Thanks for all the helpful info.
crazy stuff!
If you're using epoxy I've got a couple of hints.
First off, do not be tempted to thin the epoxy glue. Thinning with denatured alcohol is only useable when the resin is spread out in a thin and fully exposed film so the alky has time to evaporate from the resin before it kicks off. Thinning it for crack filling will lock the solvent in the glue and it'll affect the cure. So don't do it.
You want to thin the resin so it'll flow into the crack more easily. A great way to do this is with a heat gun or a good hot hair dryer. The warmth thins the resin to a more watery like consistency and it'll flow into the thinnest cracks. It'll flow so well that you will find you need to dam the vertical openings so it only runs in from the most upper opening. Without the masking tape dams to hold it in the crack it'll run out from the side.
Because heating the resin to thin it speeds up the cure time you want to work this way with 1 or 2 hour cure resin instead of the faster 5 or 15 minute stuff.
First off, do not be tempted to thin the epoxy glue. Thinning with denatured alcohol is only useable when the resin is spread out in a thin and fully exposed film so the alky has time to evaporate from the resin before it kicks off. Thinning it for crack filling will lock the solvent in the glue and it'll affect the cure. So don't do it.
You want to thin the resin so it'll flow into the crack more easily. A great way to do this is with a heat gun or a good hot hair dryer. The warmth thins the resin to a more watery like consistency and it'll flow into the thinnest cracks. It'll flow so well that you will find you need to dam the vertical openings so it only runs in from the most upper opening. Without the masking tape dams to hold it in the crack it'll run out from the side.
Because heating the resin to thin it speeds up the cure time you want to work this way with 1 or 2 hour cure resin instead of the faster 5 or 15 minute stuff.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
I've used G2 Epoxy from Lee Valley to fix stocks and as well to bed rifles to their new stocks. It's excellent stuff.
For degreasing another good thing is chlorinated brake cleaner. There are several different types, some chlorinated, some alcohol based, and a chlorinated, "low odour" one. Best is the chlorinated one. The low odour one is part chlorinated and then they add solvents (like lacquer thinner) that evaporate more slowly.
It can be sprayed into cracks. Spray enough so it runs out. Need to do it a number of times. If sprayed carefully, it only removes oils inside and a little around the opening of the crack.
The chlorinated brake cleaner is perchloroethylene (perc) which is exactly the same as what's used in dry cleaning clothing.
I have fixed a couple cracks with Titebond III, which is the same as carpenters glue, but fully waterproof. I also use it for glue laminating wood that will be exposed to rain or outdoors. But it's not recommended for continual submergence.
It can be sprayed into cracks. Spray enough so it runs out. Need to do it a number of times. If sprayed carefully, it only removes oils inside and a little around the opening of the crack.
The chlorinated brake cleaner is perchloroethylene (perc) which is exactly the same as what's used in dry cleaning clothing.
I have fixed a couple cracks with Titebond III, which is the same as carpenters glue, but fully waterproof. I also use it for glue laminating wood that will be exposed to rain or outdoors. But it's not recommended for continual submergence.
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Sounds like a job for CRC Brakleen the nasty one. I work for Acklands Grainger and we sell quite a variety of them. As I understand it the Brakleen is the favorite and a lot of guys on this site use it for cleaning junk out of their mechs too. May have some in the chemical closet. I will pry the cracks open a bit with some toothpicks and then spray. That would damage the finish a lot less too. Should have thought of that one myself. Duh.
Hi. Quick question i hope you can answer. I have a Husqvarna made in 1961 with a walnut stock. The finish on the stock is not glossy. Can you recomend an oil to help preserve this type of stock. It has no cracks and i would like to keep it that way.
Thank You.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
I use the "Tried and True" oil from Lee Valley.
If it's not glossy then you need to first find out if it's an actual oiled finish or if it's a matt or semi gloss/satin varnish. You'll need to guage that on the apparent thickness of the finish. If it looks like it's got a plastic sheet over it then it's a varnish. If it's slick and smooth but looks like slick and smooth WOOD with evidence of wood grain in the surface then it's an oil finish.
For a thicker varnish a gun wax, car wax or even good ol' Lemon Pledge will work just fine for cleaning and sprucing up.
If it's an oil finish then it should be occasionally renewed with a rub on then buff off application of the original or similar oil finish. A Tung oil finish such as Lee Valley Polymerized Tung Oil is great. Or go with basic boiled linseed oil. Or since this is a feeding/renewing coat you can even use one of the solvent thinned oil finishes such as Minwax Tung Oil finish. The solvents in the Minwax product will clean out the pores at the same time you add in a little tung oil. And it's thin enough that it won't build up the finish if you don't want it to build up.
