How much acetone do I add to one tube of epoxy? I don't want to get it to thin.
I got the 2 ton clear in the syringe tube (1 oz.)
I would start with about 10% acetone and work up from there Stiks........Art
Thanks Art.
Can you please explain the Massey finish?
Until it is as thin as you want it! d;^) I never mearure.
Tenbrook, Massey finish is 2 part epoxy mixed then thinned with acetone or other appropriate solvent.
one part epoxy & 4 parts acetone
I switched from acetone to denatured alcohol for spraying the massey finish. Works great and doesn't dry too fast for spraying but still plenty quick.
Well show us how it turned out! I for one would love to see it.
I finished some arrows with it yesterday and it set up hard as a rock. I think I'll be using it from now on.
I used 1 part epoxy and 4 parts acetone. Works great!
I will add that you need to apply it with something that the acetone won't destroy. I started out with a sponge brush and it dissolved the sponge so I used a rag.
How was the working time with the solution?
Did it begin to set up before you were finished or was there enough time to do everything?
Reason I ask is I did a similar finish with fiberglass resin and acetone for a project. It thinned the resin to what I needed but the solution still set up fairly quickly and didn't give me a lot of pot life.
Guy
it got sticky quick but took a couple hours to completely dry.
One other thing to keep in mind is that you're dealing with a catalyst and the larger the batch you mix, the more "heat" it will generate and it will go off on you sooner, so only mix as much as you need. That will take some experience. I know that arrows feel like glass and pull out of 3D targets reall easy!
I was wondering about that Tom. I got a batch in a mason jar and figured it would go bad. But really for the money you can't beat it.
Stiks
If I remember right the more Acetone or what ever ya use the deeper it will penatrate the Wood..
I used to use the massey finish 10 years ago with no problem but when I tried it earlier this week I have issues to deal with. Maybe someone can help me out. Here is how I do it:
1) I am using ACE brand "extra time epoxy", I dont know if brand matters or not.
2) I squirt the two parts into a jar, add the acetone and then I mix (should I mix and then add acetone?) The mix is very cloudy and I really dont remember what it looked like 10 years ago when I did it.
3) I am dipping my knife handles into the mix and then setting aside to dry. Handle materials are , cocobolo, bamboo, osage and hickory. all have been sanded and cleaned with acetone before dipping.
4) 10 years ago they would dry in minutes when applied with a rag, now (dipping) they feel oily/tacky for 15 hours?
5) the material left in the jar separates with clear on top and cloudy material on the bottom?
So what am I doing different or wrong?
I think I got it now
I had my first try using Massey finish a few days ago - on arrows rather than a bow. Seemed to work well, but the proof will be after I've used them for a while.
Some notes on how I went about it:
1. I mixed the resin and hardener with denatured alcohol (1:4 mix) in separate glass jars and mixed enough of the solutions for a coat just before applying the coat. This seemed to stop the stuff from going off in the jars.
2. I waited a couple of days between applying a coat and rubbing it back with 0000 steel wool in preparation for the next coat. Seemed to be enough time for the coat to harden.
3. I waited four days after applying the final coat before rubbing back, again with steel wool, and applying a coat of carnauba wax for the final polish.
Epoxys will set up faster if they are mixed in a deep container such as a jar. A friend of mine mixed a large batch in a quart container and in no time at all, it started to boil. He was afraid it might catch fire. I learned to use a pie plate or margarine container.
Dave.
I just mixed another batch 4:1 (4/acetone:1/5 minute epoxy). I wait about 1/2 hour before light sanding and redip. I put at lest four coats on and after that I just keep going because I can and because the gloss gets deeper which I like.
I have never experienced heat of any form, your buddy may have been using a container that was not clean.
I'm glad to see this post because I was wondering awhile back about this very subject and not much info on it. I also wondered how it would work with denatured alcohol so I'm glad someone brought that up as well. I'll be experimenting with this in the near future. Let us know how the durability holds up Stiks.
durability with the acetone mix is the best of ANY finish I have ever used on any wood surface. Its not popular because it can be a pita to apply
I used smooth-on one time thinned with acetone for a pore filler. Idont know why it would not work for a finish also. It would not dry as quick for more working time.
I used it quite a while back on some arrows and it is holding up great. Plan on using it on all my bows as a base coat and sealer then a shot of satin poly or something to dull the shine.
you can dull the shine with 0000 steel wool
one thing with a epoly finish is that the UV rays from the sun will not hold up unless it is protected by a finish that will protect it from UV. Their are several varnishes that have UV protection in them
QuoteOriginally posted by milehi101:
one thing with a epoly finish is that the UV rays from the sun will not hold up unless it is protected by a finish that will protect it from UV. Their are several varnishes that have UV protection in them
I know the wood will change colors under the Massey finish but I have not seen any deterioration of the wood? I have never tried to put another finish over the massey so I dont even know if it would stick?
So I take it this is for shafts? Or bows? I am confused since i thought I saw someone say they pull from the targets...
shafts, bows, knife handles, anything wood
Jay Massey came up with it and uses it on bows.
I build cedar strip canoes and cover them with epoxie and a 4 oz cloth. In 1 summer the epoxie will start to go bad if not covered with a UV protection. The finish with epoxie is a great and durable finish but must be protected I suggest you google companies like West Systems and ask them about eposy and UV. I have built canoes for about 14 years and know this for a fact is is not hear say.
I like the Massey finish for the durability. It take longer to dry and you have to be careful with applying because it gets tacky realy quick. At least for me it did. But it's a really hard, cheap finish. I put a few coats of satin spar urethane over it to dull it and give it some UV protection. I sand with 0000 steel wool between coats. Even when I just use Spar urethane for finish I will sometime dip the tips in Massey finish to give them a little extra protection.
Aaron