How well do you apply a finish?

[kiltedcelt]

I have a couple bows I'm finishing up. So far I've had a problem with spar urethane that wouldn't dry on Ipe (wasn't degreased and sealed beforehand), and now I'm struggling to finish up a lacquer finish. Unfortunately, I'm a perfectionist at heart and so I find myself after every coat, not completely satisfied with one (or more) areas. So, I touch up with some sandpaper and steel wool, spray again, and you know - rinse and repeat... I'm at a point now where this is the last coat (so far I think 5 coats - two brush-on and three sprayed on). For starters, I'll NEVER apply a lacquer finish ever again. Secondly, after this last coat is dried I'm simply going to buff out with 0000 steel wool and leave it at that. If there is something that looks a little off I'm just going to leave it. I struggle between wanting a flawless finish and then telling myself that this is a functional piece and doesn't need to have a completely flawless finish. In fact a few flaw might give it character (yeah - I kid myself). Anyway, I'm just wondering how all of you guys do with your finishes. Do you try to get it totally perfect or go for the "Looks good at arm's length" school of thought?

[Osagetree]

Nothing, I repeat,,, nothing is perfect!

Most of the time it is only the maker / finisher that notices the imperfections and not the looker or user.

I think you are worrying too much!

Let's see a pic of your finished work.

[BWD]

IMO the end result is smoother when I rub out the final coat with fine valve grinding compound as opposed to steel wool. Use a light circular motion.

[Roy from Pa]

I used to be real picky, only to take it to a 3-D shoot or hunting and get it scratched up. Now I make it look good and make sure it is sealed.. We are never happy with the bow's we make:) Yup we are all sick pup's:)

[Mike Most]

It depends if you want it paying good, or looking good from the road, (or arms length). Sometimes they look at me funny when I say coat #7.

Yup we are all sick pup's:)

Mike

[Jason Scott]

Finishing is my least favorite part. The pinnacle moment for me is rough shaping/sanding and shooting a couple dozen arrows through it and tuning, which is only about 60% through the build. The other 40% or so is arduous.

[bjansen]

Jason, I am with you....at that precise moment you described I begin to think of the next glue up...and the finishing part for me becomes just something I need to get done.

[Lee Lobbestael]

I used to fool around with spray on finishes but now I just sand it as smooth as possible finishing with superfine sand paper and after I stain it I apply a couple coats of minwax paste wood finish wax. It hardens to a smooth shiny finish without any runs or "sandy" spots

[DVSHUNTER]

I have had good luck with tung oil, and rub on poly, but me favorite finish so far has been wax. I only built selfbows right now, but on other woodprojects spray on poly has worked well, but like you I am never truly satisfied... Except the wax. I liked the wax

[Roy from Pa]

Tung oil is easy, no runs, no dust in the finish, and gives a nice finish. You wipe it on, wait about 6 to 8 minutes, then buff it off with a dry rag. The more coats you apply, the better it looks. But 3 coats is plenty.

[Roy Steele]

I've used it all used but used spray varfane for years but the last 12 plus I like the trad concept of waxing.I just stain then melt wax into it with a hair dryer rub in while hot.Totally water proffs [seals pores].Only trouble is you should do it yearly.Only takes a few mins.after redone looks like a new bow.