Preferred wood arrow stain/seal methods

[Ozarkansas]

I’m curious what everyone uses to stain and seal wood arrows. I’m about to build a set of Doug Fir shafts, but the number of sealing products in particular is pretty overwhelming.

Do y’all use dip tubes and gasket lacquer? Or some kind of wipe on or spray on polyurethane? Or maybe something like tung oil or tru oil?

How many coats do y’all use with your preferred method? Do you have any adhesion issues with fletchings? Any advice or opinions would be appreciated.

 

[nevadabugle]

Commenting just so I can hear the responses....

 

[Fjtoyman]

Look up addictive archery on YouTube. I have a video series there showing my step be step process from start to finish.
I’m available on weekends if you have questions or by email. My wife is good at answering most email questions.
Welcome to the addiction.


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[GreenNDark Timber]

True North stain, sealer, crown dip and cresting paint. I used dip tubes for the sealer and crown dip and followed the steps in Addictive Archery's videos. Using True North's entire system takes the guesswork and risk of incompatible products away and really was the easy button for me. This was my first set of woodies, so don't look at the cresting lines too carefully

 

[Beendare]

I have only done a set of woodies years ago...but do a lot of wood finishing. I would do the Water based Poly gloss finish-the gloss is harder though Satin would work- it's great and easy. If you don't want them shiny, do the last coat with Matt finish.

I would use a minimum of 3 coats. The key is to sand between coats with 220 or 320 to get them super smooth then seal without wiping off dust- that makes them smoother.

I do the opposite when sealing Rattlesnake skins on limbs, those I don't sand as much between coats as I want it bumpy and non reflective on the limbs, In addition o that I do a couple mist coats of Matt to give it more of that pebbly finish.

 

[mgmicky]

True North products are the best I've used. I dip the crown and the clear coat. Both dry quickly and the best part is that there is very little smell compared to poly...

 

[Tradchef]

I stain with minwax and seal with true north.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

I’ve always used the little ez dipper thing and gasket lacquer. It doesn’t get any easier and dries super fast.

My second choice is doing the same thing with gel poly.

 

[Ozarkansas]

Look up addictive archery on YouTube. I have a video series there showing my step be step process from start to finish.
I’m available on weekends if you have questions or by email. My wife is good at answering most email questions.
Welcome to the addiction.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks, I follow you on instagram so I definitely appreciate your skill at arrow making. I’ll review your videos and reach out if I have any questions!

 

[Ozarkansas]

What do yall do for fletching cement/glue/tape with these different finishes? I’ve always used fletching tape but that’s on carbon arrows with wraps. IDK what works best on woodies or if it varies based on the finish

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

Tape. It works fantastic.

 

[Jake T]

I use polyurethane on a rag. Wipe on, let dry, grey scotchbrite the whole thing, clean and reapply. Generally 3 rounds.

Agree with fletch tape. Easy, quick, reliable. I still add a dab of glue at each end of the fletch though.

 

[Fjtoyman]

Duco cement is still my go to. The trick is transferring it to a glue bottle with a fine tip. I use Duco for the nocks and feathers. The glue and bottles are available on my website.


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[GLB]

True North Stains, True North Cresting paint and MinWax Polycrylic Gloss clear coat. All water based. Clear Coat is dipped 3X using a dip tube. Steel wool between each coat. Duco glue.

 

[Tradchef]

Duco for fletching and nocks

 

[Btaylor]

I use minwax stains and the massey finish. It's an epoxy/acetone mixture that is wiped on. I usually do 6 coats. Hunting arrows will get a final coat of rattle can clear matte to knock down the shine. I fletch with bohning fletch tape.

 

[Beendare]

I use minwax stains and the massey finish. It's an epoxy/acetone mixture that is wiped on. I usually do 6 coats. Hunting arrows will get a final coat of rattle can clear matte to knock down the shine. I fletch with bohning fletch tape.

So your wood shafts are $60/doz....but your labor is $600 a dozen, eh? Grin

 

[Btaylor]

So your wood shafts are $60/doz....but your labor is $600 a dozen, eh? Grin

Shafts are like $40 per dozen but yeah definitely some labor time involved but they will last until they are broke and no target burn. At least not from any target I have shot. Takes me about a week to do a dozen the way I do them but can speed that up a good bit if I need too.


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[SliverShooter]

I’m old school, been using ProFin for over 30 years. It is the same finish Andy ( Addictive Archery) used in his first arrow building tutorial about ten years ago. Best tutorial on arrow building I have seen, almost identical process an old arrowsmith taught me several decades back.

 

[LostArra]

Shafts are like $40 per dozen but yeah definitely some labor time involved but they will last until they are broke and no target burn. At least not from any target I have shot. Takes me about a week to do a dozen the way I do them but can speed that up a good bit if I need too.


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Speaking of target burn. Beginning in August all of my practice is at 3D targets and some arrow finish/foam combos are almost welded together until I started using wax on the arrow, at least the front half. Paste wax or a block of beeswax works well if you rub it down afterwards. Spray Pledge or Armorall will work but usually needs more frequent applications and the spray has more smell.

There have been times I thought I would need a come-along to pull arrows but it's usually the cheaper foam used in the targets (not all Rinehart foam is the same, beware of their cheap deer targets)