Best bedding thickness?

[joshb]

I'd like to hear from "experts" about bedding thickness. I'm building my stocks with slightly different clearances to the action and "filling the void" with the bedding compound. I have been keeping it thin. Would thicker be better? Could you cast a pseudo bedding block with Marine Tex or Devcon? Thanks, Josh

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I prefer thin. The reason is that epoxy shrinks as it cures and the thicker the bedding the more it will shrink. Even thickness is also important. I inlet almost every stock I use so I can control this, but if I have to work with a sloppy inlet that has very big voids I will bed twice. Bed once then left it cure a while and then remove a small layer of bedding and then bed it with a thinner more even layer. If you feel the need for a bedding block, use one, I dont think thinker epoxy is the answer.

 

[Fast14riot]

I think .040-.060 is about right.

 

[Slowrunning]

I prefer thin. The reason is that epoxy shrinks as it cures and the thicker the bedding the more it will shrink. Even thickness is also important. I inlet almost every stock I use so I can control this, but if I have to work with a sloppy inlet that has very big voids I will bed twice. Bed once then left it cure a while and then remove a small layer of bedding and then bed it with a thinner more even layer. If you feel the need for a bedding block, use one, I dont think thinker epoxy is the answer.

@Alex Wheeler .... Hate to resurect and old thread but... when you bed twice, is the second layer very thin (say less than .010") or are you milling out a good amount of the first layer and putting down a thicker second layer?