Help needed, fiberglass for synthetic stock?

BerdanSS · April 13, 2014, 10:19 AM

Due to reasons beyond my control

I did something similar to this:

To the fore stock on one of my .22 bolt guns el'chepo factory stock with a plastic milling bit. Now I want to fill in the hollow voids under the barrel in the remaining part to make it look nice and finished before I paint the stock. Would fiberglass auto body filler work? The goal in to fill everything and then sand it down all nice and rounded smooth.

Or would something be better? keep in mind this is a counter top bubba job that so far has cost me nothing but time. I don't want to order some kind of expensive, firearm specific product that I could of bought a new stock for with the same money. Thanks all!

**4V50 Gary** · April 13, 2014, 11:41 AM

Acra-glass. Just be sure to apply release agent on your metal and on the outside of your stock where you don't want it.

nemesiss45 · April 13, 2014, 01:04 PM

Auto body fiberglass should work fine. I would get glass mat and resin, then do a layer at a time letting it dry between each layer until it is level. The glass mat shouls turn into a pulp and fill the small voids better than fabric. If you do too much at once, it culd heat up and warp your stock.

Straight glass and resin will do better on anything deeper than say... 1/4 inch or so... more than that and bondo will start cracking as it dries and will crack over time with use. They do have glass reinforced bondo for thicker aplication, but I have never used it.

If you go with glass and resin... wear gloved and a respirator. That stuff is nast. If you get it on your bare skin, it burns and itches like a bastard.

Slopemeno · April 13, 2014, 07:25 PM

It depends.

The composition of your cheap plastic stock might not bond to polyester like bondo, or even epoxy. That means even if you fill the void you might get a crack around the void area and the plastic stock sides.

Does the plastic feel slick?

BerdanSS · April 13, 2014, 08:12 PM

Not really. The stock itself has a pebbled finish to it. While the plastic is hard. When cut in half the center is quite soft and easily cut.

10-96 · April 14, 2014, 10:51 PM

If I catch what you're trying to do right, here's this idea if you want to get a little fancy with the project- http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...=GRID&history=

BerdanSS · April 15, 2014, 06:36 PM

10-96

That would be great, but this is a low budget bubba modified project

I ended up using fiberglass type body filler from auto zone. Cost $15 and seemed to work great so far. It sure stuck good and sanded down nice. The stock is now in the process of getting a McMillan/GAP style camo paint job.

April 13, 2014, 10:19 AM	#1
BerdanSS Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Location: to close to other houses Posts: 1,176	Help needed, fiberglass for synthetic stock? Due to reasons beyond my control I did something similar to this: To the fore stock on one of my .22 bolt guns el'chepo factory stock with a plastic milling bit. Now I want to fill in the hollow voids under the barrel in the remaining part to make it look nice and finished before I paint the stock. Would fiberglass auto body filler work? The goal in to fill everything and then sand it down all nice and rounded smooth. Or would something be better? keep in mind this is a counter top bubba job that so far has cost me nothing but time. I don't want to order some kind of expensive, firearm specific product that I could of bought a new stock for with the same money. Thanks all! __________________ One day, Men in tall hats will thump their chests and proclaim..."oh, what a great sea of mud we lived in"--The unalterable fate of billy creek .... "Smoke.....it's what's for dinner"

April 13, 2014, 11:41 AM	#2
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,848	Acra-glass. Just be sure to apply release agent on your metal and on the outside of your stock where you don't want it. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

April 13, 2014, 08:12 PM	#5
BerdanSS Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Location: to close to other houses Posts: 1,176	Not really. The stock itself has a pebbled finish to it. While the plastic is hard. When cut in half the center is quite soft and easily cut. __________________ One day, Men in tall hats will thump their chests and proclaim..."oh, what a great sea of mud we lived in"--The unalterable fate of billy creek .... "Smoke.....it's what's for dinner"

April 14, 2014, 10:51 PM	#6
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,160	If I catch what you're trying to do right, here's this idea if you want to get a little fancy with the project- http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...=GRID&history= __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

April 15, 2014, 06:36 PM	#7
BerdanSS Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Location: to close to other houses Posts: 1,176	10-96 That would be great, but this is a low budget bubba modified project I ended up using fiberglass type body filler from auto zone. Cost $15 and seemed to work great so far. It sure stuck good and sanded down nice. The stock is now in the process of getting a McMillan/GAP style camo paint job. __________________ One day, Men in tall hats will thump their chests and proclaim..."oh, what a great sea of mud we lived in"--The unalterable fate of billy creek .... "Smoke.....it's what's for dinner"

April 13, 2014, 01:04 PM	#3
nemesiss45 Senior Member Join Date: February 6, 2014 Posts: 526	Auto body fiberglass should work fine. I would get glass mat and resin, then do a layer at a time letting it dry between each layer until it is level. The glass mat shouls turn into a pulp and fill the small voids better than fabric. If you do too much at once, it culd heat up and warp your stock. Straight glass and resin will do better on anything deeper than say... 1/4 inch or so... more than that and bondo will start cracking as it dries and will crack over time with use. They do have glass reinforced bondo for thicker aplication, but I have never used it. If you go with glass and resin... wear gloved and a respirator. That stuff is nast. If you get it on your bare skin, it burns and itches like a bastard.

April 13, 2014, 07:25 PM	#4
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	It depends. The composition of your cheap plastic stock might not bond to polyester like bondo, or even epoxy. That means even if you fill the void you might get a crack around the void area and the plastic stock sides. Does the plastic feel slick?