Massey finish recipe

[Stiks-n-Strings]

How much acetone do I add to one tube of epoxy? I don't want to get it to thin.

 I got the 2 ton clear in the syringe tube (1 oz.)

[Art B]

I would start with about 10% acetone and work up from there Stiks........Art

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Thanks Art.

[tenbrook]

Can you please explain the Massey finish?

[Pat B]

Until it is as thin as you want it! d;^) I never mearure.
Tenbrook, Massey finish is 2 part epoxy mixed then thinned with acetone or other appropriate solvent.

[coltar]

one part epoxy & 4 parts acetone

[BenBow]

I switched from acetone to denatured alcohol for spraying the massey finish. Works great and doesn't dry too fast for spraying but still plenty quick.

[KellyG]

Well show us how it turned out! I for one would love to see it.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I finished some arrows with it yesterday and it set up hard as a rock. I think I'll be using it from now on.

 I used 1 part epoxy and 4 parts acetone. Works great!

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I will add that you need to apply it with something that the acetone won't destroy. I started out with a sponge brush and it dissolved the sponge so I used a rag.

[Grey Taylor]

How was the working time with the solution?
Did it begin to set up before you were finished or was there enough time to do everything?

Reason I ask is I did a similar finish with fiberglass resin and acetone for a project. It thinned the resin to what I needed but the solution still set up fairly quickly and didn't give me a lot of pot life.

Guy

[Osagetree]

[Stiks-n-Strings]

it got sticky quick but took a couple hours to completely dry.

[Tom Leemans]

One other thing to keep in mind is that you're dealing with a catalyst and the larger the batch you mix, the more "heat" it will generate and it will go off on you sooner, so only mix as much as you need. That will take some experience. I know that arrows feel like glass and pull out of 3D targets reall easy!

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I was wondering about that Tom. I got a batch in a mason jar and figured it would go bad. But really for the money you can't beat it.

 Stiks

[Gottabow]

If I remember right the more Acetone or what ever ya use the deeper it will penatrate the Wood..

[Chez12]

I used to use the massey finish 10 years ago with no problem but when I tried it earlier this week I have issues to deal with. Maybe someone can help me out. Here is how I do it:

1) I am using ACE brand "extra time epoxy", I dont know if brand matters or not.

2) I squirt the two parts into a jar, add the acetone and then I mix (should I mix and then add acetone?) The mix is very cloudy and I really dont remember what it looked like 10 years ago when I did it.

3) I am dipping my knife handles into the mix and then setting aside to dry. Handle materials are , cocobolo, bamboo, osage and hickory. all have been sanded and cleaned with acetone before dipping.

4) 10 years ago they would dry in minutes when applied with a rag, now (dipping) they feel oily/tacky for 15 hours?

5) the material left in the jar separates with clear on top and cloudy material on the bottom?

So what am I doing different or wrong?

[Chez12]

I think I got it now

[alaninoz]

I had my first try using Massey finish a few days ago - on arrows rather than a bow. Seemed to work well, but the proof will be after I've used them for a while.

Some notes on how I went about it:

1. I mixed the resin and hardener with denatured alcohol (1:4 mix) in separate glass jars and mixed enough of the solutions for a coat just before applying the coat. This seemed to stop the stuff from going off in the jars.

2. I waited a couple of days between applying a coat and rubbing it back with 0000 steel wool in preparation for the next coat. Seemed to be enough time for the coat to harden.

3. I waited four days after applying the final coat before rubbing back, again with steel wool, and applying a coat of carnauba wax for the final polish.

[wood carver 2]

Epoxys will set up faster if they are mixed in a deep container such as a jar. A friend of mine mixed a large batch in a quart container and in no time at all, it started to boil. He was afraid it might catch fire. I learned to use a pie plate or margarine container.
Dave.