coating arrow shafts?

[Lone Ranger]

So I am making my first set of shafts and I have followed Rob's build along, but I am not liking the use of polycrylic to seal the shafts. It does however make clean up very easy! I crest with Testors and ModelMaster enamel paints. When dry the polycrylic goes right over the cresting with out smearing or hurting the cresting. what else can I use instead of polycrylic for sealing the shafts and doing a top coat over the enamel paints? Is there anything that dries fairly quick that doesnt smell terrible?

thanks!

L.R.    

[Chris P. Bacon]

There's always gasket lacquer. I used his how-to to get my first batch of arrows and i now use the eco-dipper with a can of 3 Rivers gasket lacquer and they come out very nicely. I can't speak to the bleeding of your cresting paint, but it is easy clean up, just let the lacquer sit on the eco-diper for about 30-45 min and peel it off after it hardens. Seal the can and your good to go. Dry times are very quick too, nearly 20 seconds a coat, but i let them sit for a tad longer to make sure.

[smilinicon]

I like to use 3R water based sealer. You can't put lacquer over an enamel.

[Rob DiStefano]

what "polyacrylic"?  i don't use that stuff!  

you wanna use min wax gloss wipe on polyurethane.  the process is too easy and fast, and it takes 2 coats to seal and 4 for a super glass-like gloss.  use a 2"x2" swatch of 100% white cotton t-shirt and a rubber glove.  between wipes, use 4/0 steel wool to prep.  curing each coat takes only a few hours.  i need to do a video on this, it's so dang easy, with real pro results, that even my 8yo granddaughter can do it.  

a batch completed yesterday and awaiting the big bad burn today ....

[cedar]

I use Sherwin-Williams polyurethane(gloss) over Testors.  Mix it 1:1 ratio with water.  I do 4 coats.

[Bjorn]

I dip in a water based acrylic-no nasty fumes and it dries fairly quickly. You can control the viscosity by just adding a bit more water.
Rob: I wonder if I could dip finish the stuff that you use?

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Bjorn:
... Rob: I wonder if I could dip finish the stuff that you use?

yes, definitely!  because the squeegee effect of the dip tube's diaphragm is wiping the goop off, just as would a wiping pad.  min wax wipe on polyu is meant solely for wiping - not brushing, spraying or rolling.

[Terry Lightle]

I use Minwax too.antique walnut satin finish

[tradlongbow]

I went through the circumstance, where I wanted to get away from the smell of polyurethane. And I also didn't like the Min Wax polyacrylic, Last year when I was searching for something different I found Min Wax water based modified polyurethane on Min Wax's website. The stuff is stronger that Polyacrylic and it doesn't smell. Now the problem is that it's not sold in any Florida store and a lot of people get it confused with the polyacylic because there not familiar with the water base modified poly. I asked Ace Hardware to special order it for me, and they did.

Darren

[Rob DiStefano]

i've spent a good deal of time (and money) with min wax products, and nothing for me works as killer as their RESIN based wipe on polyu.  their polyacrylic and water based finishes, as with most on the market, just can't compare to the quality of their wipe on goop.  and honestly, the resin smell is not at all that bad, parly because the wipe on process uses very little and you get more usage and value that way.

[Javi]

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
i've spent a good deal of time (and money) with min wax products, and nothing for me works as killer as their RESIN based wipe on polyu.  their polyacrylic and water based finishes, as with most on the market, just can't compare to the quality of their wipe on goop.  and honestly, the resin smell is not at all that bad, parly because the wipe on process uses very little and you get more usage and value that way.

Okay you sold me.... what cresting paints will work with it.. ??

[Ray_G]

Don't mean to hijack the thread but a related inquiry:

Rob or any other users of finishes besides water based, what do you do to keep the finish from gelling in the can?  A quart will last me awhile but have had a few gel up.  Some claim that the oxygen replacing gasses squirted into a can with the lid mostly closed will do the trick.  Some of that same info said to use inert gas, like nitrogen (I don't have a bottle handy   .  Anyone have any suggestions?

[Javi]

Originally posted by Ray_G:
Don't mean to hijack the thread but a related inquiry:

Rob or any other users of finishes besides water based, what do you do to keep the finish from gelling in the can?  A quart will last me awhile but have had a few gel up.  Some claim that the oxygen replacing gasses squirted into a can with the lid mostly closed will do the trick.  Some of that same info said to use inert gas, like nitrogen (I don't have a bottle handy      .  Anyone have any suggestions?

According to MinWax


12 months

The length of time a poly should be usable after you open the can. Label the lid with the date it was unsealed.

1 teaspoon

To keep a partially filled can of oil-based poly from skinning over, cover the finish with this amount of mineral spirits.

[tradlongbow]

Originally posted by Javi:
[/qb]

According to MinWax


12 months

The length of time a poly should be usable after you open the can. Label the lid with the date it was unsealed.
[/QB][/QUOTE]

I called MinWax about the life span of the water based modified poly and was told it was 5 years. This water based modified poly has a mixture of oil and water with no harsh smell. I bought a quart last year and it hasn't hardened yet. The can is sealed tight, and I've made 8 dozen of arrows. I have a lot left.

Darren

[Lone Ranger]

The polycrylic does work ok, I was just looking for something better with little to no smell that I can use with the cresting paints I have currently.

Rob- I know your didn't use polycrylic in your build along, but its what I had and I have used polycrylic in the past and liked the results.

L.R.    

[Ray_G]

Thank you for your replies Javi and Darren.  I have been using Daly's Pro Fin and really like the finish.  It doesn't burn in foam targets and takes a "right good likkin" on the durability of the finish.  Javi, recently I have done the mineral spirits addition to the Pro Fin, so we shall see how it keeps.

[arrow flynn]

its wet here in eureka ca that dalys pro fin is the best anybody use similar stuff

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by arrow flynn:
its wet here in eureka ca that dalys pro fin is the best anybody use similar stuff

i'm still trying to understand what ya just typed.  i think you win a run-on sentence award for it.   :D

got to watch the humidity level no matter what kinda finish yer applying.  if it's really that wet out, turn on the a/c and clear coat away.

i've used lots of different clear finishes on my arrow shafts and without a doubt, and until something much better comes along, minwax wipe on polyu is the cat's meow of woodie finishes for me.  too easy to use with minimum muss 'n' fuss and no special dodads required other than some cotton t-shirt, a rubber glove, some 4/0 steel wool, a piece of paper towel and some kinda foam to stick the drying shafts into.

i just finished another dozen surewoods, with 4/0 wooling 'tween coats, it takes 2 to seal and 4 to gloss ... 5 to 6 wipes makes the shafts look and feel like *GLASS*, i kid you not.  

[Bow Bum]

My preferred arrow coating is white-tail deer blood. LOL

B

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Bow Bum:
My preferred arrow coating is white-tail deer blood. LOL

B

now THAT is best by far!