Hello Everyone

I am going to attept my first feather inlays and would like to see what methods with which products each of you have found to be successfull.Thanks in advance for your replys

Thanks
Keith Lovegrove

Most folks wet and stick the feathers down with color preserver. I seem to recall Bob Meiser once telling me that he just used water and that the feathers would stay put when dried. I haven't tried that method, however.

If you do a search you can turn up a ton of information on the subject. Russ Gooding once did a complete article on for us on feather inlays. It was in the Volume 2 #1 issue of the magazine. But you may be able to find what you need here in the archives.

...............

i once downloaded russ goodings article from the golden witch website. its in an acrobat file there somewhere .

i stick mine down with 50/50 mix of water and flexcoat CP

after that, i give it a coat of straight CP, then go to finish

I've had no problems so far with the few I've done, and you can always scrap it and start all over before the finish

The last couple of these I tried have gone goofy and I could use some input as to why myself. Everything goes well until after finish is put on. The threadmaster goes on nice, but after say 15 to 20 minutes I get indentations in the finish above the inlay, kind of like it slowly sags into the feather. It is not real bad, or even noticable accept to me. Usually a light second coat cures it, but just wondering what is causing it. I am three for three with this issue. The last one, I even did two coats of CP.

Keith,

After I design the pattern I am going to use, by actually laying the feathers out, I usually take a digital picture; helps my memory.

I then take the feathers and separate them into layers; meaning I will put the feathers that go on the rod first, together in a row, then the next layer of feathers . . . etc.

I put the feathers face up, right where I am doing my work so they are handy. If putting the feathers down over thread, I always put a coat of finish on before the feathers. This keeps the CP from altering my thread color, unless of course you want this. After the finish is well dried, I do my inlay.

I start by putting CP on the rod, just where the first feather will go. I use my wet CP brush to then pick up the feather, and place it onto the pole. This way, the feather gets put onto the rod and CP dry, and in its natural position. I will lightly brush CP onto the feather, following the contours and natural direction of the feather, so as not to cause it to move too much. I will only put one layer of feathers on, at a time.

I will let each layer of feathers dry, before putting the next layer on; this prevents a buildup of wet CP, that would take forever to dry. And if using alot of feathers, I will sometimes wrap a bandana around my nose and mouth, to keep myself from blowing the feathers away everytime I breathe out!

I usually add a couple of coats of CP, on the whole inlay after it is done. Sometimes more, to fill in low spots.

After letting it all dry, I usually put at least 5 coats of finish over. More if the feather pattern is large or bumpy.

Enjoy.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2008 11:49PM by Chris Herrera.

Tony,

I think that would just be the natural leveling property of the epoxy. When you apply, the low spots have a buildup thicker than the other areas, but as the rod rotates, the excess flows out of the low spots.

This happens to me, everytime. I don't worry about it, because I add a ton more epoxy after the first coat, as well as sanding or trimming the bumps down, after several layers are on. Then recoating with a smooth coat.

With a little practice feathers may be applied with Permagloss. I use it exclusively with good result. It dries quickly but adjustment may be made on a feather by applying a fresh coat if it starts to set up before you are satisfied with your feather application.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"