How to make a teak roller gun more buoyancy

[Marco van Wyk]

Ok I must remember that, only using epoxy.

Tried to use a small block plane, was not very successful….not sure if this teak is just a bit too hard,

Or the plane was not sharp enough.

Starting to really enjoy working with this wood, it is extremely hard and smells nice…especially when you burn it a bit.

Bit of passions, and don’t take any shortcuts.

Sandpaper I start at 50, 100, 150, 220, 320, and then 600.

Don’t know if over doing it a bit…especially if one epoxy it, might need a little roughness to take.

 

[foxfish]

OK what I do is sand the bare wood to 220 240 grit ... warm the epoxy component bottles in bowl of hot water, warm the bare wood with a hair drier, mix the epoxy & apply a coat to the wood.
This gives the best penetration into the woods surface fibres.
Then I sand with 320 wet & dry paper & start the two pack polyurethane varnish coats.
I coat once a day in a warm room (keep the brush in the freezer in a bag) & sand with 600 between coats.
After the final coat I leave it for a week & then use 1000 w&d then a fine rubbing compound followed by a hard wax polish.
The two pack will really detail the wood & offer a mirror like reflection.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Thank you for that info…did the sanding with a few grades after epoxy, then use epoxy again x two.
And it is extremely difficult to get it perfect, used rubbing compound…...rally car wax/polis…. still not smooth all the way.
Defiantly will try the two pack polyurethane.
See you got a handle on that gun now,
Last time I saw it, was only the blank….still one of the best looking guns I think.
Might make something similar one day, with the different color woods.
One of the reasons why I got the mahogany.
But will rather look for wood where the color difference is more noticeable, ells what’s the point

 

[foxfish]

Its all good fun I spent many, many hours trying to get a flat epoxy coat but at the end of the day it is glue and not a varnish.
I tried rotating the gun and applying heat, I tried using sponge applicators & I tried different brands of epoxy but then I discovered two pack polyurethane marine varnish.
I do like to use different colour wood and different colour epoxy too but it is just for fun really.
Your gun looks amazing & I bet it will work very well too.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Hahaha…tried just about all the same things.
Heat gun…flame....Thanks for saving me the time to try a few more times.
This handle was the closest…look in the light…runs’.
Last night, heating up with heat gun and flattened every run out…still comes back.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

One last question…..well for now.
Read in one of the threads, one gun builder oiled his gun a few times before he epoxy’s it.
My gun was oiled a few days before I epoxy it.
Not sure….it will bring out the color and protect the wood, but might interfere with the sticking of the epoxy.??

 

[foxfish]

Well there are different types of oil, some oils like truoil are hard setting & in fact I use truoil quite a lot for guitars but I cant say I would recommend using it under epoxy!
Spray oil s often used to release epoxy from a mould , I have never come across anyone oiling a piece of bare wood before coating with epoxy.
Perhaps there is a reason I don't know about?
My advice still stands... warm the wood and the epoxy & apply a single coat. Continue to coat with a purpose varnish.
I have in fact use 'epoxy varnish' in the past it was easy to use and gave a flat finish but did not offer the shine or hardness of polyurethane.

Another thing I do is use epoxy mixed with powder to line the track, I then sand that with some W&D wrapped around the spear.
I have various sized, cut down spears for this purpose.
Graphite powder is great but so difficult to sand, very fine wood dust looks great, or even talcum powder works well.
With certain designs I use pigment in the epoxy glue & the track. I like the look of a dark track.
Using black epoxy for the first warm coat & then sanding back with really pick out the grain, ever more so if you use black glue between the laminates

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Thanks for that very informative information.
Around here no one uses wood guns…or very few guys’.
But strangely, every spearow would like to own one.
After I made that first CANON ….a few guys ask me if I will make them one.
Or modify there standard gun to a roller gun.
The first gun took so long to make…..how do one put a price to it.
Decide to make a few jigs and drawings’ along making the next one.
Got some parts laser cut to save some time.
When the first gun was nearly ready, sold…although fair price still with a heave hart.
That one only oiled it, the next one a few layers of outdoor marine varnish.
The next one…epoxy and will get that two pack marine varnish.
This is one of those items; you just can not put a price to your time.
Got another four on order….not sure if want to sell any.
Maybe when I got a few, or the memory failed the amount of time spending making them.

 

[foxfish]

You wont get rich making spearguns but it must be your destiny

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Like the look of shiny metal on good wood and then use it to get something nice to eat while having fun and keeping fit.
Worked a bit on the mahogany gun today, will post some pic’s when a bit further and did the test on the buoyancy.
Still need to epoxy the inside and install some sort of drain plug on it.
Could not get any two pack marine varnish around here, the factory run out of stock…they busy making some.
Will get it hopefully in 10 days time.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Here is a pic with all its cargo strapped to it.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Flouting with nose up…think with spear on will be I bit more nose heavy,
But it flouts….even in fresh water.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Finished the Mahogany gun..changed it twice, once before even used it and once after my first dive with it.
Removed some more material on the top two sides..the rubbers where to proud for loading.
Moved the loading buttons to max at the bottom, to get the max stretch out of the rubbers.
The gun just sinks without the spear….nice and straight, and without spear pops up easy.
Only used it twice, not best diving conditions but got a fish both dives.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Didn’t want to start on the Teak one until I finished the Mahogany gun.
Made a lighter handle, and left the plate hiding the trigger meg to gain a bit more buoyancy.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

After two days of sanding.

 

[foxfish]

Lovely shape handle, very well done.

 

[doyenofcastle]

how you going to glue it ? no mortise joint !!

 

[Marco van Wyk]

I installed a SS threaded bar inside the dandle …about 3/4 way down.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Done..ready for a test dive.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

First dive with this one...shoots like a dream.