Spray cap over poly or under?

[Easykeeper]

I'm using wipe-on oil based poly and want to spray on the cap.  Should I seal the whole length of the shaft with a couple of coats of poly (after stain) and then spray on the cap?  Or should I prime the bare unstained portion of the shaft, spray on my white cap coats, then put a few coats of poly over everything?   :confused:    I'll crest over the poly.

I've gotten a ton of information with the search function, but I'm not clear on this part.  The lower part of the shaft is stained...please advise me which way to go from here.  Thanks.

[Zradix]

I would recommend you put some clear over the whole deal in the end.

I've seen many crests get smeared from sliding on the shelf/window.

[Al Dean]

I would poly the entire shaft at least once before the spray on and then poly entire shaft again after spray on and cresting.  Like clear coat on a car.

[Easykeeper]

I definitely will put a couple clear coats of poly over everything when I'm done cresting.  I figured two or three coats under the crest, the a couple more over.  

I was mainly wondering about the cap, prime bare wood and spray or as Al suggested a coat or two of poly and then spray my white cap.  

Appreciate the input, any other opinions?

[mahantango]

I tape off where the cap will stop, then stain and poly one coat below it. Remove tape and re-apply where the stain starts. Then spray cap and crest and let dry THOROUGHLY. Then a couple more coats poly over everything. Hope this helps.

[Mike Vines]

When I do spray can cresting, I tape off where I want the cresting to stop at after 1st sanding the shaft, then I wrap a piece of scrap paper around the part I don't want any overspray on, then I paint the shaft.  Now for paint, I use rustoleum enamel.  It takes 2-4 hrs to dry to the touch, which is what you want.  If you get the fast drying paint, the paint does not have time to flow together before it dries, and you will be unhappy with the results.

After painting, remove the blue painters tape, and stand the shaft upright to dry for atleast 24 hrs with no disruptions.  Arrow building is not something that can be rushed.  Believe me, I have done it, we all have probably done it, and the results suck when you rush, so remember wait 24 hrs between doing steps.  After the paint has dried, put 1 coat of clear on, then another 24 hrs later you can do your cresting, then another 24 hrs later (are you noticing a pattern) do another coat of clear coat, then again in 24 hrs do your final coat of clear.  

Just my .02, and I can say that I rushed a set 3 weeks ago, and they were simply beautiful untill the stain underneath the paint blead thru after I had finished the arrows.  I was told don't rush, I had never rushed untill then, and now I hope to never do it again.