I have read through the 101 tutorial and I picked up
Some great tips.. I have a few bows currently sanded down and just need to work on the limbs.
Can someone suggest how to sand (grit/kind) and what finish to use on limbs to make them look glossy and clean again after sanding?
I would greatly appreciate it
I sand my glass limbs with 320 grit paper until the finish is dull, then apply clear gloss or satin wipe-on polly. 4 coats, lightly sanding between each coat will give you a nice finish..
James
220 grit is as low as i go on the glass prep before finish. often times 180 will do the trick nicely. i don't use 320 unless i'm doing a gloss finish. Even then, i'm sanding the finish, NOT the glass..... but that's just a rough start on gloss finish..... i slowly work my way down to 1500 grit and then use a rubbing compound to polish it out to a mirror finish.... Thank god most guys want a satin or flat finish. those gloss bows are abunch of work.
Thanks for the info, I now will have to get started and take notes as I go. I am refinishing an old Drake, Root, and when I feel ready a beautiful 1960 kodiak. It is nerve racking
I'm no expert, but I've been warned to make sure the new finish is compatible with the old finish, unless you've sanded all the old finish off, I guess. On newer bows, I've called the bowyers, who seem to give pretty specific advice about what kind of finish will work best with with the finish they use. For older bows, I would probably try a small amount in as inconspicuous a place as possible, so I could sand it off if it wasn't working right.