Gasket Lacquer.......few how to questions

[jcar315]

I just bought some yellow gaskep lacquer from 3Rivers. I am trying to make some wood arrows that look like some vintage Bear arrows I have and I have a few questions:

1. The gasket lacquer pours out of the can very slowly and it is thick. The can says it can be thinned with acetone or thinner but suggests acetone. If you have thinned this stuff what have you used? What % acetone/thinner and what % lacquer?

2. How many coats, on average, does it take to get a nice solid looking shaft?

3. What do you use to seal over the lacquer?

4. Any misc. suggestions?

Thanks so much for your help.

[Grey Taylor]

I've never used the colored gl, just the clear. But based on using clear for quite a few hundred arrows, I can offer you this:
1. Leave it thick unless it's absolutely unusable. I have very rarely thinned the clear and even then just used a few drops of acetone in a full big dipper tube.
2. Kind of a guess here since I've only used clear, but I'd say probably about 2 coats.
3. GL is a finish coat, it's not necessary to put anything over it.

Guy

[dakota tim]

I don't use/like lacquer anymore but if you like to:

Check out Gene Winters EZ dipper.  I've used his lacquer with dipper & it's really slick.  It dries almost right away.

Leave it thick...2 coats...crest...1 more coat is what I did.

[AkDan]

you dont need to seal over it!  if you do stick with a water base.  Depending on what you use for cresting will be the most likely drive behind what you CAN seal over it....to hot and you'll burn your cresting band.  So a gloss clear water base works well here!

[Elkhntr]

1. I never thin it . . .

2. It depends on the type of shafts. PO Cedar and Surewood D. Fir shafts are extremely smooth, so I end up with five coats.  The Sitka spruce shafts from Hildebrand aren't as smooth so they take the laquer better and only require four coats. If cresting, I put three coats, crest, then apply two more coats. If you have any problem with the cresting pulling then spray with a spray laquer and allow to dry, then apply final coats.

3. No need to seal, the GL is the sealer.

4. I use 400 grit sand paper and sand my shafts first. PO Cedar it roughen it and to smooth the Sitka spruce.

Holler is you have addition questions.

Michael

[jcar315]

Thanks alot for your help guys.  Do you think this being yellow gasket lacquer will make any difference?

[Paul Mattson]

I havn't used the yellow, but do have the white.  You should not have to thin it.  It will take about 3 coats to get a good cover.  I then crest with with Whispering Wind cresting paint.  And run it through a couple of coats of clear.

Break in the gasket before using.

[reddogge]

Looking forward to seeing them.

[AkDan]

my guess is you've tried dipping and you're gasket is taking it all off.  And I'd bet your gasket is brand new too?!?!

Pretty common thing, once you break that gasket in, it'll work great.  I'd run the clear for awhile to break it in..then save it for colors and break in another hole before it would blow out.   (tear).

You dont thin this stuff..though you can.   and it doesnt take much as stated.

[Stone Knife]

I use the yellow and like it, very little thinner if any and I always use at least four coats. Start with one and by the time you do the other 11 you can just start at the beginning.

[jcar315]

Thanks again guys. Any prep to the arrows before the lacquer?

[Don Stokes]

I have a tube of clear that has been in use off and on for about 15 years. I've had to thin it several times, using acetone, due to long-term evaporation. I just pour a little into the tube and work an old shaft up and down until it's mixed. I've crown dipped with white, with similar results.

You shouldn't need to thin it when new. I usually go with four coats to get an even finish on my poplar shafts. I crest after I've finished dipping, and coat the crest lightly with spray lacquer to keep it from rubbing off. I've found that the spray lacquer I use interferes with fletching adhesion if it gets in that area. Made one set recently that the fletching popped off of, and I had to reglue nearly ever feather because of the spray lacquer.

Duco works well, Superglue not so well.

[AkDan]

depends on the finish of your shafts....but it cant hurt to take a damp cloth, raise the grain and nock it down before capping with some steel wool or fine sand paper.  

To get the sap off (if you have any) use a rag with some acetone on it.  

when that gasket breaks in using the clear, stop using it for clear and keep it for colors only.   Go to a new hole for clear...eventually you'll have a bunch of good holes for the colors.  Also you might find the center hole to give a better even coat for your caps then the outers..and I've heard but never bothered to try, punching in more holes.   Eventually you'll get a slight tear in the gasket...basically it's blown out.   sorry if the originaly explination was a bit confuzin.

[jcar315]

Just wanted to say "Thanks" for all your help with the GL questions. I just now have gotten out to my "paint booth" in the barn to use the GL. Your help was super to say the least. Easy to use and really looks nice!

Where does everybody else get their GL? I got mine for 3Rivers but they don't have alot of color selections.

Thanks again!

[sentinel]

I used all gasket lacquer on these arrows that I made for my son. I started with two coats of clear then 3 coats of the white (thined slightly with acetone) crested with 3 Rivers cresting lacguer finished with two coats of clear.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Your don't need to seal over GL, you need to seal under it. GL is the worst sealing finish out there, one night in the grass and a shaft is toast, the GL will crack.

I put a bunch of coats of epoxy acetone finish on my arrows, crest and seal the cresting with a couple coats of GL.

On the plus side it doesn't stick to foam targets so you won't have any target burn.

[Craig Schoneberg]

John,
I've been using the yellow for a cap dip (3 dips) and then seal the entire shaft with the clear - 3 or 4 more dips - dipping by alternating nock to point and point to nock.  I do need to thin my clear just a bit - since it's set in my dip tube for almost a year.  The finish is super slick - I sure like Gasket Lacquer.

Was thinking that I read somewhere you could do the same thing with Fletch Lac - using a nylon stretched over the dip tube.  Anyone heard of this or tried it??
Craig

[Ground Hunter]

One more thing.  You don't have to do this, but with some colors it is best to put down a white base coat.  The top color will then really - pop out and be brighter.  Also, if you get the clear - you can get pigment from a paint store and do your own colors.  H

[Ray Hammond]

Erik is correct-

GL is not waterproof. Its not a sealer at all.

[jcar315]

Great info guys and Thanks again.

GH, What type of pigment do you get at the paint store? Is there any other source for different colors and clear than 3Rivers?