Envirotex?

[GilbertG.]

I was wondering if anyone has any personal experience using Envirotex as a wooden speargun coating instead of marine epoxy resin? Scott Merlo uses this on his guns but I haven't heard of anyone else using this to waterproof their spearguns. I did a half-hearted web search on Envirotex and their isn't much technical data out there. But supposedly it puts a thick crystal clear finish on just about anything. Scott says it is "UV stabilized". I believe the advantage to that over epoxy resin is that it will not degrade in sunlight. Unlike marine epoxy which will haze over time if exposed to sunlight. To protect the resin from UV light, varnish is sometimes used as a final coat on top of the resin. This is a pain in the butt though since the resin has to be scuffed entirely so that the varnish will adhere to the cured resin surface. Otherwise the varnish can peel or flake off the resin.

Any insight or comments would be appreciated.

Here's the link to Merlo's page on finishing:

http://merlospearguns.com/finish.html

Gil

[defofthecrown]

Is envirotex an epoxy or varnish? All clear coats, as you know, are never truely UV stabilized. Some, like West system 209 special hardner, have UV inhibitors added into the catalyst.

The concensus on the Eastern shore of Maryland (really big boating community) is that bristol finish is tough to beat. It's a UV stabilised clear varnish that will last 2-3 seasons on a boat (exposed to direct sunlight) in comparison my west system 205 cockpit coming lasted ~6 months in direct sunlight.

A gun's finish would last much longer if stored out of the sunlight. Bristol finish isn't cheap, but it's great stuff. Two or three coats would have you in business. Anyway just one more possibility.

Oh, for envirotex info try a forum for boating or it's intended purpose. I started doing this for composite information at an RC site and it's very helpful.

[GilbertG.]

Thanks Def. It's some kind of resin but not epoxy and I don't think it's anything like varnish. Its a two-part mix. I'm puzzled because its used on bartops, tabletops. etc. Not sure how it wood hold up in saltwater. But I guess if its good enough for Scott M, its probably as good as epoxy if not better.

[defofthecrown]

It's a polymer like epoxy and it seams very similar to a product I used to coat float wings. It's a pour-on high gloss epoxy for table tops and it's a one-one mix ratio. It also says one coat is equal to 60 coats for varnish... similar but who knows. Let us know how the envirtox holds up. It's certainlly cheap enough to experiment with.

The biggest problem w/ really thick coatings is that the don't soak into the wood really well. I know finishing epoxies 'can' be thinned w/ acetone or white vinegar but the best bet is to heat the epoxy to improve flow. That thins w/ out comprimising strength (not all that inportant in finishing coats).

[divefan]

Bristol finish is not a varnish. They did a whole show on TV about it. Ship Shape TV. It is a two part mix using a hardener. Same as two part epoxy.

Envirotex is excellent for it's properties but because it is meant to be poured and is very thick it is very hard to use. I think you would have to hang the gun stock and drip the finish on and let it run off. I think it would be very difficult to brush on.

I was looking into all these options myself to refinish a wooden teak gun. In the end I opted to leave it natural instead.

Good luck with the project.

[fly]

I use envirotex on my fishing rod bindings, this stuff looks better than any thing i've seen even in the shops, if it is the same product that is, I have a rod that is now 2 years on since I built it and still looks like I built it yesterday I'll try not to use anything else!! I have a rod unfinished, it"S been waiting for 6 months now, I have other epoxy to use but I look at the envirotex coating and think man that looks good, stuff it I'll wait till I get some more.....