Powdered punk

[trackpin]

Does anyone use punk as a filler/colorant in epoxy work such as barrel - breach bedding, making invisible fills as repair work or from boo boo’s? Or am I the only one turning rotted wood into a super strong, water, oil proof, glue/ filler material? Punk is what is left of wood after certain funguses have digested the fibers (cellulose?) and while it still resembles wood, when dry, it is easily crushed into a flour like powder that when mixed with epoxy into a paste resembles a slightly harder, grain free wood. Depending on the species of rotted wood, many variations on color can be obtained, from dark walnut to deep tan . I find it more useful at times than wood flour that has to have a colorant added. The photos show the breach area on a .54 pistol that will have a heavy recoil having been bedded with punk from heartwood of a poplar (called popple here) tree.

 

[Drue Rice]

Hey trackpin, found this thread in a search for wood repair, well I'm on my second partial inlet stock from TOW and I've already have made some mistakes on this one, was thinking JB but talked myself out of it once I found your post. If I may a question, what brand epoxy would you recommend? My thoughts are in a longer setup time as this is my first time doing such a repair. The rifle is a TOW early iron Tenn. mountain 42" barrel, I've had the kit 14 years and have gained a lot of patience, as money is tight as two coats of paint. Walked outside to a standing sugar maple that has be dead for quite a while, pulled off some of the lighter shade punk took it to the house put it in the Mrs. blender, it powdered up well and will make a good match to the stock, will be hidden by the double set trigger. I'll make a post with pic's, might be a while. Thanks for your post!

 

[trackpin]

The epoxy I use is the type that is used for covering bars, table tops and that type of things. It takes a really long time to set up. You can g