Cresting Paint Question

[Green]

Does Testors enamel paint work well as a cresting option over/under minwax fast dry PolyU?  I've tried acrylic artists paints and don't get good coverage from them.

[PEARL DRUMS]

It will work, but not the best. I would put at least one coat of poly on and let it dry hard before cresting. Raw or stained wood doesnt take Testors the best. The artist paints should work way better. Did you shake the heck out of it before trying it? It gets watery if not.

[Green]

Chris...just thought about PM'ing you directly on this as you've answered many of my questions before.  Yes....paint will be over one/two coats of PolyU dip, steel wooled between coats.  The acrylic artists paints I got at Wally World were thick and well mixed, but covered like they'd been thinned down something awful.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Minwax generally doesnt need to be steel wooled between coats. Read the back to be sure. The type I used needed another coat applied wthin 2 hours, right over the previous coat. I would wipe on two coats, crest with your Tesotrs (it dries very fast), and apply at least one more coat, if not two more after a few hours of Testors dry time. I wouldnt rough it up between apps.

[Green]

I'll be dipping the shafts w/two coats of PolyU after staining, then cresting, then one or two coats over that once dry.  I've tried the water based Poly as well as the PolyShades and didn't like either one of those as a finish, so back to what I used years ago which was fast dry polyu as it gave a very good/hard finish.  

I bought a couple of wood dowels and cut them into 12" sections for testing finishes/paints ahead of an order of Surewood shafts. Now I'm trying to eliminate a bunch of time/money spent getting to the best cresting paint to use.  I used to use the bohning paints but want to be able to use things I can get locally that will give good coverage....your opinion is that the testors enamel model paints do a pretty good job, huh?

[PEARL DRUMS]

I have a ton of Testors, it works and will stay put. I have found it just doesnt give that thick, rich look I get from high pigment paint. But it does work and is compatiable with Minwax products. I am incredibly picky, so the Testors probably looks better than I give credit.

[Green]

Well I'm the same way.....thus all the testing before the spine test pak of Surewoods get here.  This is the second time you've mentioned high pigment....what is the brand?  I just bought cheap Wally World acrylics and need to look at something better.  Are these high pigments you're using acrylic or enamel?

[PEARL DRUMS]

Acrylic water base. I get mine from Larry at Lost Nation Archery. I think they are about $2.50 a color. It is described as Artist Pigment paint. A company named Plaid Enetrprises distributes it. Its heavy and thick, it gives you that shiny, thick look on your lines. Once you get your last coat of poly on you can feel the lines the paint leaves.

[Green]

I just looked at what I'd bought...it's Folk Art Acrylic Paint....I did notice some bottles at WW that said Pigment Paint but didn't buy those...maybe that's what I need to use.  I'll check out Lost Nation's site to see.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Larry will take care of you. He has great prices and most any color you want, plus you can mix paints to customize your colors. Pretty cool stuff. It wont hardly drip off your brush, very thick.

[Green]

I'll have to give him a call.....didn't see paints listed on his site. Thanks for the help....again..lol.

[PEARL DRUMS]

They build some very good wood arrows there. I use the very same system he does. They are on his site under arrow building I think? I know they are there however. He is great guy to chat with also. Full of arrow building knowledge.

[Sal]

Does that paint from Lost Nation react well with a gasket lacquer overcoat?

[PEARL DRUMS]

It works great with gasket lacquer. I give it plenty of dry time. Usually at least 12 hours, 24 would be better if you have time.

[Grey Taylor]

FYI, the Artist Pigment paint and the Folk Art acrylic paint are both manufactured and distributed by Plaid. They're just a different level of quality.

From the website:

FolkArt Acrylic Colors are high quality pre-mixed acrylic paints. They are designed to be used directly from the bottle and not blended. While they can be blended to a certain degree, the colors will become muddy if mixed too much.

FolkArt Artists’ Pigments are artist quality tube paints in a squeeze bottle. These pure pigment paints can be mixed to create any color that you need. Their blendability allows painters to blend colors like oils without becoming muddy. Their thick, creamy consistency and high pigment concentration create high coverage. You can identify the bottles by the gold caps.

Guy

[Green]

Okay....I've tried both the Acrylic Colors and the pigments....can't get either to cover worth a damn over a single dip of Minwax polyurethane.  I guess my next question is are Bohning cresting paints compatable with polyu?  I'm pretty sure this is what I used to do, but it has been 12 years so figured I'd better ask for opinions.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Im sorry about your bad luck. If I lived closer I would come over and try to help you out. All I know of Bohning is you need to use all their products to have good finishing. I see your in Texas, is it warm down there? Is your arrow building area warm? Sometimes temps in the lower 60's will make it a pain to do any stains, paints or sealing.

[Green]

Chris....weather's crap today....rain/40's....been in the low 20's last couple of nights.  Fixin' to come a thunderstorm right now.  All that said....I'm trying these paints in the garage after work and temps have been 30's/40's....probably not the best cresting conditions. I'll wait till things warm up and try it again.  Thanks for the heads up on the bohning compatability.
Shouldn't you be playin' a gig somewhere?..lol.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Yah, stop were your at. Those temps are a KILLER on arrow making. Bring your finishes and shafts indoors if you can, keep those warm. I think you will be fine when the temps come up and the humidity goes down. And yes I do have a gig! Friday night at the local watering hole. Its the only "good" time this married guy gets anymore!

[Green]

Yep, I'll wait for better weather for the paints.  Might try some of the wraps for now as I'm starting with a test pak of Surewoods so I just wanted to color code the 4 spine weights....wraps or feathers will be my answer to that little issue.  I'll worry about the matched dozens later once I've settled on the right spine/point wt. combo.
Good for you on the gig....have fun!