Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: finefirewood on November 27, 2013, 02:40:01 pm
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This may be a stupid question, but here goes.
Once you take the bark off the back of a stave and seal it, what do you do about the sealer once it is seasoned and you start working it? Scrape/sand it off? Nothing?
Thanks.
FF
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Scrapers work fine for me. I rarely peel and seal my staves, so I rarely have sealer to take off.
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If I use shellac I don't usually do anything but the final sanding on the back.
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Like Clint I also use shellac. If you need to remove it a light sanding or a wipe down with alcohol will remove it.
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I ignore it until I am doing final finishing. Then it normally sands and scrapes out pretty easy, especially on smooth backed bows. I use a lot of hophornbeam, and it can have quite a bit of ripples on the back, and that makes it trickier, but not too bad.
Most finishes have a product available for removing them, so if I was having a really hard time I might buy the appropriate remover and try that. But I've never had the need.
My favorite is shellac. It goes on quick and comes off pretty easy.
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It depends on the wood. For white woods sealing is optional. For black locust and osage, if still slightly green, it is essential.
In that case I remove the bark, sand with 100, 220, 400, and 600. Get it glossy smooth. Then I'll stain and or seal with spar urethane. Back is done. No scraping of shellac.
Jawge