Spray on spar urethane finish Questions

[Mad Dog]

My longbow got scratched to the wood so I emailed the bowyer. He said sand out damage and lightly sand rest of bow. He said to seal the whole bow with helmsman spray spar urethane. I did all that and it turned out pretty good for a first timer, but handle is still tacky after 5 days. is this normal? The rest of the bow dried within 48 hrs. in the basement. I then moved it into the house for a few days, but it seems to be drying very slow. I tried using a hair dryer from a distance to see if it would help, but it seemed to get tackier so I stopped. Any ideas.

[Art B]

What type wood is your handle made out of?

[Mad Dog]

It appears to be a mixture zebra, bocote and some kind of dymond wood (cocobola), but really I'm unsure.

[Art B]

Sounds like the spar urethane has had a reaction to some oily tropical wood. This finish will easily set up overnite under normal conditions. You may have to strip the handle and use a sealer under the finish to solve this problem. Wait on some responses from some of the glass bowyers, I'm sure they can help you. Good luck.....Art

[Mad Dog]

Thanks Art, I was reading the can and it said to allow 72 hours @77deg 50% humidity. I think I'll just try and wait it out, it's like a kid having to wait for xmas

[Robertfishes]

Bocote is the problem, you will need to seal it first

[tenbrook]

Bocote and Cocobolo are your problem.  Here is what you do.

Wipe the sticky area with acetone to clean it up and remove the spar.  Then go and get yourself some superglue or bullseye shellac.  Poor a little superglue/shellac on and work it in with your finger and a plastic glove.  Get all of the handle.  Then lightly sand making sure not to reach the bare wood.  Once sealed in superglue/shellac spray with spar.

hope this helps and good luck.

tenbrook

[Robertfishes]

The pic is a bow with a Pau Fero rosewood riser and veneers. I sprayed the whole bow with two coats of "Bullseye Shellac", I let it dry a day then sprayed 4 good coats of Spar Urethane from shaker can, so far no problems. When I use any rosewood veneers in a limb I use a Q-tip to apply superglue to limb edges. If the "cocobolo" in the riser is dymondwood then it really made of birch, it is dyed cocobolo color. I have used dymondwood for risers on five bows, no problems using spar over it with out sealing.    

[Mad Dog]

Thanks for the ideas guys. One last question, the places where the handle is tacky is the places that I just lightly sanded the original urethane finish and the bare wood areas dried fine. Can the two urethane finishes be having a reaction?

[tenbrook]

I don't know.  What you are explaining is the exact opposite of what I usually experience.

[Mad Dog]

Tenbrook I think I figured out the problem. When you hold the bow just right in the light, you can see and feel the tackiness is exactly where there was a shur grip. I can see a perfect outline of it in the tackiness. I think maybe the shur grip affected the original finish and that's affecting the new one. Just a thought.

[Cuban Missile]

i've had this same problem before.  Just sand that area down lightly.   I like to use steal wool when taking off finishes.  Then wipe it lightly with acetone to get the dust off and respray the area.  You'll be alright.