The Golden Bullet.. you know that one you have bee searching for....
Well, I have been making calls for over 7 years now.. I have probably spent over 1500 if not 2000 in finishing tests and types.. I have tried em all.. spray on, dips, 2 parts, waxes, oils, urathanes, auto finishes, epoxies, even a marine single and two part or three!!
3 years ago I settled on using a one part urethane fishing rod finish that was very hard, and extremely durable.. set in about 30 minutes.. had to buy it in 1 oz bottles, because it would set up before I used all of it.. it was applied by hand, and then allowed to rotate so it would level and set. I told no one what I used.. xcept for a few I really trusted, because I had spent so much time, and heartache. Why now.. because I have realized, I dont want anyone else to go through what I have!!!
Stump and I have been working together to find a solution to our woes.. As we seem to be ANAL when it comes to crafstmanship.. though I think he is crazier than i am
I want my calls to be the best I can make them.. EVERYTHING matters.. sound, fit, and finish...
The rod Finish was nice, smooth, glossy and thick.. but often i fought dust, small drips and runs, sometimes sanding and redoing barrels 4 or 5 times.. fish eyeing on oily woods.. it was so frustrating.
Stump spurred me on to try some new ideas.. as he said earlier he is dipping in Spar cut with mineral spirits, so I started there. We also discussed sanding in with ca to fill the grain, a procedure I had not done much of at all due to the fact that the finish I used was so thick it filled all the grain in 2 coats. I started doing that and was amazed at what it did.. As I sat there for the first time with 2 bottles of CA in hand, I thought, you know. I have never tried a CA glue finish... Though many pen and cue makes rave about it, and I had seen numerous tutorials on it... Well I gave it a go, and was incredibley impressed... I love it, and it is likley to be something I continue to use and fiddle with to perfect.
The bnottom line i have discover is one thing.. there are NO SHORTCUTS to the perfect finsih, you can't just apply it and send it out the door.. I now sand from 220 up to 1800, 2 times on each call.. then through 3 compounds, then finish with a buff, and a clean with Novus 1... any shortcuts, like not sanding with the grain between grits, or not spending enough time on a grit, and the finish has to be redone. You get out of it, what you put into it.. whether you are dipping, or spraying, or coating, whatever. you have to take the time and the pride to really work hard to get it done right. Believe me, It can be tough to maintain that focus when you are 300 calls into the year. and your fingers hurt :)
but whats the point of spending all theat time and money, to only blow it in the end by spraying on deft, a finish i feel is about the most inferior one out there.. chips off with my fingernail!!!
you have to work it out for yourself, and try it of course.. try something others say works, and figure out your own technique. Its the only way to learn.. I and many others will be here to help! I believe that I can ALWAYS make my calls better than they are, you just have to keep looking for ways to improve..
hope someone gains something from my ramblings.....
I wanted to share this heare, rather than cco, because Al is a fine Gent, and has helped me many times along the way, This is a good forum and I appreciate it!
Mikey
