first pillar bedding job need help!

[BillPa]

use the plumbers putty playdo works but dries out pretty fast.

Play-Doh or plumber's putty either way, mix a few drops of vegetable cooking oil in it. It will stay in place, prevent it from drying out and make it easier to remove when doing the final cleanup.

Bill

[yotehtr1]

Play-Doh or plumber's putty either way, mix a few drops of vegetable cooking oil in it. It will stay in place, prevent it from drying out and make it easier to remove when doing the final cleanup.

Bill

Thanks I didn't know that! Good tip there

[LongRange]

Play-Doh or plumber's putty either way, mix a few drops of vegetable cooking oil in it. It will stay in place, prevent it from drying out and make it easier to remove when doing the final cleanup.

Bill

good to know thanks.

[brushcreek]

I made a few pictures the other day when I was installing pillars in a customer's stock. These photos show how I make pillars from 9/16" 6061-T6 aluminum dowels. I didn't take pictures of how to enlarge holes in an existing stock using just a drill press, but you can do it, just like I drill centered holes in the aluminum dowels, just reverse the procedure to line up with a tight fitting drill bit in the existing stock bolt hole, clamp the stock upside down in your drill press with the drill bit chucked and lowered into the hole. (don't turn on the drill press yet!) After the stock is clamped in place and can't shift, raise the drill, swap the drill bit for one that fits your pillars. I use a 9/16" router bit to drill the holes. I set the drill press to the slowest speed, turn it on and drill the hole. Any blowout because the cut isn't backed by anything is fine. It's on the inside of the stock where it will be filled by Devcon 1010 when the barreled action and pillars are glued into the stock. Here's a link to my Facebook photo album where I put the photos and description in a photo album. If the link doesn't work for those not logged into Facebook, let me know and I'll make another posting to show how to do this upgrade to your rifle with only a drill press, bit to match your aluminum barrel stock and a .260" drill bit to make the stock bolt hole in the pillar. https://www.facebook.com/hal.dougherty/media_set?set=a.10153409453695400.1073741832.55032 0399&type=3

[jhelmuth]

Thought I'd add a couple of my own tips...

[1] Use Devcon 10110 in the following ratio (by weight) 9:1 (putty to hardener). I like to use the wife's scale in grams because I can get the ratios more accurate, but you could use oz if that's all you have. I find 81 grams of putty to 9 grams of hardener will be enough for most any Savage bedding job (you will waste a fair bit - but it's most important to make the mix as good as possible). Optionally, just use 3 oz and the 3/8 oz of hardener - not as accurate, but more than enough so to do the job.

[2] Be sure to do the pillars and bedding all at the same time. Keep the action bolts centered in the pillars by wrapping them with painters tape until their diameter is just less than the hole diameter of your pillars. That will not only center them properly and keep them from having a negative impact on the rifles accuracy, but it will also act to keep unwanted Devcon from making its way into the pillar bolt interface. I like to use cut-off bolts and a cut down 1/4-28 nut to just snug the pillar against the action (not tight - just so it makes firm contact - nothing more). Take off the trigger assembly so you will avoid getting Devcon in it and it will also just be easier to ensure there is no mechanical lock when you go to remove the action.