gasket laquor opinions,,,,

[jacobsladder]

Just ordered my sitka spruce shafts.  I'm hoping to stain with an oil based stain.  I've heard water based stain raises the grain.  I then am planning to have 3 coats of gasket laquor.  I will be using fletch tape to fletch with.... Does anyone see any potential problems with this??? thanks for all your advice and allowing me to cut corners and not learn by trial and error!

[dhaverstick]

Gasket laquer is quick to apply but that's about all the good I can say about it. It's particular about its temperature  when you apply it and it will crack after it has been on an arrow a while. Also, it's not very water-resistant. I switched to using spar urethane in my gasket laquer setup and am very happy with it. It takes longer to dry and it takes more coats but it is much more durable and water resistant. Just my two cents.

Darren

[Bear]

Fletching tape works great over gasket laquer.

I have used gasket laquer on lots off arrows, some of which are three years old now, and have never had any cracking or water resistance problems. Have never had any feathers come loose either and that includes pasthru's on haybales, grouse, deer, etc.

I keep my dipping tube indoors at normal room temperature. Now that I have a house with a garage I have kept it outside but have not yet used it since doing so. After reading dhaversticks post I think I will bring it back inside before building anymore arrows.

My two cents

[702plmo]

I like water based stains.  After it dries I use a steel wool to smooth it before I ad a water based poly.    It works good for me and have not had any problems.

[RamiusEng]

Okay..... formula for making sitka arrows

a) Wipe on water based stain. Heavy coat!  They should look horrible after this step. (I found water based MinWax stain at HomeDepot..yet to test with gasket lacquer).
b) dry for 16 to 24 hours
c) sand with 000 stainless wool until smooth again (30-40 seconds a shaft).  You will be able to see the grain again(ah pretty!)
d)  Wipe down lightly with lightly damp cloth (we are getting the dust and some excess stain here)
e) repeat c&d if the situation calls for it. Never happened to me and I alive in Miami 90 degrees F and 90% RH.
f) let sit for a couple of hours
g) wipe down again with fresh lightly damp cloth
h) let sit for a couple of hours
i) Do the gasket lacquer thing.  I use two gaskets which I rotate between coats.  For the first few coats.  I let those really set in.  I use the tube cap to protect the lacquer.  Finally I just coats the last couple of coats with the nobreak I start at 1 and go to 12 and over again.  I coat until I get finish I want..not coat for some predetermined number of coats.
j) Crest (I use Bohning)
k) Dry the seperately for at least 12 hours if the y touch..possible disaster
l) Add knocks
m) cut to prepoint length (for me and field points I cut to 30.5" to get a final 29.5" B.O.P length)
n) fletch
o) Allow the sit for 1/2 day.

I hope this helps.  If anyone has a better technique..I am all ears!