Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: osage outlaw on February 11, 2017, 09:29:05 pm
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I'm trying to find a lower cost option for sealing staves. I have always used polyurethane and I'm tired of paying $35 for a gallon it. Tonight I picked up a gallon of TBII wood glue for half the cost of the polyurethane. I remember someone saying they watered down glue to seal staves. Does anyone do this or know the ratio of glue to water? I would like to get it thin enough to paint on with a brush.
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Been using hairspray for a long time...Comes off with water, never looked back ;)
Don
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Been using hairspray for a long time...Comes off with water, never looked back ;)doesn't that defeat the purpose? I have used tight bond 3 to seal the ends of staves I don't usually debark so don't know about that. But it dries clear and gives a good seal. You can water it down too. Don't know exact ratio, I just make it a decent concistany. Cheers- Brendan
Don
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Clint, I've gotten staves before that were sealed with wood glue like TB but I don't know how it was mixed. With the paper mache like my wife does she thins the glue pretty thin. I think she just pours water in until it is the consistency she likes. That's how I did it with the figures I did with paper mache.
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Sounds like a good idea watering down the glue to use as a sealer.Should do the job.
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Clint somebody told me they mix it half & half.
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Titebond is probably overkill and it isn't as easy to clean up as Elmer's glue.
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Buy PVA glue that they use in construction as a general purpose sealer/adhesive.
It is cheap as chips and you just mix with water until its the consistency you want. Obviously the thinner you go the less of a good job it does at sealing though. I just use it as is. Very effective stuff.
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Clint - Always used watered down plain Elmers Glue. 50/50 is about right - You can really mop it on with a brush. Bob
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I use PVA without water - I rub it all over the end and the first four inches of the stave with my hand cos I'm too cheap to buy a brush >:D
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I have never done it but Elmer's sells a spray adhesive I use for a lot of stuff it sells for cheap around the beginning of the school year pretty easy to clean up
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I like brush-on shellac because it survives the steam tube intact, but it isn't cheap nowadays.
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I've never heard of sealing staves with hairspray. How good of a job does it do on keeping them from checking on the ends and back?
I'll look into the PVA glue. What brand name are you guys using?
I go through 3-4 gallons of polyurethane a year so I don't think I want to mess with any small spray bottles of glue.
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Not any particular brand, just the biggest cheapest bottle of builders general use pva
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Maybe just try titebond I. It's a lot cheaper than TBIII and for sealing the end of a stave or log should be just fine, never tried it though.
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I'm using it to seal the backs of staves also.
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Are just cutting osage or black locust? Jawge
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Aren't TB glues PVA glue?
Osage, Jawge.
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90% osage. With a little black locust, Hackberry, hickory, etc. mixed in.
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Probably could get 30 plus staves for $1.99 on sale Wally world !
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I only get Titebond original and Titebond III. Original is half the price of III. We don't need it to be waterproof do we? I don't want to waste my Shellac if I don't need to
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Knox gelatine is really cheap and multipupose. I use it to seal the backs so it doesn't interfere with the sinew process.
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Clint, I buy the cheapest wood glue I can find.
I have it in a bucket, and add water until it's a good consistency.
Not sure the ratio. I dip my staves, quicker than painting
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I tried parafin wax for a while. It was messy and a pain in the but for any quantity of staves. The last couple years I've been using the same gallon jug of the cheapest elmers glue I could get. It seems to work well and is easy enough to clean up. Pour some in a cup and brush it on. It's cheap and washes away with water, so just slather it on and don't worry about the mess.
Kyle
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I've used TB3 many times. I water it down just enough to be able to brush it on. Works great. After it dries. Sand it with a 320 or even 400 grit sand paper to smooth it out. TB3 is waterproof after it dries. TB2 is not.
Tattoo Dave
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We don't need it to be waterproof? Really?
Took another HHB stave out of the steamer today, and another off the form. Shellac looked perfect.
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Not glue, but a while back I melted some beeswax into some mineral oil with a 50/50 approx. volume ratio, making a grainy paste. I rub it on the bow, leave it overnight, then take off the excess and rub in the rest the next day. Works great and makes osage look awesome. Definitely not high gloss, more of a dull, natural shine. If you're looking for cheap, for about $10 this would last me 7 - 8 bows.
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I'm not looking for a bow finish. Just something to seal fresh cut staves
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I've always used regular school glue (Elmer's or the like). But I never thought about knox. That's really cheap and I use it for sinew. Thanks Jon!
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Clint the staves I got from you did not check. If I need to pay $1-2 more I Know it works. Lots of good subjection here though. Arvin
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not to interfere, but we seal every block of wood that goes through our place- and that is a lot- i have tried quite a few different things. glue- it seems to flake off after a while, those proper log sealing emulsions- like "anchorseal" they get porous after a year or so. what i have found to work the best is plain old wax- we buy it in slabs by the 100# but you can buy smaller blocks from the craft stores for making candles, heat it up outside and dip the ends in. it lasts the best- is the ultimate seal.- just what we have found!
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Clint try a smaller batch to see how you like it glue is great for ends but I prefer shellac for backs
but if you find that you like the glue let me know as I have excess to some for you ! pm me my friend
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I prefer shellac too. I don't seal lots of wood so it is economical enough. I buy it in a spray can because it has unlimited shelf life. Ant time I expose a new back, new wood or old, I seal it. Most staves I get have the ends sealed but if I cut the end(s) off I will spray it with shellac.
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I don't think wax will work for what I need. I seal the backs of the staves when I remove the sapwood or if the stave is a belly split. I move them around a lot after they are sealed so the wax will probably get damaged and knocked off. I'm not worried about being able to easily remove the sealer on the backs of the staves. They will need to have a ring chased later down the road.
Thanks for all the ideas guys. It has generated some informative discussion. I am going to experiment with watered down glue later this week. I'll post the results and the mixture ratio.
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How many coats do you guys typically use to seal a fresh cut stave that you removed the sapwood? I seal the ends twice when I cut the tree. Then when I split it into staves I'll seal the backs at least twice and coat the ends again with each coat. I have had very good results doing it that way. In fact, I have more problems with staves checking on the backs when I leave the bark on them instead of removing it and sealing them.
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I just water cheap wood glue down, about 25% water and keep it in a bucket with a big paint brush, always has worked for me and is easy to remove. ;)
Pappy
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I buy cheap elmers glue in the gallon jug. Don't even water it down. I just pour a stream down the back and spread it around with a brush. Works for me. I do dip the ends into a gallon can of poly and let it set up for a half hour or so first though. Josh
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I just switched from using glue to using spray shellac since it dries quick and convenient to hike with. I can put it on as soon as I cut, and get the staves hiked out. I used straight glue before, but it gets cover in dirt on the hike and in the back of the truck. I never cut it with water tho. It probably not critical, whatever is the most convientient for you.
Eric
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paint will work,, :)
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paint will work,, :)
That makes it hard to see the rings on the ends.
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I mixed the TB II with about an equal amount of water and tested it out on the ends of some logs today. The mixture was thin enough to paint on easily. It seemed to work fine. I'll put a couple more coats on just to make sure.