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Author Topic: The Jury is in on the feather backing  (Read 4906 times)

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Offline Danzn Bar

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The Jury is in on the feather backing
« on: November 24, 2013, 10:54:30 am »
Well Guys,
I have somewhere around 400 arras through this bow,  It is a nice and sunny morning but very cold here in KY, about 25 deg.  But I wanted to shoot Cyclops Molly a few times, I braced her in the house, went outside, it was fifteen minutes or so before I started shooting...............well I warm her up some so with a few half draw pulls.  knocked an arrow and pulled her back to snap, crackle & pop,  sounded like Rice Crispy's.!!  :o   :( :(

The Flex Coat finished cracked across the bow in about six places.  I had been shooting this bow a lot earlier in the fall and even hunted with it after adding some camo tape on her to keep the shine down.  Never shot her in weather colder than 40 deg. until today.

I think what contributed to the cracks is the finish is not flexable enough  :laugh: :laugh:    Seriously,  thick epoxy finish well cured, the feathers made the finished even thicker.  I'm going to remove the finish as best as I can and get her down to wood.  Next time with feathers I'm going to do the finish in true oil or something like that,  it won't create the under glass look, but it might be better for a hunting bow.

It's hard to see with the shiny finish, but here is a pic or two.  Any suggestions as to how to remove the epoxy and feathers is welcome.
I know that some of you were thinking of using the Flex Coat finish, just had to let you guys know................
Live and learn, it will be better next time,  :) ;)
DBar 
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Offline Badly Bent

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2013, 11:29:36 am »
Man thats a bummer Bill, all that work on that beautiful feather backing and it does that to ya. I've had a couple of my early bows , 15 yrs. old with spar varnish finish crack like that. Brittle with age, which is not the case with your finish
though. Not sure how you'd get that hard epoxy off the back so have no advice there. Chemical stripper, maybe an epoxy reducer solvent, scraper? Good luck with it, gonna be a learning experience for sure.
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Offline Danzn Bar

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2013, 11:33:43 am »
Thanks Greg,
I think I'm going to start trying more natural materials....and less of the man made stuff.
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Offline PatM

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2013, 12:05:18 pm »
Probably have to go with the next step up in flexibility. Likely the mirror coat bar top finish.
 Not sure you can reasonably attain the desired finish with a natural product.
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Offline osage outlaw

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2013, 12:46:38 pm »
That stinks Bill.  That was a beautiful bow.  I hope you can repair it.  I wouldn't give up on the flex coat.  Maybe you could make a couple warm weather bows and use it as a finish.
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Offline bushboy

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2013, 01:03:55 pm »
Maybe a light heating will refuse the cracks?I'm not sure how much heat the back will take before suffering damages?maybe try it on a mock up situation,just throwing it out there.good luck!
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Offline wood_bandit 99

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2013, 06:48:45 pm »
Quote from: bushboy on November 24, 2013, 01:03:55 pm
Maybe a light heating will refuse the cracks?I'm not sure how much heat the back will take before suffering damages?maybe try it on a mock up situation,just throwing it out there.good luck!


Actually that is a good idea. Maybe you could soften the finish and it would seal it up or heat it and put some more and see if that fixes it? If it doesn't, at least you tried and you can just rip it off.
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Offline Gus

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #7 on: November 24, 2013, 07:45:09 pm »
Dang it man I hate see that...

I had the same thing happen to me with a thick super glue finish over snake skins...
Had to peel it off including the skins and start over...
Went with many coats of Tru-Oil over new skins with light sanding between every third coat then polished out with Rottenstone and linseed oil.

Worked like a charm and got the glossy glass appearance I wanted.
and no cracking of the finish when I shoot it...

Regards,

-gus
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Offline PatM

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2013, 08:01:55 pm »
First of all heating Epoxy doesn't reactivate it and second of all why would it magically becoming "fixed" mean that it wouldn't just crack again?
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Offline bushboy

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #9 on: November 24, 2013, 08:29:25 pm »
just thought id throw it out there ,do it all the time with poly propelyne pipe then use in warmer weather,maybe i should try it first :-X
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Offline nclonghunter

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2013, 08:36:21 pm »
Sorta like an antique, dont change anything. Build anither bow And keep that around as is..very cool with those feathers
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Offline Thesquirrelslinger

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2013, 09:17:23 pm »
Methylene chloride will work but you may want to try regular lacquer thinner first.
Some brands come off with gasoline or acetone.
heating them will soften it a lot. And then burn it.
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Offline PatM

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #12 on: November 24, 2013, 09:48:53 pm »
Just scrape it off. I routinely re-do epoxy surfaces and scraping is the way to go.
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Offline Ozzy

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #13 on: November 24, 2013, 10:52:43 pm »
Sorry to hear that Bill I would just call it character  ;)
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Offline IdahoMatt

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Re: The Jury is in on the feather backing
« Reply #14 on: November 24, 2013, 11:34:10 pm »
Man that sucks.  Do what you real the bow needs.
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