[Bowes]

The real purpose of pillar bedding is to make certain you don't bend your action when you tighten your screws. The tubes are very, very easy to get right if installed as you glass bed. You can actually drill your screw holes oversize, and the bedding compound will ooze between the pillar bushing and the stock, and it will be perfectly located. Proper pillar length can be determined with a dial caliper. Just set the action in the stock and insert the pillar. Measure the amount that protrudes on the floorplate side and shorten to fit. Remember that the full contact of the glass gives great rear lug support as long as you don't tighten the rear screw while the glass is hardening. I actually prefer inletting guide screws because they are just pins, so no tension can be put on the rear lug, and they project through the stock and give me something to tap if needed to break my action loose. Just make sure you install the floorplate and trigger guard to make sure all relationships (incl the pillar) are perfect.

Also, paste furniture wax has worked as release agent for me for about 40 years just fine. WD-40 is pretty good, too, but the paste wax really protects action screws you need to turn with a screwdriver because it won't wipe off.