Gasket Laquer

[dragonheart]

I have had some difficulty with the finish on my arrows cracking with the gasket laquer.  I think the finish is too thick per coat.  Does anyone thin the gasket laquer with acetone?  Any other suggestions?

[luvnlongbow]

Give Pro-Fin a try. Never had an issue.

Joe

[Don Stokes]

Dragonheart, yes, you need to thin it with acetone. I pour some into the top of my dip tube, the kind with the big reservoir on top, and work it in with an old arrow shaft. Takes a while to mix it. It should be about the consistency of honey. Too thin and it will keep wiping off, and too thick and the finish will crack. If you get it too thin, just leave the top off for a while.

Mine has been in the same tube for a decade or more, and I just add more GL or more acetone as needed.

[dragonheart]

Don,

I will give that a try.  Thanks for the info.

[Patrick55]

Same here. No problem since I started thinnig it. Also, do not sand the shafts. When I can I use a water base stain. This will raise the grain and give the lacqure more to hold onto. It may take an extra coat to get the finish you want but worth it.

[dragonheart]

I have steel wooled the shafts after I stained with the water based stain.  

You leave the grain raised from the stain and the dip in the sealer?  

Do you steel wool in between coats?

[Don Stokes]

I don't stain mine because I prefer a light shaft for hunting- better visibility in low light. I don't do any additional sanding unless the shafts are particularly rough. GL is a good filler. Whether you sand or not, you don't need to do anything between coats. I normally get a smooth, even finish after four coats.

One of the best things about GL is that you don't have to wait long between coats. It dried so quickly that you can be fletching them within the hour. I've made a finished set of 12 in three hours, cresting with sharpie pens and fletching with super glue, just to see if I could. I get more reliable results with Duco, though.

[Joshua Polland]

Don,
 Thanks, I had the same problem with my last batch of arrows. I'll give it a try.

[Stone Knife]

Watch the 3rivers video  
   Gasket Laquer

[dragonheart]

I thinned the gasket laquer with acetone and worked it in with a shaft.  I have been replenishing the tube over several years, but it was too thick and my finish was cracking.  New batch of arrows are looking good with 2 coats, then steel wool, then one more coat.  No cracked finish.