Arrows from bare shafts

[TomMcDonald]

Hi all,
I received my 3 dozen bare shafts in the post today and am keen to start work preparing them.
First step would be to stain or seal them.
I have a surplus of linseed oil because I use that to treat my English Willow cricket bats.
Does anyone have experience using this oil? Should I just give it a go?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

linseed is really good, You just have to fine glue that holds to it...

I just use poly or just use tru-oil for my arrows.Don't forget to make them straight first, then seal/stain, then straighten again.

[zilla]

First step is to get em all straight.  I suppose you could use linseed oil, nevere heard of anyone using it till now.  If it were me I'd make one arrow first and see how it all works out.

[TomMcDonald]

Originally posted by mysticguido:
linseed is really good, You just have to fine glue that holds to it...

I just use poly or just use tru-oil for my arrows.Don't forget to make them straight first, then seal/stain, then straighten again.

Hi mate, thanks for the reply.
So are you saying that linseed oil is difficult with glues?
I'd rather have a good, strong glue hold than a nicer looking shaft.
Thanks.

[WESTBROOK]

If I recall, Tru-oil is linseed based.

Eric

[Don Stokes]

Tom, a polyurethane based penetrating sealer, with or without stain, and a spar urethane or gasket lacquer top coat will do a good job. The only disadvantage to the urethane top coat that I've experienced is that it makes the arrows difficult to pull from 3D targets.

On the set I finished today, I used two coats of Minwax penetrating sealer with "natural" stain, followed by 4 coats of nitrocellulose gasket lacquer. I steel-wooled them lightly after the first gasket lacquer coat to smooth a little rough grain. Each coat is thin, and after 4 it gets an even sheen.

I crested them with craft store paint and Sharpie pens in three colors. I sprayed the cresting with a very light coat of acrylic lacquer and glued the fletching on with Loctite superglue. Over the lacquer, superglue needs about 20 minutes drying time. Over urethane, 5 minutes will do it. I finished them with a drop of Duco cement at each end of each feather to anchor them and hopefully keep a loose fletching out of my knuckle.

[reddogge]

The problem with linseed oil is it isn't a waterproof coating.  Even the US Army switched from linseed oil to tung oil during WW2 because it wasn't a good protector for stocks.  It soaks in but will not give you water protection.  Tru-oil has dryers and polymers in it that will be waterproof.

[aromakr]

True Oil is a Tung oil based product.
Bob

[TomMcDonald]

Thanks for the replies guys.
I am using a tung oil based product with eucalyptus and bees wax. It has a light goldy, teaky coloured stain to it which looks OK.
I'll try this on one shaft and lacquer it up and see how it goes.