Finishing lots of small pieces

[Joe Hillmann]

I wan't to make a bunch (maybe 2 or 3 dozen each) of tip ups and tip downs (ice fishing equipment) the tip ups take maybe a half hour each to make ant the tip downs take about ten minutes, The problem is when it comes to finishing them the tip ups take almost an hour to get two coats of poly (not counting drying time) on and the tip downs I haven't tried yet because there are areas inside that I don't know how to get at.

I am wondering if there is any type of waterproof finish that I can just dip them into and then hang them and let the excess drip off? Or are does anyone have any suggestions on how to easily finish parts that have lots of inside corners and holes that need to be sealed? I don't own a spray gun so I would rather not go that route if I don't have to.

[Prashun Patel]

Can you use spray cans (rattlecans) of poly? Costs a little more, but dries faster and is nook-and-cranny friendly.

[Joe Hillmann]

The only spray can poly I have ever used was Deft so I don't have a lot of experience with it but that doesn't get near thick enough to protect the wood. The way these are used they are put into a hole in the ice and the lower half sit below the water the whole time fishing (sometimes days on end) so it needs to be a pretty thick finish on them to keep the wood from absorbing water and swelling.

[Todd Burch]

Can you dip them in epoxy? One coat baby.

[Joe Hillmann]

Can you dip them in epoxy? One coat baby. I don't know, once you mix epoxy don't you have a pretty short time to use it up before it sets?

[Todd Burch]

Depends on iffin you use the fast or slow catalyst! (And I have no idea what is tip-ups or tip-downs are... we don't get to do much ice fishing down here in Southeast Texas.)

[Joe Hillmann]

This is a tip up.
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The part that says Hillmann on it upside down sits on the ice, the part with the real (round part) sits in the water with line hanging off it and when a fish bites the flag pops up.

This is a tip down
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It sits next to a hole in the ice with ling hanging down from the point farthest to the right and it signals you have a fish on by tipping down.

(I must say I am surprised you aren't an icefishing pro this year, watching the weather lately it seems like you Texans have had a colder winter then we have up north) :)

[Todd Burch]

Gotchya. Those aren't the small parts I was envisioning. (The flat plate held with 4 screws on the tip up is what I pictured.)

Seeing this, I don't think I would go for a water proof finish. I would go for a rot-resistant wood instead. White oak, cypress, mahogany, black locust, etc, with no finish.

[Jacob Muldowney]

I vote for epoxy or automotive clear coat. The epoxy your could thin which would give you more working time and make it stretch further. Or just mix up a big batch of automotive clear and spray them all with a cheap Harbor Freight gun.

[Scott Holmes]

I second Todd's advice.. no finish. I suggest you use white oak, ipe or teak. If you want a light seal coat shellac will work. easy to apply fast drying and easy to recoat repair.

FYI - Poly will get chauky very quickly in the ultra high UV of ice fishing.

As far a cold, here in Texas, anything colder than 65 is FREEZING to my wife.