Author Topic: How do you guys set up a tru oiled bow to dry without getting smudges?  (Read 7297 times)

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Offline osage outlaw

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I wipe each limb down while grabbing the center, then the handle being sure to leave any smudges under the grip. Then I sit it on a 1" tube to dry. If it leaves a few marks I don't worry as the grip covers it up.


I do it the same as Pearly on bows where I'm putting a handle wrap on.  If the bow is going to have a bare handle I'll do the limbs right up to the fades and sit it on a spray paint lid to dry.  Once its dry I'll put a coat on the handle blending it out into the fades.  I repeat that process for every coat.
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline Mo_coon-catcher

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I hang the bows from the light fixture in my room by a strand of fishing line tied to one of the nocks. After every coat I put on the bow I rub it with steel wool to get rid of the marks left by the line and for the next coat I tie the line to the other nock so that they will be the same. This way the only time I touch the bow is when the finish is hard enough to not leave smudges.

Offline bubby

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toomany I have two screws about 5' apart, do both limbs and then set it on the screws and do the grip, bub
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline toomanyknots

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Do any of yall use a rubbing compound afterwards to rub the finish out?
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline bubby

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after a couple coats I hit it with #0000 steel wool between coats then I use paste wax
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline RBLusthaus

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after a couple coats I hit it with #0000 steel wool between coats then I use paste wax

X2

Offline toomanyknots

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after a couple coats I hit it with #0000 steel wool between coats then I use paste wax

after a couple coats I hit it with #0000 steel wool between coats then I use paste wax

X2

I'm actually thinking of making my own paste wax, I figure the end result will be pure as well as cheaper by a hair or two,  ;D. I got easy access to beeswax, there is a local store that sells locally harvested beeswax for 10 bucks a pound about, which is pretty cheap I think. And woodcrafters got pure gum turpentine I believe, which I am thinking is all I need? I have made it out of oil and beeswax melted together, but I was never really happy with the result. I mean it was a paste wax alright, but I didn't like the feel or look after using it... By the way, anybody ever heard of diatomaceous earth? It's a powder made from fossils of dead bacteria and such, which kills insects by cutting their exoskeletons and drying them out. Supposedly the stuff is sharp and jagged under a microscope, so I was thinking it would make a good rubbing powder, and we happen to have like 20 pounds of the stuff for killing fleas.  :) I was googling to see if it would work, and it turns out it can be used for a polish, so I might just try it out after I get this bow done, I am on coat 6 right now. This tru oil stuff is sticky as hell,  ;D. How long should I wait before I rub it/polish it? The other thing I was thinking of trying is some of this polish I got at the automotive store, haha. It makes my guitars look just great... 
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline SLIMBOB

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+2 Pearl.  The handle gets covered anyway so it can have a few smudges.  Little steel wool cleans it up.  I hear most people say they hand rub it as Blackhawk just stated.  Can't get the finish right hand rubbing, I use a clean cloth rolled up into a tight ball.  Gives me a better finish.  I'm sure it's my technique but hand rubbing for me leaves streaks that the cloth does not.
Liberty, In God We Trust, E Pluribus Unum.  Distinctly American Values.

Offline bubby

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toomany a tub of quality paste wax is around 12$ and it will last many many years, I may never use up mine
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline toomanyknots

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+2 Pearl.  The handle gets covered anyway so it can have a few smudges.  Little steel wool cleans it up.  I hear most people say they hand rub it as Blackhawk just stated.  Can't get the finish right hand rubbing, I use a clean cloth rolled up into a tight ball.  Gives me a better finish.  I'm sure it's my technique but hand rubbing for me leaves streaks that the cloth does not.

I know I am not loving these paper towels as soon as it starts to get sticky... which seems to be almost instantly. It does suck up a lot of finish too.

toomany a tub of quality paste wax is around 12$ and it will last many many years, I may never use up mine

True, true.
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline JW_Halverson

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Russ, don't let Jawge get to you.  He's kidding, the nail in the handle is a sight pin.   ;)
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline Gus

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I rub out with Rottenstone and Lindseed Oil...

-gus
"I taught him archery everyday, and when he got good at it he throw an arrow at me."

Conroe, TX

Offline toomanyknots

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I rub out with Rottenstone and Lindseed Oil...

-gus

Well, (I know this is probably stupid for a couple reasons, as you probably wanna wait a week for the bow to cure before you rub it out I gather) but last night after 7 coats I polished it with some turtle wax brand polish,  ;D. Not sure if that is the best idea, but the end result looks pretty nice, lol. It was an experiment bow though I was doing it on, in order to get my screw ups out of the way as this was the first time trying tru oil.
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline osage outlaw

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I use the small cosmetic wedges to apply the tru oil.   I get a better finish with those than trying to use anything else. 
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline toomanyknots

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Here's the results from my first attempt with tru oil yesterday, I am not the best photographer and it is hard for me to get a good pic of the finish, but this is roughly how it turned out:



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« Last Edit: July 20, 2013, 02:54:23 pm by toomanyknots »
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair