Cresting carbon arrows

[Earl Jeff]

can someone give me the run down on cresting carbon arrows. ie  what to use for base coat what type of paint you use  brushes finish coats fletching glue etc etc.

[lpcjon2]

I want to get the skinny on this as well.

[jcar315]

Couple of options:

1. Arrow wraps can be used on carbon with great success. I have actually used wraps and then used cresting paint to crest them and they look pretty cool. Cuts out the wait on the crown dipping to dry.

2. I can only say what I have used and the success I have had. When putting on the crown dip portion I have only used Bohning white. They list everything on their website. I use two coats of white for the crown dip. Always give adequate drying time between coats and between steps. Don't hurry. After the 2nd coat has dried I then use Testors Enamel model paint. This is the paing that you can buy at hobby stores in little bottles. No need to thin it just use it straight out of the bottle. As far as the type of brushes I use ones that I get at Wal Mart. I have tried the more expensive ones but get equal results for Wal Mart ones. I buy a "purple pack" of a mixture of brushes for about $5.00 in the hobby section. Comes with about 10 brushes and all sizes. Good selection in this pack. After I have my cresting done I use water based sealer and a foam brush and apply the sealer to the entire crown dip/cresting area. I usually apply 2 to 3 coats. Again, plenty of drying time.

I am certain others will chime in with what they use and there are lots of good products and methods out there. This is just what I use and it works well for me.

Good Luck! Arrow making is addictive!

[jcar315]

I would add that before doing anything with carbon arrows be sure to "clean" them first. Cleaning for me involves a quick sanding of the area that will be crown dipped with really light sand paper. I then give it a really good wipe down with acetone or alcohol. Not doing this with some type of carbon shafts can affect the ability of the crown dip to adhere properly.

[wapiti]

For ALL my arrows including carbons I use Bohning products only. When doing a carbon, prep the shaft and dip it in clear coat and let dry for 24 hrs before the cap dip color. I use cresting lacquers as they have shown to be the most durable. You can use other products but this has proven the most durable over the years for both my arrows and my customers arrows.

[Chris Shelton]

I seriously thought of trying this at one point in time, but with my already low FOC, I decided against it.  I will say that when you crest carbon it does look sweeet!

[Hedge Apple]

What has been listed above is spot on. A couple of notes to help you out. Keep in mind the tempature. Too cold and your paint will not dry correct. If you are inside the house, properly ventilate your work space, or mama might not let you do this again. (personal experience) You can use spray ENAMEL, Which has a quicker dry time between coats but comparing apples to apples I think over all Bohning/and dipping gives a better end product. You need to plug the end of a carbon arrow, I use a old nock and remove once the paint has started to drip. Clean out any paint after the paint has cured. You might find brushes at Wal mart but they won't have Testers model enamel.

This link will get you paint/supplies

 http://shop.hobbylobby.com/store/department.aspx?dep=25&cat=34&subcat=50

With the above paints listed use Miniwax water based polycrylic spray to protect your hard work. If you have ever used silver or gold they tend to vanish quickly off your arrows. You can get it at Menards or Lowes. Lastly, try out fletch tape, carbons last a lot longer than a wood shaft and refinishing them is a lot easier when cleaning off tape residue instead of glue. I dab the ends of the fletch with super glue for insurance and taking off those dabs of glue off is not time consuming. Hope this helps.

[Foxtail]

Tried the Bohning approach- but they have limited colours, and the paint has a horrendous odour to it. I've since gone to using spray enamels- specifically Testors. Lots of really cool colours that are a good complement to the cresting and feather colours. Couple coats can be done in an hour, and then I follow up with the Minwax satin coat.

[glass76]

Don't some carbon manufacturers recommend wraps instead of dipping for refletching purposes? When cleaning the dipped shaft with acetone or fletch-lac thinner it may harm the finish of the carbon shaft. What is your experience with this?

[Hedge Apple]

I would stay away from acetone. Lacquer thinner on a rag does a good job. I've been using lacquer thinner on CE Heritage,GT Traditionals,and AD Hammerhead shafts with ill effects. I do not know about the others.

[KSdan]

I use Bohning crown dip and Testors enamel for cresting.  I use generic lacquer thinner for every part of the process.  I use it to clean the shaft, remove old crown dips, remove cresting lines, clean brushes, and even thinning the Bohning crown dip paint.   Never had any problems.  

I like the idea of the clear coat water based polycrylic to seal the cresting.