Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Stickhead on March 11, 2013, 01:58:00 pm

Title: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: Stickhead on March 11, 2013, 01:58:00 pm

Any good tips on how to do this?  Do you pop the tip off to stain/dye the bow, then re-glue it?  Or maybe cover the overlay with tape or wax or something when applying stain?

Thanks for any suggestions.

-Tom

Title: Re: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: Pat B on March 11, 2013, 02:05:32 pm

I haven't stained a bow in a long time but when I did I stained the bow first them added the tip overlays. In most cases tip overlays are purely cosmetic and not necessary so they can be added anytime.  If you have already added the tipo overlays just tape off the overlays before staining and once the stain has been applied remove any from the overlays before it dries.

Title: Re: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on March 11, 2013, 02:38:32 pm

Painter tape

Title: Re: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: BOWMAN53 on March 11, 2013, 05:27:39 pm

Painters tape doesnt work well, it lift very easy because it has very little adhesive. I like to use clear packing tape.

Title: Re: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on March 11, 2013, 05:58:44 pm

Its worked well for my last 50 or 60? Maybe the grade of tape changes the game. Better be careful with extra sticky tapes, one of these days you will take a big splinter with it.

Title: Re: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 11, 2013, 06:30:22 pm

That is another reason I like horn or bone overlays rather than wood.  They dont take stain very well, and a little steel wool usually takes off any that it does take.   

Title: Re: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: lostarrow on March 12, 2013, 11:46:49 pm

If you want the tips natural, you can seal them carefully with a small brush first so stain won't penetrate. I agree with PD. grade of tape makes a huge difference . Avoid the cheap stuff. Packing tape can sometimes leave a sticky residue  as well as being hard to get off. You can also get a clear brush on masking  that is used by watercolour painters,if you are using waterbased stains.

Title: Re: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: BOWMAN53 on March 13, 2013, 12:07:47 am

It must have been the grade of adhesive i used cuz it worked just as good as toilet paper lol.

Title: Re: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: WarBird on March 13, 2013, 01:48:34 am

When I did my last overlays, I had a dark walnut on the bow/limbs and a pecan stain on the overlays. What I did was epoxy the overlay blocks on, sanded them to the shape desired and then used a wide brush to stain the bow all the way to the tips and then went in with a fine brush to hit around the overlays and the overlays themselves. But the brush on masking is a good idea also, that stuff is called liquid frisket (I do watercolor painting and use it often) and it's available at most craft/paint supply stores.

Title: Re: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: lostarrow on March 13, 2013, 09:34:53 am

Thanks Warbird,I haven't used the stuff for about 25 years :o. How are you supposed to remember a name like frisket after that long ,haha.

Title: Re: How do you stain a bow but not the tip overlays?
Post by: Sidewinder on March 13, 2013, 11:39:09 am

All of these are good ideas. I don't stain many bows, only white woods which are'nt many since I live in the land of abundant osage, however my method is rather simple. I just be very careful around the overlays not to get any stain on em. I stain up to the overlay and the front of the tips and then I use a cue tip to get real close then use another cue tip if I happen to get a little on the edge of the overlay.   Danny