Calling All Woodie Arrow Builders

[ThePushArchery]

Well its on to the next level I guess. After about 5 dozen Cedars under my belt, I feel I have got a handle on this woodie building thing Thanks to all you woodie gurus out there.

Only problem is that my arrows are plain jane one color stain...

I use Spar Urethane as the sealer and I really like it, and want to stick with it. I hear people using Water based acrylic paint for crown dipping. Can someone walk me through their crown dipping process who uses the water based acrylic paints?

At which step do you dip? (after stain, first coat of sealer, second, etc?)

Do you water the paint down? I tried three arrows last night with no watering down and dipped them right after the stain and before the first coat of sealer... THICK COAT!!! I had to wipe it off, water it down a bit and try again. THis morning I went out to check them, and boy are they ugly!

THanks for the info in advance guys.
Matt

[Paul Mattson]

Get some of the craft paint from walmart.  You can thin it with water for a cap dip.  You can use a soda bottle for a dip or brush it on with sponge brush.  You can also do the cresting with the paint.  Once dry apply your clear finish.

[NancyVTAS]

Aniline water based dye leaves all the grain to be seen and enjoyed!!!!

[Tsalagi]

Here's what I do. I have natural earth pigment red ochre and black paints. I paint my own personal crest on the shaft with a brush--no cresting machine. Then I apply a coat of stain finish polyurethane with a sponge-type brush. The crest I used is a Native American type crest. I looked to sketches of Native American arrows by Steve Allely and then made up one of my own to be mine. I used to stain shafts, but don't any more. Just crest and seal. I like them simple, but pleasing.

[newell38]

i usse spray paint....

[Bob L.]

I didnt crown or dip. I applied mini wax oil stain with a foam brush first, apply as many coats you like for desired darkness. Then sealed the arrows with mini wax poly satin sealer 6 coats with steel wool 0000 between coats.

[David Atkinson]

I also ue spay paint .Nothin like a little Krylon crown dip . I spray the crown first then dip 2 to 3 coates of Zip Guard a water based urethane with a light sand in between coats.

[Roy Steele]

I've used cloths dye for the last 15 or so dozzen.I don't dip anymore and lately use raps on some.

 DEAD IS DEAD NO MATTER HOW FAST YOUR ARROW GETS THERE

[Shakes.602]

I use spray Paint as well! Just tape & paper off what you dont want Sprayed on. When they Dry, thats when the Cresting Comes into Play. I usually Buy Spray Paint that is a Different Color than I have Used Before, and ALWAYS Load up on Wally Worlds $1 a Can White!!

[Eric Sprick]

I rub on the desired coats of stain then a couple of coats of spray poly.  I then tape of the crown and spray paint.  Finish off with a few more coats of spray poly.  They come out pretty nice.  Eric.

[Spectre]

I like RIT dye, w/alcohol as the cutter. Spray paint works really, really nice, too.
 Just make sure the paint is all the way dry before clearcoating them.

[vtmtnman]

Originally posted by Shakes.602:
I use spray Paint as well! Just tape & paper off what you dont want Sprayed on. When they Dry, thats when the Cresting Comes into Play. I usually Buy Spray Paint that is a Different Color than I have Used Before, and ALWAYS Load up on Wally Worlds $1 a Can White!!

x2

ALOT less mess and so much easier to deal with after you're done building.

[WESTBROOK]

I too am a rattle can crown dipper.

Eric

[NoCams]

Just sprayed my last crown with metallic red auto paint from Advance Auto, Duplicolor. Looks awesome to me ! Crested with metallic blue testors and outlined in silver testors.

My regular cap is gloss white Krylon Acrylic Latex enamel from wally world. Seems like it was $6 a quart ? I thin the crap out of it with water till it runs like water. Dip in a 1 1/2" PVC pipe about 12" long with a cap glued on one end, wash out with water when done cap dipping and use again and again. I tape off a 10" cap dip. the front half of the arrow is stained. I dip the first coat about 1/8" short of the tape, then dip the second coat the next day right to the tape. This eliminates any bump or change from paint to stained area. I also crest my first outline right on this line to cover everything. Hope this helps.

nocams

[Weasel]

I use Fiebing's alcohol based leather dyes for my crown.  I just like seeing the grain of the wood for the whole length of the arrow.

Jerry

[Bill Carlsen]

When I was making arrows I did all my crown dips with RIT dye dissolved in alcohol. I kept different colors in one quart plastic bottles which also served as dipping tubes. You could adjust the depth of color by the amount of dye concentrate or you could dip them as many times as you needed to get the color you wanted. You need to let them dry to see the final color and then you can stain the foreshaft and seal with whatever sealer you want. This is great as you never loose sight of the wood grain. It is also very inexpensive. I only used some sort or paint, usually a poly based enamel for white crowns.

[Broken Arrow 1]

Spray paint works awseome! You can get a can for about $1.00 at walmart also.

[ron w]

I stain the shaft all but the last 9" on the nock end. That gives me a natural crown dip or poor mans crown as I call it. I crest with red and black magic markers. What can I say its cheap and looks good from ten feet...lol!

[jerseyboy]

I normally stain to the point i want to dip mask it off then dip clear entire arrow and sand with 220-320. Do second clear if necessary and last i dip the rear white then whatever top color i want. I find i get better color if i put a thin base dip of white underneath. Bright colors become much brighter and dont forget to straighten first.

[WVeer]

ditto......spray paint with masking tape to make a nice separation from the stained part.