watco danish oil on arrows

[Jake Fr]

I have a buddy that uses this methd for hois arrows and o was told I can wipe it on or even put them in a tube let set tosoak up the oil to add weight. To them he does this and said no reason to fish cpat them cause its all done at same time them crest and glue feathers do any of you do this as well oit spounds really simple and takes steeps out for making a simple arrow wich I like

[Orion]

If you soak 11/32 cedar shafts in Watco oil for three or four days, they'll gain about 50 grains.  Takes a while for them to dry.  At least a week.  They dry much more quickly if you wipe on the oil, of course, but it won't penetrate as much or add much weight to the shafts.  I'd say at least four coats if you wipe it on, letting the shafts dry at least a day between each coat.  Works well.  Don't need any other finish over it.

[Keefer]

Jake,
 I done this method several times and lost a few arrows practiceing and found a few two years later..The shaft was still good and the feathers were somewhat faded badly and field point rusty but the shaft looked as good as the day I removed it from the oil...It Never swelled from moisture and still was reusable..I soaked for over a week in the P.V.C. TUBE and this must of really waterproofed the shafts...That is some good stuff and I used paint for painting trains  from a hobby shop and it worked great on the danish oil as my cresting paint..It also gives the shafts that old school look without much shine..Kind of a dull finish...Loved it..Keefer's <><

[Wapiti Chaser]

Will duco stick to the danish oil ?

[Keefer]

Originally posted by Wapiti Chaser:
Will duco stick to the danish oil ?

Yes it does...That is what I used and it seemed to hold well..Just make certain to let those shafts really dry well...I let mine sit a few weeks just to make sure..If you have a warm /heated shop that will help ...

[Whip]

Can you apply cresting over the danish oil finish?  Testors paint?  Or what do you use?

[cbCrow]

Whip, I can't answer about the paints but have used colored sharpies on the shaft before applying the oil. It worked just fine for me.

[Davesea]

What are the ingredients of watco danish oil?  does it vary?

[Orion]

Most glues and paints will work over the oil finish.  I've used Duco for fletching and Bohning lacquers for cresting.  However, need to make sure the oil is totally dry before gluing or cresting.

[Jake Fr]

That is a wealth of infpo guys thanks I'm gonna try my next set like this

[Blackhawk]

I just finished a set a couple weeks ago.  I applied 3 coats by wiping on the oil, but this stuff does take a while to dry.  I allowed 2-3 days between coats.

When dry, I lightly steel wooled and sprayed white primer on top. Next came yellow spray paint and then fletch tape for my feathers.  

It's my first time to use Watco, so cannot verify how durable, but shafts sure looks good.

[Keefer]

Originally posted by Whip:
Can you apply cresting over the danish oil finish?  Testors paint?  Or what do you use?

Whip,
  To answer your question on the cresting paint I used a paint called "FLOQUIL" small train paint from a hobby shop...It comes in some flat colors like white,black,yellow,red and so on...It sticks to the danish oil very good when dry and if you go to a hobby shop look for 1oz. jars...If you have a small H.O. shop somewhere whatever they call them train shop or any hobby shop you might find it there..I think I got another called "POLLY SCALE" and just as good..If you like a dull finish without any shine that Floquil was really nice and made the arrows look Old school...I didn't go crazy on the cresting job but just did pinstripes for an accent...Hope that helps ya Whip! Oh and that oil penatrates Port Orford really well and when you cut the extra shaft off look at how far the oil penatrates...It soaks to the core if the wood is soft but I never did Ash but wonder how it does...On average about 50 grains +/- about 5/10 grains so you may need to "cull" your arrows and check..Some soak up more then others... God Bless, Keefers <><

[WESTBROOK]

Floquil is made by Testors,it is ther model train line of colors. Go to Testors.com and you can see their colors.

Eric

[Whip]

Thanks for the info.  I'm going to try a batch of these.  I'm thinking to go with more of a primitive look with very simple cresting just as Keefer suggests.  I want something really dull for turkey hunting, and that sounds perfect.

I dip my shafts up about to the last the last 12 inches. which I dip in water soluble Polyurethane. the one thing I found is that sometimes I get a heavier than normal shaft. That is one or two will soak up more of the oil than the others.

[Keefer]

Pavan,
  That is correct and I noticed the same thing when using Danish Oil..If memory serves me correctly if the shaft had a tight grain line it didn't soak up as much oil as say a very clean whiteish shaft..I would go to say hardwoods won't soak up as much oil as a ceder or pine would if both were in the oil bath the same amount of time...Something to try would be take and cut your shafts to size and take the leftover few inch's of the shaft like an Ash shaft and a ceder and weigh them dry and write that weight down..Soak the scrap two pieces in a cup of oil for a week and remove and let dry several days...Now weigh them and see if the lighter ceder soaked up more oil...I'm no expert but the hardwood I doubt will soak up as much unless you soak a few more weeks so the pores will open up and soak in more oil...That Watco Oil comes in a 1 gallon metal container also and pouring it into a P.V.C. tube and then put back in the can will do Dozens of shafts...

What I have done is to soak the lighter shafts longer, then sometimes I get some of them closer to the heavies and then wind up with one or two that stay on the light side. however, I use the misfits as squirrel, pheasant and turkey arrows with different points and don't worry bout it, they seem to end up close enough to where I point them anyway.

[stickbowhntr]

How many have pressurised the tube you soak them in? How much pressure do you use?

[Orion]

I've soaked them under pressure  for several days.  Don't remember how much, maybe 50-60# or so.  11/32 cedar shafts gained 200 grains out of the tube, compared to about 50 grains if I just soaked them for four or five days.  However, they then bled for the next two weeks, and I had to wipe them down daily.  Finally dried out after about two weeks and I ended up with a net gain averaging 75 grains per shaft.

I no longer soak my shafts to add weight.  When I was doing it, a 160 grain head was about as heavy as one could find.  Now, it's pretty easy to find glue on heads to 250 grains and more.  So, one can get the same weight arrow just by going to a heavier head, adding woody weights or an internal metal footing, and get the additional advantage of more FOC.

Never tried soaking hardwoods, but did try it on Doug fir.  20 grains per shaft average is the best I ever got soaking them in Watco oil.  Just doesn't suck it up like cedar.  I expect hardwoods would be even less likely to soak up the oil..

[Keefer]

Useing pressure !
  Guys listen as to what I'm about to write please...I'm not sure how many have added pressure to P.V.C. plastic pipe but be careful doing so...I have added 100# to test C.p.v.c. water pipe when I was a plumber checking for leaks and that wasn't a good idea to do but we did it..P.v.c. can be brittle like a clay pot when dropped on a hard surface..I was told by a dealer many guys go buy P.v.c. water pipe and use as air lines in thier shops etc..It can EXPODE and become deadly like flying glass if too much air is added and that pipe wasn't intended to be used with air but water pressure...I cann't tell ya why cause I'm no scientist but be careful useing air pressure in P.V.C....Please don't take this wrong but I was told the company that makes P.v.c. pipe tells the dealers that sell pipe not to use it for air lines...Many farmers have thier shop lined with p.v.c. air lines and when it's Cold and not in a warm area it is a timebomb waiting to explode...If you like to take a chance then feel free but I hate to see anyone hurt who didn't know of the danger...Keefer's <><