What are you guys using for sealer these days?

I used BIN 123 primer and sealer before and the plugs sealed ok.

Would rather use something better on this batch of plug bodies. Seeing they were turned by a friends dad who pasted away.

Seems like a lot of guys here use the 70/30 minwax thinner combo.


Any suggestions would be helpful.

I have gone to Helsman Spar urethane cut with spirits. I like it a lot. Get the satin not gloss. I also like to use the quarts and not the gallons as the gallon has to be VOC compliant and the quarts don't, will cost more but I like it more. If you are able to find a gal. that is not compliant buy it. I found one over the summer.

I've tried the following:

1. Helmsman spar and min spirits- 60/40 mix based on PM's recommendation-safe, dries quick, maybe 48-72 hrs. Doesn't seem to penetrate real deep, but once the hooks get ahold of the wood, nothing is fool proof.

2. Behr #93 clear waterproofing wood sealer. This was leftover stuff that was sitting in my basement, so I said WTF and tried it. Its got linseed oil and a bunch of other additives. Takes forever to really dry, probably at least two, maybe three-four weeks. Once it dries its like iron, though. Just painted some plugs I sealed with it in July and they are the best ones I've done yet.

3. Tung oil/terpentine 60/40 mix- been using this recently with AYC and WRC. I know Rockfish9 has good luck with this mix, but I am finding it takes quite a while for the stuff to really dry. End grain of the wood stays wet for close to 2 weeks. I had some bleed through too after I painted and clear coated. Last batch I did is about one month old now and the finish is like the Behr sealer now...very hard and smooth....my opinion is if you use any oil based sealers you should allow several weeks for it to really dry.

Been priming with Zinnser cover stain oil based stuff and am very happy with it.

Spar. you can also dip a few times in between drying and build up a pretty strong coating but I see no need for that. I like the relatively quick drying of the product. Some even use it as a top coat, even some that are selling plugs so I guess they feel it is durable enough for this application, although I feel it does not hold up very good and it is not good for that, but that is me. The sealing is more for the inside holes and end grain of the wood, IMO. The epoxy,and back in the days of lead, the paint is the outside protection, hopefully. Like Mike said once the hooks get into the wood, but inevitable.

You can also use the heated plug and epoxy to seal method. I use that a lot too, especially for soft woods like pine, red cedar and hard woods like birch and maple for darters. I feel you can control the weight gain on the darter with the epoxy more than soaking it but I still have some learnin to do with this plug as some swam great and some didn't and they were made exact and with the same stock but that is a whole different conversation so I will quit that.

As far as the seaing/drying properties of the tung blend are concerned, I've had no issues, in fact i like it ALOT.., they dry in 24 hours... however, I bought, a pre-mixed mixture.... not pure tung oil, which from what I have read, has simular drying properties to BLO....

I recently have had a dilema with the product it'self... I used it during the last of my building months last season, capped it for the summer... opened it and used it to start this season, all seemed fine... after dipping a few dozen plugs, I noticed the mixture rapidly getting thicker... to the point where it turned to jelly... overnight... My guess is, once i introduced air into the system, and mixed it, the old mixture began to cure, it even took on a stale varnish type odor....because of the cost,I'm not sure I will try it again, IMHO, sealing the plugs is not rocket science, as the Professor said, protecting the end grain and belly holes are first priority,, it doesnt take much to protect the inside....

As far as epoxy sealing.. way too much touble to save a hunk of wood.. expensive too..

I am experimenting with a 50/50 mixture of oil modified urethain and BLO with a splash of penetrol cut by 40% oderless mineral spirits....it dries quickly, I just need to cut the test peices to check penetration.. My hope is that the BLO will aid the pentration.. and the urethain wil help harden the wood... if all else fails I;'ll go back sealing with BLO... it really did not treat me all that badly, and I used it for many years, never splitting a plug.. not even poplar.. which splits evewn it it is near water..... and it's cheap...

the end game for me is simple, i;m not selling them, if they last a few seasons, fine.. it gives me a reason to make more...

I recently have had a dilema with the product it'self... I used it during the last of my building months last season, capped it for the summer... opened it and used it to start this season, all seemed fine... after dipping a few dozen plugs, I noticed the mixture rapidly getting thicker... to the point where it turned to jelly... overnight... My guess is, once i introduced air into the system, and mixed it, the old mixture began to cure, it even took on a stale varnish type odor

My mix is only 1 month old and I had to transfer the stuff into smaller containers to keep air out. I think over time the terp may be volatilizing/evaporating, leaving you with just the tung oil. The stuff I mixed recently is already getting thick and unworkable after one month. You may want to add more terp and thin it back down.

My mix is only 1 month old and I had to transfer the stuff into smaller containers to keep air out. I think over time the terp may be volatilizing/evaporating, leaving you with just the tung oil. The stuff I mixed recently is already getting thick and unworkable after one month. You may want to add more terp and thin it back down.

wasn't no thinning this stuff down... when i say it turned to jelly.. I mean i coulod have spread it on bread... what a mess!

The idea was noble.. but I think I need to move on..

Joe,

I actually just went home for lunch and read the side of my tung oil jug. It recommended 50/50 tung and terps for the first coating, then it says to make sure no air gets to it otherwise it will polymerize. Its obviously a good product, but next time I will only mix what I need for the current dip.

Joe,

I actually just went home for lunch and read the side of my tung oil jug. It recommended 50/50 tung and terps for the first coating, then it says to make sure no air gets to it otherwise it will polymerize. Its obviously a good product, but next time I will only mix what I need for the current dip.

LMAO.. who reads directions... yup it sure did polymerize...

I have gone to Helsman Spar urethane cut with spirits. I like it a lot. Get the satin not gloss. I also like to use the quarts and not the gallons as the gallon has to be VOC compliant and the quarts don't, will cost more but I like it more. If you are able to find a gal. that is not compliant buy it. I found one over the summer.

I have also changed from a BLO mix to Minwax Helmans Spar satin. I use it uncut and dip (soak) the plugs for a couple of hours . Two coats with light sanding in between works well. There was a recent test on sealers and this method works as well as epoxy and for me is a lot easier.

I don't post much, but I have been reading postings since my signing on.
I have watched the discussion concerning sealing with interest over the years. I have not done alot of plugs, but I have done boatloads (literally) of wood used in and around the water. I have found that for longevity you cannot beat sealing with epoxy. I have done both methods, 1 where you heat the stock apply the epoxy and then rapidly cool it to allow absorption into the stock and two a thinned epoxy mixture. The thinned epoxy works best, and is far more economical than using the regular mix. I use a mixture of 1 part of mixed (the epoxy should be solvent free)with 3 parts of either acetone or xylene(better). There are several commercial sealers available, but these are around $90/gallon, way to much. I buy my epoxy from Raka Marine and the mixed sealer works out to about $30/gallon, in line with most other sealers used in plug making. The sealer can be mixed in any quantity needed, the addition of the xylene greatly increases the pot life so there is plenty (hours) of time to soak and drip. It should be noted that different woods seal differently, hardwoods do have pores so the absorption is greater than in the softwoods that have no pores. Just a thought.

Prof M Thanks for the reel its been great, better was meeting up with you, need another tool holder for Vega please pm with cosatrs

Thanks

Ed

Hi Ed . Thanks for your input on the sealers. I know you have good knowledge of wood and ways to manipulate it so please don't hesitate to offer your opinions more often. The forum can always use it and one might learn a thing or 3.

Thanks for the vote of confidence Paul, I appreciate it. I am mindfull of some of the plug discussions that had become very heated, not so much now as in the beginning and certainly not only here. I do not think there is any definitive answer to many of the questions asked here, only what works best for that individual, nor do I think my career in woodworking makes me any more of an expert than anyone else. At 62 I am still learning. I would be happy to use what I know to help someone anytime.

Thanks

Ed