Spray paint crowns

[jbb]

First off, I don't know anything about paint and adhesive compatibility.  I have some CX Heritage shafts that I would like to put a white crown on. Maybe I will add some cresting but then again I am pretty lazy.  Not lazy enough to use wraps though.  I tried those before and just don't like the way they look.
When fletching, I generally use fletch tape with fletch tite on the ends of the feathers.  Is this compatible with Krylon or Rustoleum spray paint?  I plan on cleaning the shafts with acetone first.  Do I need to use a spray primer first before painting? Do I need to use some sort of sealer over the spray paint?  How long should I let the paint cure before fletching them up?  I have heard of people using testors paint for cresting, if I do this is there anything to watch out for?  

I know a lot of this has been covered before but I haven't seen anyone address these specific products regarding compatibility.

[Coop]

I have sprayed crowns with Krylon many times. I never did it to carbons, but have done wood and aluminum. I just cleaned the shaft and sprayed the crown. I have used Duco and fletch tape and both seemed to work well to hold fletching on.

[Huntschool]

JBB:

Here is how I do it and it seems to work really well:

Clean shafts with acetone or denatured alcohol first.

Tape off long end of shaft.  I use a wide masking tape.

Spray on either a primer (rustoleum or Krylon) if you are going to do a color or just white primer if ya want white.  This should be done lightly.  Three coats to get good coverage.

If you are going to crest do it with testors model paint now......

I then spray (sometimes I brush on) a water based poly.  (I use Olympic either way) Let this dry really good and fletch.  I use fletch tape also and put a dab of glue on the tips after I am done.

Hope this helps.

[Shakes.602]

Pretty Much as Said Above, My Only Difference is Dipping Mine in Minwax Poly for Finishing 2 or 3 times, Letting them  DRY A FULL 24 Hours   Between Coats!!
       Then Wax those BadBoys with Johnsons Paste Wax, or Good Ol' Turtle Wax! Makes 'em Slicker than Stepping on a Slug on a Linoleum Floor in the Middle of the Night!!!      

[Doc Nock]

I've done Krylon on carbon and alum.  Cleaned well similar to above. I also do the "masking tape stop". Only thing I add is a large square of cardboard with a small shaft size hole in the middle...slide shaft up to tape stop, spray, when dry, remove tape.  I've never put anything over the crown spray to seal it. Seems to work fine without.

[BigCnyn]

I use the white rustoleum primer. I mark the shafts at the cap line where I want it to stop with a permanent marker, just a small mark. I put the shafts in my crester, point end, spin the shaft as I spray. I use a piece of card stock, hold it in my left hand, with the nock end to my right, I put the edge of the card stock on the line just off the shaft, dont touch the shaft,( The small mark forms a line while spinning in the crester), then spray from the edge of the card stock to the nock end, moving smoothly and watching the coat of paint, I can lift the card away as I move away from the line. I can do it now in one pass. If the coat seems heavy, leave it in the crester spinning.It will set. I then crest with Testers. I dont seal it either, but I may this next batch to see how it works. I use Fletch Tite Platinum,No feathers falling off to date. I dont get that real abrupt line from the tape method, and if The line is off a little,cresting lines clear them up.. Good Luck, Brian

[WestTnMan]

I spray my GT's with Rustoleum paint the seal with MinWax poly spray in a satin finish. My only problem was feather adhesion until I broke down and bought some Goat Tuff glue. I haven't lost a feather since. I think sealing is a good idea because it protects the paint from chips and scratches.

[paleFace]

i have been spraying my alums and carbons with white krylon or rustoleum for several years. do just as said above. just to re state, it will work best if you spray in 3-4 light coats rather than trying to get em covered on the first pass. been there tried that and i had to clean the shafts and start all over.  fletch tape works great. i have also added crest with latex enamel. if you add the crest i would spray or brush on the poly as the crest will wear off with shooting other wise.

[Big Dave]

Make sure you use gloss and not flat paint, it works alot better

[Rufus]

I have some shafts, that I'm just redressing the feather end, drying right now. I sprayed the cap with black krylon. I have done this many times. I'll spray polyurethane over when dry. Only thing, I tried silver paint once, looked really sharp with white feathers until they started to come off. Never did get anything to work well with the silver.

[milehi101]

What glue do you use to fletch with after using these paints?

[JRY309]

You can get solid color wraps for less then a can of paint these days.I have used white shelving paper and crested them.I like using wraps on carbons because they are easy to remove without scraping my carbon arrows with a knife if I want to change them.It's not really being lazy using wraps for me I just prefer them on carbons.

[BigCnyn]

I have had good luck with the Fletch Tite Platinum...Over flat or primer paint. the gloss has been to shiny...

[Shakes.602]

Saunders NPV Fletch Glue is The Best I have Found. Of course, just My 2 cents worth.      

[portugeejn]

I use Rustoleum spray paint and either straight Duco cement, or fletching tape with a drop of Duco on the front and back of the feather.  I have also tried super-glue gel.  Never any adhesion problems.

I use three light coats of Rustoleum, let it dry for a day, and apply Testors crests if I am going to use them-let the crest paint dry well before you put on the final coat of polyurethane, or it will run in my experience.  I use 2 coats of polyurethane on the 'plain' wood on the rest of the arrow.  I then apply one final coat of spray gloss polyurethane over everything to "protect" the cresting.    Gloss is supposed to make the arrows easier to pull, but I've not personally experimented with that-seemed like a good idea.  

I don't do the cap/cresting thing to my hunting arrows.  Just stain and 3 coats of Minwax wipe-on polyurethane and then fletch with tape and/or Duco (I am not sure if it is minimalist or laziness, but I don't like all the foo-rah on my hunting arrows.  

RonP