Bow finish suggestions

[quail]

I am looking for a way to "up my game" in the finishing stage of my bow building hobby (obsession). Here is where I am at....I have tried
Minwax Wipe on Poly, Automotive clear lacquer, and Tru-0il gun stock finish thus far in my learning curve. All have had acceptable results for my skill level of each project and all have "+'s" and "-'s"I am looking for a finish option and process that gives my a glass smooth finish with good fill for open grained wood. I am working on my first exotic riser, (bocote and wenge) and know that I am going to need something to seal off the bocote if I am using a poly finish. My "shop" is in the basement of my home, so I am a little concerned about shooting something like "Buffalo Hide" or other epoxy finishes due to fumes. I do have a HVLP gun and water trap set up I could use in my garage, but it is not heated and could prove challenging this time of year. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

[ColonelSandersLite]

How did that automotive laquer work out?  I would have thought it would have problems with being too brittle.

Might want to try french polishing shellac.  I'll find you a reference vid.

[ColonelSandersLite]

Here you go:
 

Edit:
Here's a vid that shows pretty clearly the sort of results that this method can produce.
 

[fujimo]

what about a mini greenhouse. spray booth- 8' high say maybe 6 x6 square- covered with plasic vapour barrier- with a small electric space heater- it would keep dust off, and warmth in. i know its not the answer to your question- but i do envy you guys with the skills and equip, to apply a good spray finish

[ColonelSandersLite]

I dunno about putting a space heater in a spray booth.  I would think the concentration level of fumes in a spray booth mixed with hot elements would create an explosion hazard.

[mikkekeswick]

A spray booth has to be nice and warm for the majority of finishes. You want it about 20 degs or so.
What Fujimo just suggested is what i'm going to be building at one end of my shop today! I've had enough of trying to spray in a dusty workshop.....it just doesn't work!
Shellac is useful for a first coat to stop oily woods from preventing finishes drying as they should but isn't really durable enough on its own imho. It is however a good moisture barrier.

[BigJim]

If you try the epoxy finish...like "Buffalo Hide" or others, you can get good results by hand rubbing it in to fill pores. It just requires a little more sanding. Not too big a deal as filling pores requires more sanding too.

bigjim

[ColonelSandersLite]

I've looked into the idea of a heater inside a paint booth some more this morning and here's what I came up with:

 https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=10657&p_table=STANDARDS

1910.107(j)(4) In particular.

There's a lot of considerations to take into account, and if you're unsure of any of them, don't do it.  For example, it needs to be an *infrared heater*.  It must be at least 18 inches off the ground.  The area must be ventilated for at least 3 full minutes before turning on the heater.  Ventilation must be maintained during drying.  That document should be read very carefully before attempting installing a heater in a painting booth.

The reasons for all these safety precautions really should be obvious.  We're talking about aerosolizing very flammable substances in an enclosed area.  You're essentially standing inside a bomb of the fuel-air explosive variety.  Adding an ignition source seems foolhardy at best.  And here's why:
 


For the homemade painting booth in some room in your house, it seems to me to be a far better idea to heat the room that the painting booth is in, and make sure that all airflow out of the booth is properly filtered, rather than attempt to heat the painting booth directly.

If people decide to ignore this advice and either blow themselves up or set their houses on fire, my conscience is clean.

[LittleBen]

I don't have space to spray inside, or money to build a booth ... If it were me I'd build like a madman all winter and since I'm not really shooing outside anyway, just hold off finishing until the weather warms.

I personally love satin wipe on poly. As for sprayed finishes, I like the wa sprayed laquer goes on but the durability and water resistance is poor. I've moved to the spray spar urethane. Seems to work well.

[Bow man]

For filling pores this stuff is the best thing out there. Many bowyers have switched to this for the filling
  http://tbirdarchery.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2&products_id=13&zenid=77f878632c2038b925b0c1eaa88c6f46  
Ventalation and heat will be a problem no matter what you finish you use. Do you have a friend that has a heated shop? If so sweep the area well with a shop vac, wet down the floor where you are working and spray away.
If you have any questions on Thunderbird Epoxy products give us a call 517-617-3658

[fujimo]

oh i wouldnt worry too much about your conscience, chickenfriedman.
we's gonna do what we's gonna do...   :D

[Roy from Pa]

He blew himself up, but we found his gloves..

LMAO.......

[Buemaker]

LOL. Can I use gloves in the spraybooth?    :D

[fujimo]

only if yer certified!

[ColonelSandersLite]

Originally posted by Buemaker:
LOL. Can I use gloves in the spraybooth?     :D  

Yes, but only if there's no coors to be seen   .

[ColonelSandersLite]

Originally posted by fujimo:
oh i wouldnt worry too much about your conscience, chickenfriedman.
we's gonna do what we's gonna do...    :D  

More seriously, you know what they say:

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Well, it's not quite accurate, but the warning is there.  So sure, I know that not everyone will take the advice, but it's out there.