Crown dipping/painting carbons and aluminum arrows???

[DJT]

Guys what is the best way to paint (dip and crest) aluminum and carbon arrows, and what products work the best for each then what adhesieves work on top of these (i.e. what do i have to buy).  Do you laquer the entire shaft afterwords or just the dipped part???  I have done my own woodies and want to see what works the best for these materials.  If you have the time to go into detail on different products ideas or techniques it would be appreciated as I am still pretty new to this, but think it would be a cool way to enhance everythingh about shooting.

I cant wait to hear all your thoughts even the unconventional ones.
thanks
don

[Shawn Leonard]

I have pretty much stopped dipping and cresting all my arrows as the new wraps available our cheap and work and look great. Best of all no muss, no fuss! Custom Wraps Plus has prices that cannot be beat anywhere and they on the Vendors links right here on TG. Ph# (417)732-4424 ask for Mindy or Scott. Shawn

[Al Dean]

I dip my alums and carbons in SST solution then dip and crest like my woods with bohning fletch lac products and glue.

[Brian Halbleib]

I use masking tape and a good quality spray enamel (Krylon or similar) for carbons. Let it dry overnight. No need to put anything over the paint. Use fletch tape with a dot of Duco on each end to fletch.

   

-Brian
 www.bowyersjournal.com

[Bowspirit]

I use Brian's method. I put a coat or to of polycryllic on, but that's just to put my mind at ease. Your probably, like Brian said, don't need anything over the enamel.

[DJT]

Thanks for the start guys.  If anyone has some more details i am always looking to make things more complicated for myself, which is why i have avoided the arrow wraps even though some are pretty cool.
When dipping the do you scrape off the paint on the nock tapers or just glue the nocks directly on top of the painted tapers?
thanks again and please keep the advise coming,
best,
D

[JC]

Don, if you do a search here for cresting/dipping carbons you will get a ton of info.

I mask with painters tape and krylon mine like Brian...then crest and minwax polycrylic spray over that. 3-4 coats allowing cure time in-between and you'll have a durable cap/crest that will need feathers replaced before the colors wear off. I strictly use fletch tape for my fletching.

As far sas nock tapers: if you are using swaged arrows, I would not get the paint on the swaged end so it doesn't effect glue adhesion. A small piece of tape around that should work fine.

[DJT]

thanks guys

[Dustin Waters]

I use the Krylon spray on lacquer.  Mask off the ten inches you want for the crown dip, three very light coats per shaft, and you have a durable crown dip.  I have found through hard testing that the gasket lacquer has the tendency to chip and crack on carbon and aluminum shafts.  Fortunately this stuff doesnt seem to do that.  Works great and you can get a can for something like 3.00 bucks at Wal-Mart.  I just did a half dozen shafts last night in a little less than a half hour with drying time included.  The key is to use light coats.  Dont try to cover it all at once or you will run into dripping and running.  Light coats and after three you will have it all covered.  Ill post some pics when I get these arrows finished.  Good luck.

[Doc Nock]

I've used the Krylon spray but found some feather glues "ate" through the spray and got funky looking.

With dipping, I'd used some "water borne" (what a way to say "water based" acrylic stuff. I would clean shafts really well and still get pin holes where the dipped crest would not adhere. Phil Magistro has the same thing with carbons. Never w/ alum. if cleaned well. Go figure.

I've continued to full length dip all my black carbon shafts in Gasket Lacquer. It facilitates foam target removal, adds a nice "luster" and then makes all else I do easier in decorating the arrow.

[DesertDude]

I use only fletchlac products. never had any problems with it. used it on carbons (ACC & ACE) when they first came out. Any method will work great with the right prep work........