My Solarez Update
To date, I have tried, more than three or four barrels each, three of there products. Three are available now, one the founder made especially for me given my feedback on his other products (to him, not a product review).
Of the products that are available to all now and that I tried, I like this one:
Fly Tying UV Curing Resin - Ultra Thin
It aint cheap, but only need one or two coats per barrel - sand starting at 600 or 800 , even higher, and finish anyway you want.
It has the viscosity of thin to medium CA, cures in seconds..like 2, and very hard.No tacky finish to sand off.
The next one, and much less expensive one, that I tried is this:
Fly Tying UV Curing Resin - Thin Hard
Has the viscosity of medium CA, cures in 15 to 30 seconds, but leaves a very slightly tacky finish that you must sand off (600 grit or higher takes it off). I needed 2 or 3 coats due to sanding off the tacky finish. If you want to build-up your finish, simply apply the next coat to the tacky coat. DO NOT SAND BETWEEN COATS AND DO NOT TOUCH THE TACKY COAT WHEN APPLYING MULTIPLE COATS. You only have to lightly sand the tackiness from the last coats. The coats will not look tacky; they will look high gloss.
Among the products, I used, they all shined as much as CA if not more - no way to prove it scientifically...just looks that way to me.
I do not know when the product that he formulated "for me" will be available, but the others work well and I will use them up. A little goes a very long way. I think the learning curve is shorter than applying CA, and process was definitely shorter for me. I used the flashlight that they sell...I also bought the bulb that Ed posted, but I like the light or the sun.
I applied coats with a new, clean, cheap, paint brush (disposable ones) and/or foam craft paper.
That is the extent of my knowledge and experience. Gary and Rick are top-notch. I have been on the phone and corresponding with Gary for a while - not hours, but more than minutes. I am sending him 2 pens to use or display with his product on it.
Also remember that the products that I tried, are not the ones that Ed and Farmer were referring to. Obviously, those products work too. I just don't have any experience with them.
Oh yeah...what you don't use can be returned to the bottle as long as it is clean and uncured.
I have completed about 10 barrels; I feel very comfortable with it, use less each time.
I hope this helps.