Found a good hard finish

[scrub-buster]

I used the duplicolor matte on a selfbow and it has held up great.  No chipping yet.

[BenBow]

I'll try to take a piece of wood and do sections with different base finishes on opposite sides of the wood and then spray 3 coats of the duplicolor and the VHT over them. I'll put it in my hot box at 70-90 degrees overnight and then do a torture test with a sharp rock. I'll start a new thread with pictures.  I want to see for myself how they hold up. I won't have some base finishes though so you'll have to do it with your own favorite if I don't have it.

[kennym]

Mine could have been the prep I did or didn't do on it. Looks like poor adhesion to the 2 month old finish.

[BenBow]

My wife fell and broke her wrist and leg at the knee so I have to get the housework done first. I'm one ugly house mom

[monterey]

Very sorry to hear of your wife's accident.  Take good care of her.

I noticed that the instructions fuse of the VHT and duplicator are identical.  Makes me that the primary difference might be the label.   :confused:  

Ben, they both indicate that it takes seven days to cure.  Could that effect your test?

Damn...  Sorry to hear...  I hope she mends quickly...

[BenBow]

She's doing well and I'm gaining an appreciation for all she does.
Monterey I'll let them cure over night an beat on them then wait a week and try again to see if there's a difference. I also heard someone say that they used the duplicolor wheel SEALER so I'll look for that.
So far I took a piece of locust and sanded the edge grain to 220 grit. I then marked off 2" wide areas and applied superglue, 5 min epoxy, Heilman's gloss, Rustolium flat camo, Rustolium dead flat clear, wipe on poly, and kyrlon blue primer/finish then put the board in the hot box to dry. Once dry I lightly sanded them all with 320 grit and put a coat of both the VHT and the duplicolor. Then into the hot box for 10 minuets and recoat. I repeated that 3 times and now it will set overnight is the hot box. Tomorrow I'll get pictures and start a new thread and start beating on the board.

[scrub-buster]

Thanks for doing all of this research BenBow.  Take good care of your wife.  The testing can wait.

[Roy from Pa]

Sorry to hear that, Ben. Hope she heals quickly.

[BenBow]

Thanks guys. Actually she's getting tired of me constantly checking on her. Yesterday she said I seem to always be moving so I jumped on that and told her now that you're watching you can see just how much I've been doing all these years.  

[kennym]

Hope she heals up quick Galen!!

[Mike Mecredy]

I've been using this VHT Benbow mentioned for a few weeks, and it's amazing.

[jess stuart]

Mike what are you using to fill the grain before spraying the VHT?

[BenBow]

Wow Mike, you need to thank Kenny he came up with it.

[bow loving man]

Jess brings up a good question, what are you guys using to fill the grain when you use this product?

[Crooked Stic]

I have had good luck with aqua coat grain filler that is a water based clear filler. On bare wood you need to seal it before the aqua coat. On a really porus wood you may be better to use a thicker finish. The VHT is thin and works good on dymondwood etc. that has no pores.

[scrub-buster]

I used the gloss rim sealer on these  cane arrows.  The first batch that I did I sprayed the sealer very soon after dying the shafts.  It was a dumb move on my part.  The finish had a bubbly look to it in spots.   I had a few fletchings come loose from that first batch.  On the second set of arrows I let the dye dry overnight and the finish came out much smoother.  I didn't have any fletchings come loose on the second batch.  I haven't got to test out the durability yet.

     

   

[BenBow]

Nice arrows Scrub-buster. Neat idea on the points

[scrub-buster]

Thanks.  I didn't come up with the duplex nail idea.  I got it from somebody else but can't remember who.  It was years ago.  They are wrapped with heavy duty outdoor thread and coated in epoxy.  It makes a very solid and durable point.

[monterey]

What glue did you fletch with?