Help with bow sealer.....

[AngelDeVille]

I have some Min Wax Wood Finish I have applied to my bow.

The label says "penetrates, stains, & seals"

But reading the label more it says to seal it with another one of their products.

Do I need to add an additional sealer to it?

Should I have NOT read the label?

This is a hunting bow, so I don't want a shiny finish.

If so what are my options?

I will also be adding snake skins or Birch bark soon, what do I use to seal either of those?

[macbow]

You didn't say what wood type.
If the min wax dries,ok then I would not worry.
You,already have it down so go,with it. Gloss finish is more harder durable so putting down several coats of gloss then topping with semi gloss will make it less shiny. A light buffing with steel,wool will also dull the shine.

There are plenty of guys here with more experience.
I currently use Tru-Oil over shellac.

[AngelDeVille]

It's ash and maple, I just put it on last night, and didn't get to see how it dried this morning.

I do have some shellac I could finish it off with...

[PEARL DRUMS]

It needs to be sealed with urethane. Get a rattle can and give it 4 or 5 coats.

[wood carver 2]

You can use the Minwax sealer in the red can if you want to, but not if you already used urethane. What it does is seal the wood to prevent the grain from being raised by the finish and to help get an even color when staining before the final coats of urethane.
If you already finished the bow with urethane, don't worry. It won't make much of a difference.
I hope this helps.
Dave.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Dave are you saying the red can sealer you speak of goes on first, then stain and urethane? Im always looking for a better mouse trap.

[AngelDeVille]

I have so far stained it with Blue Rit dye and then put the minwax stain and sealer on it, and let it sit for a day.

I got a can of Spar Urethane, and gave it about 4-5 coats and it has now sat for 24 hours.

I have some snakeskins on the way from a member here so next week I'll be applying them.

 

[PEARL DRUMS]

The skins go on before you seal it.

[wood carver 2]

With Minwax, the stuff in the red can is a pre- stain sealer. On the can it says pre-stain conditioner (same thing). It goes on first, then whatever stain you want, then you finish with urethane.
The sealer ensures that you get an even color when you stain. If you don't use it, some woods can get a spotty look because different areas absorb stain differently. Cherry wood is an example of a wood that needs this before staining.
I use a ton of it on carvings because of all the exposed end grain, just like you'll get on a riser. Use it in a ventilated area though, it stinks and gives me a headache if I'm around it too long. The stuff works though, or I'd never use it.
Dave.

[AngelDeVille]

I'm still waiting on the snakeskins, and need to wrap the handle and sayahs, but I really wanted to see how it looks in action...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuZH5w3Mum4

[Pat B]

I wouldn't add the skins until the bow was well shot in. You can add skins after a finish is added with TB glue but you will have to seal over the skins after that.

[AngelDeVille]

I needed a good excuse to shoot it some more!

Is TB as good as any other wood glue? I have some Gorilla brand Wood glue.

Yes after the skins are on I'll be adding some more of the Spar Urethane. I'm still holding out hope I can get ahold of some birch bark for the back, wrap it around to overlap the belly, and finish it off with the blacksnake, or cottonmouth skin that's on the way.

[AngelDeVille]

No skins or birch bark yet, so I figured I'd make the silencers for it.

I was going to use horn, but after shuffling through the garage I ended up making them out of leather.

[Roy from Pa]

Can't say that I have ever seen silencers like that.

[AngelDeVille]

Or you can call em a string bridge....

[AngelDeVille]

I still have a little shaping and smoothing to do but here she is strung....

[AngelDeVille]

Skins came in today!

[AngelDeVille]

How long after the final coat of urethane should I wait to use it?

 
The skin fit the whole length.



The "bump" on the handle is a thumb locator so i can ger the same grip every time.
 


 

 

I had to splice a small strip on the belly of the lower limb but it looks just fine.
 

[AngelDeVille]

Here's the splice area, I could have avoided or minimized it by cutting the skin in the handle area, but I thought of that after it was glued!  Not bad for a first timer I think....



how the thumb locator works, I still shoot off my hand, I just put the button after the first joint.

[Roy from Pa]

Very nice.