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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: jchunt4ever on September 02, 2020, 11:23:10 PM
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I am finishing up a 58" recurve that I applied some copperhead skins to and decided to use the VHT Matte clear wheel "paint" for my finish. I've applied 10 coats of the finish now, a whole can worth. I applied 6 coats the first time around waiting 10mins in between like it says, then waited 7+ days also like the instructions say. The skins were still pretty rough or "snaggy" so I then applied 4 more coats today, going pretty heavy on the skins for each one and would of kept going except that I ran out finish.
The problem though is that the skins still feel pretty rough where the scales were, especially on one of the skins that was from a little bigger snake. I'm worried that if I leave it as is that the skins will snag easily and get messed up while hunting or just stringing and unstringing, but at the same time I'm also worried about getting the finish too thick and having problems with it cracking or popping off. Should I get another can of VHT and apply more coats until the skins smooth out or is there something else I could maybe apply over the top of the VHT that will fill in the skins better?
Maybe I'm just overly worried and should leave it like it is now, but I just want to make sure this bow lasts a long time and keeps its beauty. Hopefully someone has had a similar experience here that can offer some helpful advice. Thanks in advance.
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I have used the wheel finish a couple of times and found it to be pretty thin. And with all rattle can finish takes lot of coats for build up. You might try 0000 steel wool in a spot to see if they will smooth outbefore your final coats. :dunno:
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VHT is a very hard finish so it will be durable.
The skins could be sucking up the finish and they are not filled yet.
I sprayed a bow with VHT that had the old Dymondwood (with the thick layers) the next day It was like there was no finish on the riser wood, I had to wait 7 days, seal it, then spray again.
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If we could get the VHT in quarts or gallons and spray it with a paint gun we may have something.
Pretty sure it would be thicker.
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Yeah that would be better :thumbsup:
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Thunderbird.....
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Unfortunately, I don't have the equipment for Thunderbird and haven't really gotten into this bow building enough for that type of investment. This was just an unfinished bow I purchased to put my own touch on and only my 3rd one of those over about 12years at that. Perhaps someday I'll get more 'serious' and then I'll get setup and try Thunderbird.
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I sand between coats of finish after I have the first 3 coats on with 300 grit sandpaper. If you took the scales off like you should there will be skin leftover that will stick up out of the finish. Start sanding this between coats and you will get a glass like finish over skins.
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Rainman, I did take the scales off and that's a good idea. I guess I was just a little worried that the skins would still be too fragile for sanding, but now that they already have a good amount of finish on them I bet they aren't so bad and sanding them would help a lot. Thanks
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I don't use lower than 300 grit and switch to 400 grit after 3 to 4 more coats. I use Tru Oil so it may be thicker than your finish.