Gunsmithing Being cheap with Marine Tex

[Andrew Blubaugh]

Is it just me or is anyone else mixing small amounts of Marine Tex up for small jobs or do you always follow the instructions and mix the entire package like the instructions tell you to? I have done this a half dozen times over the past year or so and have usually been fine.

Just waiting for it to bite me in the ass.

 

[stockdoc]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

fyi, if you mix too much of it, but you have another project to work on the next day, you can put marine tex on a piece of wax paper and put it in the freezer and it will keep until the next day. Just wait for it to thaw out and use it where you need it.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

I've not had issues mixing small quantities, but honestly, for most rifle work, I find Devcon 10110 to be a superior product. The consistency of the Devcon is frickin perfect for bedding and texturing. One thing marinetex does better however, is filling voids. It is more liquidy, and flows into holes/pockets better than Devcon. I keep both on hand, but use Devcon much more often.

 

[Ballistic Artist]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

I just used devcon titanium putty on my latest build. it worked good but was kinda a pain to work with, seemed very thick. And it seems like alot of people are switching to marine tex including McMillan.

 

[STR]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

McMillan has been using Marine Tex for a long time now. Mixing small amounts as needed is what they do. They have four guys that all they do all day is bed rifles with Marine Tex. I use to use all that other stuff, and in no way am I saying its not better, just unnecessary . Marine tex has more than is needed for bedding rifles, so my view is, why pay more for something I don't need. When I saw McMillan using it, that was all I needed. I seriously doubt they would put their rep on the line to save a few bucks on their high end rifles. I also mix just what I need with a little left over so I can see the cure process. I buy it in quarts, so mixing that much at once would be very wasteful. If you go over on hardner, it will not cure. The stuff is forgiving, easy to work with, hard as a rock, and affordable. Not cheap, but affordable. Hope this helps, and makes you feel better about Marine Tex.

 

[Andrew Blubaugh]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

I was lucky enough to spend a few hours in the McMillan shop several years ago. Got to watch them bed a few rifles and work on a few other misc jobs. That was what got me to start using Marine Tex. I never asked them how they mixed it.

Glad to hear I am not the only one mixing up small batches at a time.

 

[Ring]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

how does JB compare?

 

[josephberry]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

I mix enough for one stock at a time.

 

[LRI]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

A surprising number of smiths (full time guys) agree:

Marine Tex belongs on a boat.

That is all.

 

[Strangedays]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: C. Dixon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A surprising number of smiths (full time guys) agree:

Marine Tex belongs on a boat.

That is all. </div></div>
So please share what you use? I don't use marine tex, never have.

 

[LRI]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

No.

 

[mscott]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: strangedays</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
So please share what you use? </div></div>

Good luck get that question answered

 

[lw8]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: C. Dixon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No. </div></div>

Less posty more rifle buildy

We haven't had a cool build thread in a while and I need inspiration for the pile of parts I'm hiding from the wife...

 

[stockdoc]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

A surprising number of full time smiths do use marine tex to great effect. any concrete information to the contrary would be useful

 

[Strangedays]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mscott</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: strangedays</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
So please share what you use? </div></div>

Good luck get that question answered

</div></div>
I figured it was worth a try.

 

[LWILLIAMS]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

Never gonna get that one out of him. Well maybe a little waterboarding and he may give it up but without that I am guessing he is keeping that secret.

 

[LRI]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: stockdoc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A surprising number of full time smiths do use marine tex to great effect. any concrete information to the contrary would be useful </div></div>

Not Marine Tex.

Judge for yourself on the finish.

Higher shore hardness.
Higher compressive tolerance
Higher resistance to acids/alkalies
Higher shear strength
Longer work time
Better wetting/absorption into substrate

 

[Trevor]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

Nicely done Chad.

If Marine tex should be left on boats and your bedding material info is not going to be made public (which i fully understand... man need to make a living) Is there some other bedding compound that you would suggest as an acceptable alternative?

Much appreciated
Trevor

 

[colchester]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Trevor</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nicely done Chad.

If Marine tex should be left on boats and your bedding material info is not going to be made public (which i fully understand... man need to make a living) Is there some other bedding compound that you would suggest as an acceptable alternative?

Much appreciated
Trevor </div></div>

Devcon Steel Putty 10110

 

[Raven 6]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

What I'm trying to figure out is what kind of pillars are you useing to leave those hash marks on each side, or is that an optical elusion?

 

[colchester]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: M.Williams</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What I'm trying to figure out is what kind of pillars are you useing to leave those hash marks on each side, or is that an optical elusion?</div></div>

Look Here http://www.longriflesinc.com/images/abb8.png

 

[CanSniper]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

WOW them bedding jobs look awsome. That is crafstmanship. You have to try it your self to find out what kind of a mess it is for a DIYer.

 

[LRI]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 73 fastback</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: M.Williams</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What I'm trying to figure out is what kind of pillars are you useing to leave those hash marks on each side, or is that an optical elusion?</div></div>

Look Here http://www.longriflesinc.com/images/abb8.png </div></div>

Bedding Pillars

 

[stockdoc]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

The finish is not as impressive as the other attributes you list. Thanks for the info and good work by the way

 

[A-Rok]

Re: Being cheap with Marine Tex

I use the little one-ounce Marine Tex toothpaste tubes for small projects like texturing grips and filling voids. Cures hard in like, 10 minutes too, so that's nice.