Spraying Bows ?

[Roy from Pa]

How do you guys do yours? What do you use? Ya hang them up, how? Or ya lay them flat. I have been trying regular polyurethane spar, but having one heck of a time keeping a wet coat going, and it takes days for them to dry enough to shoot.  Any suggestions? Thanks, Roy

[horatio1226]

I would hang it.Spray quick light coats.Air circulation is very important for drying. As a professional painter, the biggest mistakes people make are trying to get things done in 1 or 2 coats when it takes 3-5 and thinking that  temperature is important while overlooking air circulation. I am more likely to spray in a shadier, cool spot with good circulation.Just remember that if you use a fan , you must be aware of dust.If you spray more light coats, sanding(steel wool) in between, you will get a much nicer finished product that will last longer. Hope all that helps.
Brian

[ALW]

I've only done selfbows so take my advice with a grain of salt.  I've used the Massey finish and spar urethane in a spray can.  I drill a 1/16" hole in the upper limb tip to hang the bow from.  I stick a paper clip through the hole.  I just follow the directions on the can and spray on one good coat and apply the second coat within about 30 minutes or so.  Let it hang overnight and buff with 0000 steel wool and repeat.  I usually put about 6-8 coats and after letting the last coat dry for 24 hours I'm ready to shoot.

From what I've read on here the gloss finish urethane is harder than the satin finish.  So they say if you want the satin finish to use several coats of the gloss frist then finish off with the satin.  I've also done a couple using the Massey finish (acetone and 2-ton epoxy).  I wipe on the Massey finish with a small foam brush and let set overnight.  Buff with 0000 steel wool and repeat.  When I get 4-5 coats of that, I finish off with satin spar urethane to cut the shine.  I understand that the urethane has UV protectors in it and will help prevent the breakdown of the epoxy overtime due to sunlight.  I believe someone on here said that using the 5-minute epoxy in the Massey finish allowed  you to get more than one coat in a day but the mixture didn't last as long once you mixed it up.

Hope that helps.  I'm sure you'll get some good advice from someone on here.  Also search for finishes and you'll find some good info.

Aaron

[PV]

I hang the bow by the nocks. While I'm filling the grain on the handle I also coat the string nocks. I hang the bow with a loop of flyline backing around the nock and spray.I use fullerplast and final sand and buff after the last spray coats

[OconeeDan]

All the above info is good.  I also like to tie a string of dental thread around the nock and hang it.  I use fullerplast, and wetsand between every other coat.  A basic refinish job will use at least 5 coats, but if you want to fill in all the grain, expect to spray several more than that.
By the way, fullerplast dries to the touch in about 10 minutes, but wait about 1.5 hrs to add another coat.
Dan

[Adam Keiper]

Roy, I hold the bow with a Quik clamp, spray, and then use another Quik clamp to hold the works to a simple drying post that I made for the purpose.  

Thunderbird Endurance Epoxy is my preferred finish, as it creates a beautiful and tough as nails coating.  It dries fast, too, but it's a pain to use on single bow projects since you need an air compressor and an air gun and have to go through set up and clean up after every coat.  (Also highly toxic.)  For those reasons, I mostly use spray on Helmsman Spar Urethane.  Using thin coats, the first coat will be dry in a day.  Subsequent coats dry in several hours.  I typically sand lightly with grit 400 after the 4th or 5th coat and then every coat after that.  Usually apply about 8 coats total.

I also usually spray outdoors and then bring the bow inside quickly.  But this time of year, I have a huge problem with pollen settling into the finish.  So now, and in the bitterest cold, I spray in my basement while wearing a respirator and just abandon that part of the house for a while.

[Keith Deters]

I made this handle for holding bows for finishing.


 

[Roy from Pa]

Thanks guys. Adam I have a holder something like yours that I clamp the bow on with a hose clamp, then rotate it from side to side as I paint the back, then belly. No need to worry about the handle section as it gets a grip installed over it. But hanging bows gives me fits. Do you guys thin your paint material? Do you anchor the bottom limb with another string and some sort of weight?

[OconeeDan]

Roy, I have never needed to tie off the bottom end of a bow, I simply steady the tip with a finger if I need to.
Thinning is something that needs to be adjusted as the condition requires.
First coat should be thinned, for a quick flash dry and also so it will seal the grain for following coats.
If it is hot and dry outside, solvents will evaporate quicker than on a cool damp day.  So more solvents will be needed to get a good finish.  But too much, you'll get a run.  Hence many thin coats.  
You'll have to do what you are comfortable with.
Remember, if you are going for a gloss finish, and you end up with a dull one, never go over it with a heavy coat, as you'll be sorry and it may run.  You can always wait until it is fully cured, then wet sand and buff to a gloss, providing the finish is thick enough.  
Dan