Seeing how there aren't many pictures of skim bedding an aluminum bedding block kicking around on the web I figured I would document my re-bed job I did last night.
I had originaly bedded this rifle using a bedrock kit but I needed to make room for the precision recoil lug that I recieved a while back. I started by removing all the old bedding with a dremel tool then prepped with painters tape, plastecine to isolate all the spots I didn't want compound to get on to. I then used snow seal, polished with colored newspaper for release agent. The entire bedding area (stock side) was scrubbed down with automotive grease and wax remover prior to applying bedding compound. I didn't have any bedding compound left and none of the shops in town had any so I figured JB weld would do the job. I still had some of the micro balloons (thickening agent) left over from the bedrock so I mixed a bunch of it in.
Here it is roughed up with the dremel
The tape does a good job of keeping the mess down so you can concentrate on the job instead of worrying about getting compound on your stock or barrel
Make sure you have lots of Q-tips and a garbage can close by.
Here it is after separating, I'm really impatient with this sort of thing and I usually do this at about 3/4 cure time. I think it works well because the bedding is easier to cut/cleanup with the hobby knife at this point. Notice how the compound got between the plactecine dam and the barrel just ahead of the recoil lug. I haven't found a good way of sealing this area yet and it doesn't finish all that pretty so if anyone has a trick for this I'm all ears.
And the last few pics are all cleaned up. I'll let it sit today for curing and tomorrow we'll see how she shoots.
I had originaly bedded this rifle using a bedrock kit but I needed to make room for the precision recoil lug that I recieved a while back. I started by removing all the old bedding with a dremel tool then prepped with painters tape, plastecine to isolate all the spots I didn't want compound to get on to. I then used snow seal, polished with colored newspaper for release agent. The entire bedding area (stock side) was scrubbed down with automotive grease and wax remover prior to applying bedding compound. I didn't have any bedding compound left and none of the shops in town had any so I figured JB weld would do the job. I still had some of the micro balloons (thickening agent) left over from the bedrock so I mixed a bunch of it in.
Here it is roughed up with the dremel
The tape does a good job of keeping the mess down so you can concentrate on the job instead of worrying about getting compound on your stock or barrel
Make sure you have lots of Q-tips and a garbage can close by.
Here it is after separating, I'm really impatient with this sort of thing and I usually do this at about 3/4 cure time. I think it works well because the bedding is easier to cut/cleanup with the hobby knife at this point. Notice how the compound got between the plactecine dam and the barrel just ahead of the recoil lug. I haven't found a good way of sealing this area yet and it doesn't finish all that pretty so if anyone has a trick for this I'm all ears.
And the last few pics are all cleaned up. I'll let it sit today for curing and tomorrow we'll see how she shoots.
