Painting carbon arrows

[Ty-bone727]

Before painting carbons do I need to sand shafts first or jus apply first coat of paint?

[joe skipp]

I always clean the shaft with 91% Isopropyl and let it dry thoroughly. Never had any problems with the paint after that. I also never sand the area to be painted.

[South MS Bowhunter]

If I may add an additional question to this one, what type of paint is used for crown coat?  Reason asking is that i’ve been spray painting a white cap using basic cheap dollar store type spray paint and my fletching do not hold with glue (platinum) or with the fletch tape. Is it the paint causing the problem?

[South MS Bowhunter]

And by the way, Ty I see your from MS, what part?

[Ty-bone727]

Thanks Joe. Thinking about trying a few to see how they turn out.  I'm from sumrall, lil town outside of Hattiesburg.

[Charlie Lamb]

I agree with Joe Skipp. Surface prep is important but no need for anything radical.

I see lots of guys use Krylon brand sprays and fletch with tape or Duco. That's the way I'd go.

South Ms... I'd suspect the paint is the problem.

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by joe skipp:
I always clean the shaft with 91% Isopropyl and let it dry thoroughly. Never had any problems with the paint after that. I also never sand the area to be painted.

Same here. I use high gloss Krylon. I prime it first with one, and maybe two coats. Buff lightly with 0000 steel wool and then the Krylon. After the Krylon (usually 2 coats) high gloss dries I buff it lightly with 0000 steel wool again to take the shine off. I then use fletch tape from Bohning and Duco on the fletching ends.

Masking tape protects the areas I want to keep with the natural arrow finish. (GT Trads)

 

 

[Ty-bone727]

Appreciate it guys.

[joe skipp]

Ty...I use bohning paint products and Platinum glue. I never crown dip any arrow on hot, high humid days. I just finished up some arrows here this week because of 95% humidity and 100 degree temps last week in NY.

[dragon rider]

Thanks for the info guys. I'd pretty much given up on painting arrows because with the paint I've used - mostly Krylon or Rustoleum - anything other than fletching tape eats the stuff on contact and I'd wind up with arrows that looked like they'd barely survived small pox.

[Craig]

Why paint them just use wraps from Onestringer.
 Don't have to worry about paint chipping off or feathers staying on. You also can crest them and spray a clear coat over the crest.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I've had great success with Rustoleum followed by a top coat of Minwax satin poly.

[cuboodle]

I second the krylon I turkey hunted this sping and wanted to tone down my bright fletches I hit them with krypton camo green in light mists and up the shaft to the cresting my traditional only shafts held the paint and the feathers held it too. The key is light coats is better than one heavy

[tbird-51]

I have been doing the same process for several years, haven't lost a fletch yet..  First thing i do is whipe down the shaft with denatured alchol, then spray a coat of " Non sandable" primer, let it dry good, then apply color, usually one coat of krylon sprayed evenly works. Then i fletch them up with good Ole' DUCO ... has not failed me yet

[jonsimoneau]

Rustoleum and duco works.

[Bud B.]

Got my 4" fletching in    

Thanks for the fletching Magnus!!

Bohning fletch tape and gloss Krylon on GT Trads. A light rub with 0000 steel wool to remove the gloss.

These are for my Dave Johnson white glass belly black glass back Hill style longbow.

1" 2117 footing from a black shaft Wal-Mart arrow.

I've gotta try to slower curing Rustoleum to see if it performs better. So far I've had no problems with Krylon.

 

 

[Exit Felix]

Those look cool.  What tool do you use to cut the footings?

[Bud B.]

Just a small pipe cutter. And then a RCBS deburring tool for reloading brass cartridges.

I filed each footing down to the same length and weight. Cutting with the pipe cutter it might get off by a few thousandths.