Today I decided to try and finish a shaft with the "Massey Finish" and see how I liked it...I used Devcon 5 minute Epoxy and Denatured Alcohol. I skeeted about half of the epoxy into an 8 oz jar and mixed together and then filled the jar to about half full with alcohol and shook it up. So far so good--I had a clear looking liquid that kinda smelled like epoxy--I wiped it on a shaft and it seemed very thin, like I was just wiping it with alcohol soooo I decided to add some more epoxy--in goes the rest of the tube (the whole tube was 0.84 oz.) I shake that up and all is still well-I should now have aprox. a 4 to 1 ratio-I wipe on another coat and I think I am making progress so I set it aside and read a little on the computer and after about 15 min I look over at the jar and see that my clear solution now looks like skim milk! Closer investigation reveals that there is now solid matter in my jar that is not going to wipe on very well... Any ideas as to what went wrong??
thanks, Rick

Add more alcohol.

I use acetone instead of alcohol. I don't mix any exact ratio, just about 1/3rd tube of defcon and about a half baby food jar full of acetone.

Epoxy finish is supposed to go on real watery. It is a 6 to 8 coat affair. A real slow process because you need to let each coat cure before you add another.

I was thinking the Massey finish used acetone.
It should stay liquid and clear.

I also use devcon 2 ton epoxy and acetone not 5 minute epoxy.  When I put it on a bow I only wait about 15 minutes between coats.  Of course that is spraying it on not wiping. Cures in about 12 hours.

I have found 2 ton mixes clear and 5 minute mixes milky looking, both work the same with 5 minute curing a little quicker. Two ton has a longer shelf life than 5 minute before it sets up.

When done right, it sure makes a pretty (shiny) finish.

ChuckC

Thanks guys, The stuff I mixed up actually started to become solidified in the jar in a matter of 15 minutes--Maybe i'll try to find some of the two ton stuff and try again--Do you think it may have something to do with using the alcohol instead of the acetone?

Definately use acetone instead of alchohol.  I've never tried the 5-minute, but if Eric says it will work, it will work.  A buddy of mine nailed down the formula, what paints work, etc.  I can send you his "recipie" if you want.  It's the most durable finish for wood arrows I've ever seen.  We've found arrows that had slid up under the grass with the feathers rotted off and points rusted off, with the shaft still looking like new.

OK, thanks Chad--I think I have already found that "recipe" from your buddy Tom Kiessling where you posted it a while back--if anything has changed since then I would certainly appreciate the input--if not then I'll give that "Recipe" a try.
thanks again, Rick

That's the one--nothing changed.