Watco Danish Oil Soak for Weight

[Bud B.]

I have a doz surewood doug firs soaking. They started at 474-495 range. I have them in a 1.5" PVC tube. I want to add 125ish grains to each shaft.

Anyone soaked shafts in the WATCO before and what were your results?

After removing from the tube, how long was the dry time?

After drying I'll likely dip a few more times to get the weights nearer to each other with the end result being 590-600 range before adding nock, fletch, and point.

If you have used Watco before, any tips would be appreciated. I may crown dip and crest, but time will be the dictator. I need these finished and some range time behind them to be ready for a hunt in early Dec.

[Lone Ranger]

I have never even heard of doing this, but I am interested!

L.R.

[Hermon]

Check out these threads:

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=078639#000004

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=073866#000000

[Bud B.]

Still looking for clear final dip compatibility. Any help is appreciated.

[Sharpend60]

Poly u works with about everything.

[SlowBowinMO]

I used it years ago, but it was POC not DF.  I was not able to gain anywhere near that kind of weight, but it did add some.  Wipe on poly worked fine over it.

I now "point load" my wood arrow set ups instead to gain weight, which works well.

[Fletcher]

Like Tim, I find going up in point weight to be the best method for me.  200 gr is now my standard point weight and I'll go higher if I want more total weight.

Soaking works, but 125 gr is quite a bit and it tends to be inconsistent.  Give the oil at least a week to dry, maybe more.  Oil base poly will work as a finish.

[Russ Clagett]

I do this routinely....I use surewood doug firs and soak them for about 5 days in 3 inch pvc tubes, about a dozen in each tube...

so far my shafts have gained around 80 grains or so each, and that's about the average.

the issue is drying time. I hang them off of clothespins in the garage and leave them for about 10 days...it takes a while for all that deep soaked in oil to really dry...more time in rainy season obviously.

Then I use the minwax wipe on polyurethane to put a final finish on them.

My arrows end up weighing just over 800 grains with a 200 grain Ace hatchet on the tip.

They hit the target like a 300 win mag.

And do they ever make the longbow quiet....

I'm not sure you can get 125 grains, but you'll get close.

another idea is call Surewood Steve and ask him to sort the heaviest arrows in your preferred spine and start out with the heaviest ones you can find...then do the soak.

Good luck!

[ironmike]

i soak mine in linseed oil,no finish needed.

[Russ Clagett]

oh yeah...another plus is you can lose that arrow in the yard for two years, find it, refletch it, and shoot it cause it is SO sealed it'll last a long time...

[Bud B.]

Thanks Russ. I did get the heaviest Steve had on hand and an extra 5lb in spine for heavier head use. Looking for a 720gr or thereabouts finished arrow. Heavier is OK.

[Lone Ranger]

Originally posted by ironmike:
i soak mine in linseed oil,no finish needed.

ok, I have NEVER heard of this!

last time I used linseed oil was to soften up a baseball glove in elementary school!

L.R.

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by Lone Ranger:
 

Originally posted by ironmike:
i soak mine in linseed oil,no finish needed.

ok, I have NEVER heard of this!

last time I used linseed oil was to soften up a baseball glove in elementary school!

L.R. [/b]

I soak/wipe down wooden garden tool handles and hammer/axe handles in boiled linseed oil. It's a great way to preserve those wooden tools. Never considered it for arrows.

[gringol]

Tru oil is made with linseed oil.  Linseed oil is one of the original wood finishes.

[Keefer]

I've soaked them for about a week and let dry for another week an never put any type of sealer over them..The oil has kept the moisture out once dried and I lost several and a year being outside the feathers faded and the points were rusty but the shaft never swelled and still good as the day I soaked them...If you want to crest them go to a Hobby shop and bye some model railroad paint called "Floquil" I believe and it leaves a flat finish which I prefer...I used Duco cement for fletching the feathers on...

[Bud B.]

Thanks Keefer  

[Keefer]

Bud,
 Something I meant to mention... It seemed to me that any shafts that had a tighter or more grain lines in it looking at the ends before tapering the more grain lines didn't soak  as much..In other words if the shaft is whiter or loose grain it soaked more oil...I did a chart and weighed them before and after but cann't remember what it was...Just remember if you were to saok an ash shaft compared to a port orford ceder you will see the ceder may pick up more weight then the ash did....I'm no expert but I think the softer woods soak more and the less grain lines or tighter lines do as well...
 One more thing you will notice is when you cut the excess off a shaft and the soaking was done correctly you will notice it went through the whole shaft...The longer the soaking is probally better .
 Really makes a nice dull looking arrow that resists water and a great way to add weight..
Also use Duco on the nocks!
             Keefers <")))><

[Russ Clagett]

Keefer is right about the entire shaft really soaking the oil totally into the whole shaft...and I think this makes the arrow tougher overall...once all that oil dries and hardens up the arrow is just harder....

I've bounced some into and off of rocks while shooting around the yard and thought the arrow was bound to be torn up...but when I got to it and picked it up it was okay....

the oil soak kinda bulletproofs 'em....

[Bud B.]

Thanks guys. I was just about to post a status report when I read the last two posts.

Spot on...

I took the shafts out and let them hang to drip-dry and then weighed them. I also checked for straightness and straightened where needed. I marked each shaft with the grain weight before soaking. So far these are gaining 15-25gr and I did notice the tighter grains gained the lesser. All the shafts are now above 500gr but if allowed to dry I'm sure they'd drop. I banded them together tightly with rubber bands and back into the Watco they went. I might let these soak until the first week in Nov (maybe 11/4) and then call it. I need to have these dry and made up before Dec 6th and with time to shoot them for tune.

If I can get them up to 530-550 I'll be happy. I think I'll need a 145 or 160 head after making the arrows so that'll put me at or over the 720gr finished arrow weight range I'm looking for.

I am curious now about cedar and soaking them. And also about poplar.

Thanks for the input.

When I get these dry and get a finish on them I'll update the thread for future reference for others so any continued input from you Watco experienced guys and gals is appreciated...  

A side note....I used the natural Watco so these shafts are already reeeeeal purty  

[Russ Clagett]

I soaked my loosely in a 3 inch pvc tube so all the arrows could evenly soak on all sides...

I wonder how yours will evenly soak when they're banded together..?

You think you might have some spots that dont get oil...or will it soak in completely anyway...?