Removing Devcon from Action Holes?

[Petey]

In light of all the goings-on in the world.. I figured some of you needed a laugh!

Sooooo.....What should I have done?

First off let me preface this with this: I consider myself to not only be very technical, but very mechanical. In fact, from tearing an engine down to building a house, garage, you name it I can and have done it. In the same instance I can sit here and write logic and code on this machine I’m typing on to do pretty much anything I want. Granted most of the knowledge I have is from learning the hard way and not always doing things right the first time… with experience comes knowledge, right?

So with that I found myself in another “first”. I had a BAT action that was glued in. I was able to unglue it without any issues in about 20-30 minutes by using an iron. (I had to send to BAT for some rework) During it’s time in Post Falls, I decided I wanted to go with a screw in application, instead of gluing it back into its original stock. In all my stupidity, I didn’t tell Daryle to remove the devcon bedding from the screw holes.

So how do I get this stuff out? Me, in all my brilliance, determined that this was no more than a fiberglass bolt, so do what you normally would do if you have a sheared off bolt. EASY-OUT! I’m thinking man, I’m smart.. I’ll take pictures and post this to the world to see how smart I am and to hopefully help someone else out in the future.

There’s more than one difference between a bolt and a hole filled with fiberglass, let me tell you! First off, I started small. I used the smallest bit and easy-out I had. See first couple pictures. Now I find out what the difference is! Obviously Devcon is more brittle than steel (duh), but I still thought my concept was sound. What I forgot and soon found out, is that a bolt has inherent “slop” between the threads. A bolt hole filled with fiberglass has zero slop… it’s glued in… all the groves all the crevices. At the end of the first easy out, I managed to just make the hole bigger.

PROGRESS! LOL

So on to the next size easy-out. Guess what? Same thing happened… then again, and again until I had the hole to the size where I was not willing to run a bit down in and potentially mar up my threads on a $1350 action.

The next process consisted of a razor blade an dental picks. Once I got the first few threads visible, I was able to use force by slowly screwing in a bolt and breaking apart the rest of the DEVCON in the hole.

Repeat 2 more times for the other two holes.

All in all, it only took me 30-45 mins, but I’m sure there’s a better way! Some may say, just tap them out. OK I hear you, but again I wasn’t tapping my $1350 custom action. In the end I got it out and was happy with the results. Nothing buggered up..

This was definitely a case of needing the right tool for the job, of which I’m a huge advocate of. Heck I thought I had the right tools.

So how would you have done it… or how is it done in the “real” world of gunsmithing? One more notch on learning things the hard way I guess!

 

[Petey]

And of course.. the finished product!

 

[Uthink Uknow]

This isn't worthy of a laugh. This is sad. Wrong tools in the hands of wrong person on wrong bench-wood working bench. Can you tell I'm watching Judge Judy right now?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

First thing, a competent gunsmith would have filled the holes with clay or a set screw, then if he didnt catch that his first time faced with what you had going he would have used a small propane torch then just dug it out pretty easily. Just like the heat you applied to remove it, adding heat there would release the epoxy from the threads

 

[Grimstod]

Heat in acetone on your friend here

 

[Petey]

Tadda! There’s the answer Dusty and Grimstod. Thanks! I suppose I could have thought of heat but now it’s out there for the world to know.

As for the gunsmith I agree 100%. He’s very well know and I’d never divulge who that was.

As for Uthink Uknow.. I got a laugh from your post! Again one of those learn the hard way things in life. Not sure it’s worth the slander ... I was quite certain it was the wrong tools.. wrong hands? Well you don’t know me at all. I sure wouldn’t make that statement of you, other than to say, what solution did you offer?

 

[riflewoman]

Acetone May or may not help with cured Devcon. Heat always works. A tip. Get a piece of copper rod and point it. ( a MIG contact is a decent source) and play the flame of the torch on to that until the epoxy softens. Then dig it out. If you have a spare screw you can make a scraper by cutting a lengthwise slot in one side of the screw.

 

[HamSlamma]

Grimstod is right,,,,,epoxy does NOT like heat!!! FACT!

 

[cinch29433]

Heat gun...

 

[ebb]

Heat (open flame) and acetone don't mix, I am not sure I want it around an iron either. Ive never seen solvents work on epoxy based glues and fillers.

 

[joshb]

You got it out without hurting your action.
You learned a few ways NOT to do it.
You posted and learned something.
Alls good in my book!

 

[Uthink Uknow]

I had no solution, when I got here you had already taken care of it.

 

[Lapua40X]

... Some may say, just tap them out. OK I hear you, but again I wasn’t tapping my $1350 custom action. In the end I got it out and was happy with the results. Nothing buggered up..

A good drill press with a properly selected index drill bit cleans it out to the minor diameter of the bolt threads. From there it's a matter of chasing the threads with a properly sized tap. It ain't rocket science.

 

[Petey]

We’re all good my friend.. obviously we’ve all heard “there’s more than one way to skin a cat”. I believe I counted somewhere around 4-5 different ways you all do it (including my own method)

Joshb is correct. At the end of the day I achieved the result I was looking for, albeit probably more difficult than it could have been. I’m neither a machinist or gunsmith though, which is why I wanted the expert’s guide. My way didn’t cost me a dime other than time.

Might have been better had I asked here first, but my pain can surely be someone else’s gain, which was the original reason for the post.

All about sharing one’s experiences. That’s what this place is about right? Collaboration. I’ve learned a lot here over the years, from the wealth of knowledge and hopefully passed on of my own knowledge for others to use. This one was definitely an “ah ha” moment that I figured I’d share.

Just one more for books!

Thanks

 

[joshb]

Yup! Learning is a processs. What did Bell say about his thousand tries at a lightbulb? Something along the lines of learning how not to make one?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Yup! Learning is a processs. What did Bell say about his thousand tries at a lightbulb? Something along the lines of learning how not to make one?

you mean edison?

 

[carlsbad]

Drill out the middle, then 30 seconds with a torch. Clean threads with tap. 2 minute job. --Jerry

 

[Texas10]

The other way to release the bond, if you're a bit nervous about using a torch on your expensive action, is to use cold. Pack it in Dry Ice for about 30 minutes and then put some effort on it. It'll pop loose.

 

[carlsbad]

The good think about heating epoxy, you'll start smelling it around 400 deg F, 700 degrees before you start affecting steel heat treatment. as soon as you smell it, you're pretty much done. --Jerry

 

[joshb]

you mean edison?

I knew I should have researched that!