I just placed an order and was prompted to take the gasket lacquer off as it could not go to a PO box. And I don't get mail delivery at the house.. How am I suposed to get it????? Is there any thing comperable at the hardwawe store??? Thanks fer the help
Blueline
Should be able to get it through UPS direct to your residence - that is how I have always received finishes, including GL (which, by the way, I don't recommend for hunting arrows). Most vendors that I use, e.g., 3Rivers, send orders by UPS anyway.
Thanks Jeff
After researching a bit I found some past post. What is a good seal? I have used GL in the past and had good success with the analin dye. I am looking to use minwax dye and need a good seal over it.
I've used MinWax polyurethane and polyacrylic. The polyacrylic does not dry with the yellow tinge that the PU does, but I have always been leary of sealing woodies with a water-based finish. Use an "oil-based" finish over analin dye and you will get very little if any bleeding of the dye into your finish (I always dip). I now use Daly's ProFin from Whispering Wind Arrows - doesn't smell much (no more than the PU), dries clear and hard, but does not yellow like the MinWax PU (that being said, the MinWax PU is still not that bad unless you put 2 or 3 coats over a white crest). The trouble with GL is that it does not soak into the wood. Works fine for target arrows that only need a couple coats to get a shine, but put on enough to get a better seal for hunting arrows, and it will split on you sooner or later (in my case sooner).
GL is a poor compromise for waterproofedness...if that is what you want then go with Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane available in most hardware stores.
If you want stuff that doesn't burn on targets then that GL might be of some nominal value and might work in AZ.
Epoxy finish--not as fast drying, but works way better and you can get everything you need from a hardware store or Wal-Mart. No dip tubes required. If you need the recipie, just shoot me an e-mail - chad@recurves.com.
Chad
I've tried about every finish out there, with the exception of epoxy. I did not like MinWax Helmsman Spar Urethane for a couple reasons. Although unlike PU and PA it is designed to withstand moisture better as an external wood finish, it has a greater yellowness to it. Also, it did not seem to dry as hard (or fast) as PU and ProFin, and it smells much more, even when dry. I found that I could not use it inside the house like I can the other finishes because of this, at least without getting thrown out of the house myself! I have used POC arrows sealed with MinWax PU (4 coats if I remember correctly)in SE Alaska and during a week of rain in northern Quebec with no problems.
JS, You needto gasket the HS U or apply it somewhere with ow humidity but it is tops for real water proof for places like AK rainforests and the deluge we are getting right now.
Somebody pm'd me for the epoxy recipie, and somehow I lost the note. Here's the process--best finish I've seen. Arrows found after being left in the weather, literally, for a few years still had the finish on them.
Tom Kiessling's process for making wooden arrows using the epoxy/acetone finish.
1) First thing I do is stain shafts. I usually use aniline dyes from Gray Ghost Archery, but any stain will usually work. I only stain to where the stain and crown will meet.
2) After stain dries, using 0000 steelwool to remove any raised grain, then stain again if necessary to achieve desired color.
3) If I don't have any epoxy formula made up, I use the following procedure for that.
*I purchase Devcon 2-ton epoxy and a can of acetone from Wal-Mart in the paint section. I use a 4 ounce jar (baby food or mason jelly jar) to squirt the entire contents of epoxy in to. I then completely mix the 2 epoxy parts until clear. I then add 1 ounce of acetone (1/2 jar) and stir until the epoxy appears to have dissolved and looks only like acetone remains. I then fill the jar with acetone and stir again for a few seconds.*
4) Applied one coat of epoxy as described next.
*Always wear chemical resistant gloves, I use the blue Nitrate cloves that the tools trucks (Snap-On, Mac) sell to local automotive and
diesel garage mechanics. I use small cotton rags from t-shirts. Hold arrow at nock or point end, make one long continuous swipe from end to end. Then rotate shaft 180 degrees and do again. (Do not attempt to double wipe on same side, the rag will stick to the first coat).
5) After epoxy dries, check for raised grain. Remove if needed.
6) Apply a second coat of epoxy.
7) I will mark the shafts for my crown. I use 2 inch masking tape at the crown line. I then spray the crowns on, (I usually use Krylon enamels, and usually 2 coats will be enough). **If you are going to use fluorescent colors, always spray a basecoat of white first.**
8) After crown dries, apply cresting lines (Testors model paints work great).
9) After crown and cresting are COMPLETELY dry, spray or brush the crown and crestings with a thin coat of Min Wax Water Based Polyacyrlic (blue can). I prefer to brush mine on while shaft is in my crester. (I use an Arrow Specialties crester).
10) After poly dries, apply second coat.
11) After letting poly dry an hour, apply first coat of epoxy over entire shaft. Make sure to check wiping rag for paint residue after first arrow to insure that acetone is not attacking cresting and crown. If paint is being attacked, crest the arrow if needed, and give another coat of poly over all arrows. Some paint will show up from the nock end where there wasn't any epoxy.
12) If all is ok, I will usually put on 5 to 7 coats of epoxy, make sure to smooth out finish very lightly with 0000 steel wool between all coats.
13) I then set nocks using Duco cement, and mount feathers with either Bohning Fletch Tape or regular super glues (not the gel stuff). I prefer the tape. This makes for easy feather repair if needed. Make sure to remove any excess epoxy from the nock taper first, the cement will stick better. I do this with the small blade of my pocket knife.
This is basically the Massey bow finish adapted to arrows.
Chad