Found a good hard finish

scrub-buster · December 02, 2016, 12:17:00 AM

I used the duplicolor matte on a selfbow and it has held up great. No chipping yet.

BenBow · December 02, 2016, 09:11:00 AM

I'll try to take a piece of wood and do sections with different base finishes on opposite sides of the wood and then spray 3 coats of the duplicolor and the VHT over them. I'll put it in my hot box at 70-90 degrees overnight and then do a torture test with a sharp rock. I'll start a new thread with pictures. I want to see for myself how they hold up. I won't have some base finishes though so you'll have to do it with your own favorite if I don't have it.

kennym · December 02, 2016, 09:49:00 AM

Mine could have been the prep I did or didn't do on it. Looks like poor adhesion to the 2 month old finish.

BenBow · December 02, 2016, 12:15:00 PM

My wife fell and broke her wrist and leg at the knee so I have to get the housework done first. I'm one ugly house mom

monterey · December 02, 2016, 12:52:00 PM

Very sorry to hear of your wife's accident. Take good care of her.

I noticed that the instructions fuse of the VHT and duplicator are identical. Makes me that the primary difference might be the label. :confused:

Ben, they both indicate that it takes seven days to cure. Could that effect your test?

December 02, 2016, 04:12:00 PM

Damn... Sorry to hear... I hope she mends quickly...

BenBow · December 02, 2016, 05:54:00 PM

She's doing well and I'm gaining an appreciation for all she does.
Monterey I'll let them cure over night an beat on them then wait a week and try again to see if there's a difference. I also heard someone say that they used the duplicolor wheel SEALER so I'll look for that.
So far I took a piece of locust and sanded the edge grain to 220 grit. I then marked off 2" wide areas and applied superglue, 5 min epoxy, Heilman's gloss, Rustolium flat camo, Rustolium dead flat clear, wipe on poly, and kyrlon blue primer/finish then put the board in the hot box to dry. Once dry I lightly sanded them all with 320 grit and put a coat of both the VHT and the duplicolor. Then into the hot box for 10 minuets and recoat. I repeated that 3 times and now it will set overnight is the hot box. Tomorrow I'll get pictures and start a new thread and start beating on the board.

scrub-buster · December 02, 2016, 10:07:00 PM

Thanks for doing all of this research BenBow. Take good care of your wife. The testing can wait.

Roy from Pa · December 03, 2016, 05:58:00 AM

Sorry to hear that, Ben. Hope she heals quickly.

BenBow · December 03, 2016, 09:20:00 AM

Thanks guys. Actually she's getting tired of me constantly checking on her. Yesterday she said I seem to always be moving so I jumped on that and told her now that you're watching you can see just how much I've been doing all these years.

kennym · December 03, 2016, 11:12:00 AM

Hope she heals up quick Galen!!

Mike Mecredy · January 20, 2017, 03:24:00 PM

I've been using this VHT Benbow mentioned for a few weeks, and it's amazing.

jess stuart · January 20, 2017, 04:10:00 PM

Mike what are you using to fill the grain before spraying the VHT?

BenBow · January 20, 2017, 11:13:00 PM

Wow Mike, you need to thank Kenny he came up with it.

bow loving man · January 24, 2017, 10:24:00 AM

Jess brings up a good question, what are you guys using to fill the grain when you use this product?

Crooked Stic · January 24, 2017, 03:54:00 PM

I have had good luck with aqua coat grain filler that is a water based clear filler. On bare wood you need to seal it before the aqua coat. On a really porus wood you may be better to use a thicker finish. The VHT is thin and works good on dymondwood etc. that has no pores.

scrub-buster · January 24, 2017, 11:43:00 PM

I used the gloss rim sealer on these cane arrows. The first batch that I did I sprayed the sealer very soon after dying the shafts. It was a dumb move on my part. The finish had a bubbly look to it in spots. I had a few fletchings come loose from that first batch. On the second set of arrows I let the dye dry overnight and the finish came out much smoother. I didn't have any fletchings come loose on the second batch. I haven't got to test out the durability yet.

BenBow · January 25, 2017, 08:53:00 AM

Nice arrows Scrub-buster. Neat idea on the points

scrub-buster · January 25, 2017, 09:23:00 AM

Thanks. I didn't come up with the duplex nail idea. I got it from somebody else but can't remember who. It was years ago. They are wrapped with heavy duty outdoor thread and coated in epoxy. It makes a very solid and durable point.

monterey · January 25, 2017, 10:47:00 AM

What glue did you fletch with?