Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Wooden Spring on September 30, 2015, 10:33:19 am

Title: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: Wooden Spring on September 30, 2015, 10:33:19 am
I pose this question 'cause I know I'm not the only one out there doing this...   >:D

OK, so last night I made a 2-part Resin pour, using some crushed up charcoal as coloring to imitate black horn for my tip overlays (works GREAT!). Let's say I want to imitate antler, with its various hues of brown, bone, pearl, etc...  How do you do that? What colors do you use? Any pictures?
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: Aaron H on September 30, 2015, 10:52:43 am
Crushed up chalk maybe?
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: DC on September 30, 2015, 11:59:13 am
You can use this stuff if you have color mixing talents
http://www.systemthree.com/store/pc/Epoxy-Paste-Pigments-c46.htm?gclid=CLmjt5OLn8gCFQmRfgodsg8P3Q
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: PatM on September 30, 2015, 01:59:09 pm
Watercolor dry powder works great as well as powdered pigment for making wood dye. You can quite easily mimic cow horn with blends of black, white and tan colors.
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: simson on September 30, 2015, 02:30:54 pm
Hm, isn't it a lot easier to use horn or antler. Both is really easy available ...
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: Wooden Spring on September 30, 2015, 02:35:01 pm
Hm, isn't it a lot easier to use horn or antler. Both is really easy available ...

It is? If so, I haven't found it, not for a good price anyway. The stores around here (North Georgia) think that antler is made of gold. Besides, I can mimic horn pretty easy, and with the resin, it is really cheap.
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: DC on September 30, 2015, 02:36:38 pm
Hm, isn't it a lot easier to use horn or antler. Both is really easy available ...

I would think so but epoxy doesn't smell as bad as grinding horn. :P
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: Urufu_Shinjiro on October 01, 2015, 03:49:25 pm
Hm, isn't it a lot easier to use horn or antler. Both is really easy available ...

It is? If so, I haven't found it, not for a good price anyway. The stores around here (North Georgia) think that antler is made of gold. Besides, I can mimic horn pretty easy, and with the resin, it is really cheap.

Have you tried PetSmart or PetSupermarket?
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: JoJoDapyro on October 01, 2015, 07:11:27 pm
Antler at the Petsmart in Utah is probably $30 a pound.
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: Badger on October 01, 2015, 09:46:56 pm
  I have been using the 2 part epoxy putty to form horn nocks on elbs. Side by side with real horn it is very hard to tell the difference. I have only been using black.
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: dolgima on October 02, 2015, 04:55:23 am
nice idea.  can you upload pictures how to make epoxy resin horn?

Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: dolgima on October 02, 2015, 04:57:59 am
  I have been using the 2 part epoxy putty to form horn nocks on elbs. Side by side with real horn it is very hard to tell the difference. I have only been using black.

resin and putty is different?  Do I need pigments to coloring putty?  is normal putty  strong enough to make elb horn nock or tip overlays?

can I find any pictures how to make epoxy horn?
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: DC on October 02, 2015, 10:13:16 am
  I have been using the 2 part epoxy putty to form horn nocks on elbs. Side by side with real horn it is very hard to tell the difference. I have only been using black.

When using putty do you form the tips right on the bow or do you make them separately and glue them on after?
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: PatM on October 02, 2015, 10:15:44 am
Way easier to form them right on the bow. You get a perfect fit every time. You can buy mold material for casting epoxy so you can get the finished shape right from the beginning.
Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: Tree_Ninja on October 02, 2015, 11:14:53 am
I've only experimented thus far, but I found some really nice epoxy in squeeze tubes ,white stuff that looks like pearl when finished. It sticks to horn too, so I made a bi-color horn tip. (Pics tonite). I think it would do well if you can color match it to a horn, and you're worried that the glue lines aren't perfect. Also you don't have to cut into the back of the bow. Just sand it with 120 grit and put it on.

I mix it up (touch more hardener), slap it on with a stick, wait about 5-10 min( a little more sometimes) until it gets a bit hard, and won't stick to fingers. I then mold it into general shape by hand. 

Belt sander to shape it down (after 48 hrs).Then it sands by hand nicely.

Title: Re: Epoxy Resin Horn
Post by: Badger on October 02, 2015, 12:02:29 pm
   I have been using the A+b epoxy putty, comes in white and black and I believe you could mix the two for different color affects. I care down the end of the bow as if I were installing horn nocks and form the putty right on the end of the bow like clay. My putty takes about 8 hours to fully harden, I don't like to work it until it is fully hardened becuase it plugs up the tools real fast. I don't get real fancy with the long tip sticking out, I think it would break off it were bumped, just forming it to a slightly rounded point seems to be pretty durable and can stand a little banging around.