Hawken repair question

[Aggie1105]

Howdy all,

I am looking for any advice on wood repair on a TC hawken style stock. It was my late grandfathers rifle. It has some damage to the wood under the brass stock plate that is inlayed into the wood on the side of the forearm that supports the barrel tennon wedge. The wood looks like it may have rotted or been damaged at one point and no longer retains one of the two screws that hold the brass plate in place. Does anyone know of products or fillers (maybe Gorilla glue brand?) that might be strong enough to support the screw/plate area? I'd like to fix it right and have it serve as my hunting rifle in honor of my grandfather.

Any advice on repairing the wood in that spot would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

HP

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Some good photos would help if you can post them for us.

 

[SDSmlf]

Howdy all,

I am looking for any advice on wood repair on a TC hawken style stock. It was my late grandfathers rifle. It has some damage to the wood under the brass stock plate that is inlayed into the wood on the side of the forearm that supports the barrel tennon wedge. The wood looks like it may have rotted or been damaged at one point and no longer retains one of the two screws that hold the brass plate in place. Does anyone know of products or fillers (maybe Gorilla glue brand?) that might be strong enough to support the screw/plate area? I'd like to fix it right and have it serve as my hunting rifle in honor of my grandfather.

Any advice on repairing the wood in that spot would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

HP

Personally have repaired many TC stocks, but without detailed clear photographs of the issue I nor anyone else can offer any good advice for your particular issue.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Lots of fixes, superglue and sawdust will fix the damaged wood area but needs to be hidden because it isn't the best looking. Remove the damaged wood and replace it with a walnut patch glued in with wood glue. Both of the above fixes will have to be trimmed down with a small chisel to re-inlet the brass plate to fit properly.

The easiest fix would be to glue in a toothpick or two in the wallowed-out screw hole so the screw can get a grip. cut the toothpick off inside the inlet so the brass plate will go in.

This is what superglue and sawdust looks like, it ain't pretty. I really messed up this nose cap inlet several times to the point that I didn't have enough wood left to work with so I built the area up with superglue and sawdust and got the nose cap on correctly on my third try. I threw away the cast nose cap and went with a sheet metal one that was easier to fit.

Done;

 

[Aggie1105]

Personally have repaired many TC stocks, but without detailed clear photographs of the issue I nor anyone else can offer any good advice for your particular issue.

 

[Aggie1105]

These photos are all of the same side of the rifle. The plate on the other side appears to be secure. I've removed the barrel before and it doesn't appear that the damage goes all the way through. I've heard of the sawdust & glue method, but wasn't sure if it would work here since this is semi-structural and has to support the wedge/screws. Thanks

 

[Phil Coffins]

The escutcheons should not support the wedge, only the wood. The escutcheons protect the edges of the wood and if the wedge bares on them they will get knocked out.

 

[Gtrubicon]

I think I’d try acriglass bedding gel on that one.

 

[ChuckJonesWagon]

I think I’d try acriglass bedding gel on that one.

Great suggestion. Accraglass can cure a whole bunch of problems in a short time period. Just be careful and wipe off any that leaches out onto the outside wood. Also, be darn sure to have a good release agent applied to the wedge IF you are leaving the wedge in during the process. (Which is what I'd do)

 

[Gtrubicon]

I would pull the barrel, remove any loos punky wood, put escutcheon and screws in place with release on these parts, put in proper amount of acriglass gel and insert wedge with release from opposing side and let cure.

 

[2 shots]

is that part of the stock thick enough to drill out the screw holes and glue a dowel in each ??

 

[centershot]

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. If possible, I'd much prefer to glue in a dowel with some Titebond III and go at it with hand tools to inlet.

 

[Aggie1105]

I think I’d try acriglass bedding gel on that one.

I'm not super familiar with acraglass gel. Is it something that is still relatively doable for a novice? It sounds like I'm putting a release agents on all the parts I don't want it to cure to, and then filling in the void space with cured acraglass gel?

 

[Gtrubicon]

It’s a 2 part epoxy, you can get it from brownells or Amazon. You would apply release agent on all parts that yo don’t want the epoxy to stick to. I would mask the wood around the area with tape. Mix the epoxy, fill in the void from the barrel channel and then insert the wedge to create the space needed to retain it. This of course with the escutcheon in place and the screws installed. I often use clear wax to coat the metal with instead of the release it comes with. Liberally coat the metal and rub somewhat smooth leaving a film. It works very well.

 

[Eric Krewson]

For that small of a fix, you are looking at $25 or so for a small tub of acraglass shipped or 25 cents worth of superglue and sawdust.

Superglue turns sawdust into concrete, your patch would be 10 times stronger than the surrounding wood. I put down a drop of super glue, sprinkle a little sawdust on the glue and shape it quickly by forcing it down with a popsicle stick, you only have 10 seconds or so. If I need it thicker after the first application, I add another drop and sprinkle on more sawdust.

Do a test of this on a piece of paper, don't breathe the fumes, you will be surprised at the strength of the superglue sawdust combo.

Drilling out the screw holes and gluing in a dowel is a good idea. When I do that, I chuck up a piece of wood in my drill and shape a dowel to have the same end grain as the grain on the stock. I just do this for looks so the glued in piece won't show as much. I would make the dowel at least 1/4" in diameter so it will have more glue surface.

That is a strange break and not a place that woudl break out unless an unskilled person forced something through the slot that wasn't supposed to be there.

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

The word "rotten" gets my attention. It won't get better with age. Many good recommendations have been posted, but my advice would be to replace the stock. There are plenty of them out there, and utilizing the original parts from the rotten stock will maintain the sentimental/originality of the rifle, without worrying about screws coming loose or worse.

 

[William Schenck]

There is a product called “Get Rot” that is found at marine suppliers (West Marine). It is a very thin liquid that seeps into soft areas of wood and hardens. Sounds like a perfect fix for your problem..

 

[Aggie1105]

The word "rotten" gets my attention. It won't get better with age. Many good recommendations have been posted, but my advice would be to replace the stock. There are plenty of them out there, and utilizing the original parts from the rotten stock will maintain the sentimental/originality of the rifle, without worrying about screws coming loose or worse.

I suppose it might not be truly rotting, that was just my best way to describe it based on what I was seeing, but I see your point. I might try and repair it first to see what can be done and then keep in mind replacing the wood and using the original parts as a back up. Thank you for the idea!

 

[Aggie1105]

For that small of a fix, you are looking at $25 or so for a small tub of acraglass shipped or 25 cents worth of superglue and sawdust.

Superglue turns sawdust into concrete, your patch would be 10 times stronger than the surrounding wood. I put down a drop of super glue, sprinkle a little sawdust on the glue and shape it quickly by forcing it down with a popsicle stick, you only have 10 seconds or so. If I need it thicker after the first application, I add another drop and sprinkle on more sawdust.

Do a test of this on a piece of paper, don't breathe the fumes, you will be surprised at the strength of the superglue sawdust combo.

Drilling out the screw holes and gluing in a dowel is a good idea. When I do that, I chuck up a piece of wood in my drill and shape a dowel to have the same end grain as the grain on the stock. I just do this for looks so the glued in piece won't show as much. I would make the dowel at least 1/4" in diameter so it will have more glue surface.

That is a strange break and not a place that woudl break out unless an unskilled person forced something through the slot that wasn't supposed to be there.

I like the sawdust idea, but I don't have a ton of work space and tools for making a dowel to fit it perfectly. I'm currently in an apartment haha. If I fill in the damaged area with superglue and sawdust, would it be better to leave the escutcheon and screws in place and let it harden around the screws? Or fill in the area, then drill it and reinsert screws?

 

[Aggie1105]

It’s a 2 part epoxy, you can get it from brownells or Amazon. You would apply release agent on all parts that yo don’t want the epoxy to stick to. I would mask the wood around the area with tape. Mix the epoxy, fill in the void from the barrel channel and then insert the wedge to create the space needed to retain it. This of course with the escutcheon in place and the screws installed. I often use clear wax to coat the metal with instead of the release it comes with. Liberally coat the metal and rub somewhat smooth leaving a film. It works very well.

Thanks for sharing more info, I appreciate it! I didn't know it was so useful for repairs. I've heard of people using acra to bed rifle actions, but that's about it.