West System epoxy, anyone using it?
- Thread starter SND
- Start date
Thought I would ask in this thread since it seems to me dead
I found some Devcon on ebay and was wondering what you guys thought about it. Would this work fine for bedding job?
A strong structural adhesive formulated for bonding similar and dissimilar materials as well as unprepared metals. Resists weathering, high humidity and temperature variations. Minimal surface preparation required. Cured adhesive can be drilled, sanded and painted.
Bonds: Hard Plastic, Styrene, PVC, Acrylic, Ceramic, Concrete, Fiberglass, Metal, Vinyl, Wood
Tensile Strength: 3500 psi
Color: Cream
Waterproof
Handling Time: 4-5 Minutes
Set Time: 10-15 Minutes
Cure Time: 24 Hours
Temperature Range: -40°F to 200°F
Part No.: 22045
Package: 0.84 fl. oz. (25ml) syringe, carded
Also theres a can of steel putty on ebay right now if anyones looking for some.
I found some Devcon on ebay and was wondering what you guys thought about it. Would this work fine for bedding job?
A strong structural adhesive formulated for bonding similar and dissimilar materials as well as unprepared metals. Resists weathering, high humidity and temperature variations. Minimal surface preparation required. Cured adhesive can be drilled, sanded and painted.
Bonds: Hard Plastic, Styrene, PVC, Acrylic, Ceramic, Concrete, Fiberglass, Metal, Vinyl, Wood
Tensile Strength: 3500 psi
Color: Cream
Waterproof
Handling Time: 4-5 Minutes
Set Time: 10-15 Minutes
Cure Time: 24 Hours
Temperature Range: -40°F to 200°F
Part No.: 22045
Package: 0.84 fl. oz. (25ml) syringe, carded
Also theres a can of steel putty on ebay right now if anyones looking for some.
I've used West System to bed several guns. It's a premium quality super strong epoxy and results in a top notch bedding job but there are a few factors that must be condidered:
The epoxy is just a liquid on it's own. I paint a coat of this on to the area to be bedded so that it will form a bond between the stock and the thickened epoxy that will form the bedding. To use for bedding you must thicken it.
The best thing to thicken it with for this application is West System 404 High Density filler. I thicken it to peanut butter consistency. I also add a pinch or two of powdered graphite to make it black.
This sets up as hard as a hammer and the black looks great. I've tried to sand this stuff before when used for something else - it's hard and tough.
Set up takes at least 8 hours, but be patient, it's worth it.
I used West because I already have it and the various fillers on hand for working with boats. It's a very highly developed, versatile and well researched product and is widely used in the boat building industry. It's also very expensive as epoxy goes. If I didn't already have the stuff on hand it would be simpler to just get a package of the Devcon putty I suppose. People seem to be very happy with that stuff as well.
I noticed that the tensile strength of the Devcon is 3500 psi. West is over 7800 psi before adding the high density filler, which increases it. Either product is probably more than strong enough to bed a gun.
I would think that compression yield would be the more important spec. when used as bedding.
The epoxy is just a liquid on it's own. I paint a coat of this on to the area to be bedded so that it will form a bond between the stock and the thickened epoxy that will form the bedding. To use for bedding you must thicken it.
The best thing to thicken it with for this application is West System 404 High Density filler. I thicken it to peanut butter consistency. I also add a pinch or two of powdered graphite to make it black.
This sets up as hard as a hammer and the black looks great. I've tried to sand this stuff before when used for something else - it's hard and tough.
Set up takes at least 8 hours, but be patient, it's worth it.
I used West because I already have it and the various fillers on hand for working with boats. It's a very highly developed, versatile and well researched product and is widely used in the boat building industry. It's also very expensive as epoxy goes. If I didn't already have the stuff on hand it would be simpler to just get a package of the Devcon putty I suppose. People seem to be very happy with that stuff as well.
I noticed that the tensile strength of the Devcon is 3500 psi. West is over 7800 psi before adding the high density filler, which increases it. Either product is probably more than strong enough to bed a gun.
I would think that compression yield would be the more important spec. when used as bedding.
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One thing to consider is the quantity and cost for that much. One of the Devcon two tube sets will likely bed a rifle just fine. On the other hand West comes in rather large volume sets. So there's an increased cost for the resin and fillers needed just due to the volume if you're only looking at one or two rifles. A lot of folks won't have any regular other use for the left over.
Any epoxy out there will work just fine. Devcon, Lepages, or even good ol' JBWeld. Just be sure to get the type that has a long enough working time. So no 5 or 15 minute formulas.
Any epoxy out there will work just fine. Devcon, Lepages, or even good ol' JBWeld. Just be sure to get the type that has a long enough working time. So no 5 or 15 minute formulas.
I ended up getting the west systems stuff, 946ml of the main resin, slow hardener, tub of very fine powder filler to thicken it, 12oz can of graphite to color it and a 12oz can of collinites mold release 900. All together it cost about the same as 2 of the 3/4lb kits of marine tex, which is not as close by. I think this here would yeild quite a few more builds and all I'll ever had to get again someday is just the resin and hardener. Its enough wax and graphite for a life time, and I got other uses for some of it as well.
Thanks for the feedback.
Once I get to do some experimentation with it I'll post the results.
Thanks for the feedback.
Once I get to do some experimentation with it I'll post the results.
I used to buy epoxy by the drum and fillers by the skid load. I could have mixed my own bedding compounds but did not. The biggest problem is degassing anything you mix, I could degas but it was more trouble than I cared to take. This may not be important to many but the air bubbles that you mix in by the millions do have an effect on the material and tend to look ugly when you are charging for your work. I am not talking about big air bubbles but millions of tiny ones you need a glass to see well. When you sand a lump of your home brew you will notice that it turns kind of grey, this is the sanding dust caught in the bubbles. My favourite bedding material is still Marine-Tex although any of them will work okay. Acra Glass Gel already has fillers in it and adding steel filler is probably a waste of time. If you are using an unfilled epoxy then it would be a good additive. Back to degassing, the only way to do it is with vacuum in the micron range. You can't get that kind of vac with an old compressor or a vane pump. The more fillers you add the thicker the mix and the harder and longer it takes to degas. Having said all this you bedding brew will probably work fine and a good filler on it's own is graphite. You can add enough to get a nice paste.
