Thread: Howa Mini action - Carbon Stock Project

Originally Posted by viper

Ahhh, finally I get to see the stock coming to life, that's a fairly involved project @Joe.......... Might be finished next time we catch up....don't eat all the bloody chocolate biscuits either next time.

Who shows up 3 weeks later expecting chocolate biscuits to still be there. Honestly.

Right, I left you with the carbon mould being closed up to stick the 2 halves together.




I pulled the mould apart after work this afternoon and convinced the stock to pop out.



Yeah. That's pretty ugly. Gave it a quick trim and it looks like this now:





Where I've cocked up.
There are patches where I was too light on the resin with the first layer and didn't get a full wet out.
I don't think that's the end of the world, I can effectivly give it a clear coat of resin on the outside. Not ideal but I can't think of a better option at the moment.
Demoulding was a bastard. Think waxing the mould over a couple of days next time then a couple of layers of hairspray as a release agent might be the go.

Whats worked well.
I got the carbon in all the fiddly places really well!
I neglected to take a photo of the nice bits around the grip and bolt cut out, sorry. I reckon it looks the part.



My next step is to make the barrel channel.
This will involve some PVC conduit and possibly swearing quietly to myself.
I'll mould the outside of the PVC so the barrel is free floating by a mile. The first 50mm or so I'll just bed with epoxy when I put it all together.

Just bed the first parrallel section of the barrel, you don’t need to go any further.

Originally Posted by stug

I used Sika boom expanding foam to fill the butt and fore-end. It has no structural value just sound deadening. Run a bit of water around inside the butt or fore-end first then tip/shake it all out. The water prevents secondary expansion of the foam.

Hey @stug would this foam work to fill a mould and still pop out? Or any idea what foam type Sako would use?

C uv just about finished my new stock m8 haha

C uv just about finished my new stock m8 haha

@Freezer no idea sorry. It would probably stick would be my guess

Originally Posted by Padox

C uv just about finished my new stock m8 haha

Yeah yeah. Let me finish it before you get to field test and see where it breaks.

Originally Posted by Padox

C uv just about finished my new stock m8 haha

@Padox , I wouldn't get your hopes up mate, he promised me biscuits and they never turned up. Then just to rub it in he informs me they were double choc TimTams..... ate the whole packet himself.

Sounds like Joe all over haha

Looking good. Be interesting to see what weight is at the end.
@stug is that how you used to join your 2 halves together or did you trim the flanges back so that butted end on?

I had mine in the vacuum bag for about six hours, then trimmed the sides flush with the mold. Then joined the two halves together.

Originally Posted by stug

I had mine in the vacuum bag for about six hours, then trimmed the sides flush with the mold. Then joined the two halves together.

Cheers. That's what I plan to do with my next one. I don't think my mold would work with the flanges left on

Originally Posted by stug

I had mine in the vacuum bag for about six hours, then trimmed the sides flush with the mold. Then joined the two halves together.

Yeah that's the way to do it Remmodel7, will leave a tidier job and be easier to break out of the mould.

Is anyone selling a vacuum pump by chance?

Originally Posted by Joe_90

Yeah that's the way to do it Remmodel7, will leave a tidier job and be easier to break out of the mould.

Is anyone selling a vacuum pump by chance?

Fridge or freezer compressor. One line blows and the other sucks. You can make super quiet low volume air compressors or vacuum pumps from them. Super handy.

A vac pump from one of these pulls a really good vacuum but has very low volume, so you need a well sealed bag and may need to evacuate most of the air with a vacuum cleaner or similar.