How To build some pretty cool looking arrows. Motor City Machete style

[b.glass]

Hey Mike! What a great tutorial! Thank you.

What shade of yellow is that? I really like those! My monitor makes them look like almost a tan color.

[Mike Vines]

Gloss yellow Rustoleum enamel.

[Mike Vines]

Here is a multi colored marble dip.  Just a tinker stick to see what looks good.

   

[Homebru]

Mike,
After your white crown dip, do you remove your masking tape wet or wait 'til the paint dries?  I suspect you pull it while the paint is wet or you may not get the tape off or it won't come off cleanly.
homebru

[Mike Vines]

Yes, the tape is pulled as soon as I get done painting the set for that very reason.  I dont want the paint to dry and stick to the tape, AND if left on, there is a defined "ridge" where the paint was terminated at the tape.  If you pull the tape when the paint is wet, and stand the shafts vertical to dry gravity takes over and feathers the transition point out and allows all the paint to flow together.  That's the reason I use the slow drying paint.  Nothing about making arrows shoukd be done fast (In My Opinion), it should be relaxing.

[John Zieske]

I can't wait to play around with this technique.

Thanks

[SL]

Pretty cool!
Thanks for showing how it's done..

[steadman]

Well done bud!

[Killdeer]

Very good tutorial, Mike, and an excellent job by your shop photographer. Lighting in shops is notorious for making photography difficult.

Now, the question was raised a few posts ago about your dip of "clear." I searched the Home Depot site for three days and found several thousand hits for Clear. (NOT spending any time on that nightmare site!)

If you would be so kind, pray, enlighten us regarding that mysterious ingredient to your most successful outcome. Do you experience target burn?

Killdeer

[Mike Vines]

I use Parks wood floor finish in Clear Gloss.  It is a water based product that I use full strength (Read that as I do not thin it).  Yes it does experience target burn, because the shaft and target when shot at is a cause for friction, and that as you know is what causes the target burn.  There is a product out there that I find quite helpful to reduce noticeable target burn, and that is the Chubby Bunny field/target points made by Eclipse.  I have yet to find a better product than those to cure the problem.

[Killdeer]

Thank you! That solves one mystery and gives an avenue for experimentation.

Killdeer  

[Sockrsblur]

Mike I love your arrows, really enjoy the photos as you build. Thanks for your generous sharing of knowledge and shop time. for what its worth I think you have a great attitude! you get me excited to do the next set! lol thanks, Jim

[sou-pawbowhunter]

Mike,
When you do your clear, do you dip with a gasket or just dip in an open tube?

[Mike Vines]

I dip in an open tube, hold over tube till the stream of run off turns to a drip then hang over my drip tray.  Yes you waste some product, but I'm not doing this to make money.  I do it because I flat out love building arrows.

[sou-pawbowhunter]

Thank you for doing this Mike. I have been wanting to improve on my arrow building skills.

[Easykeeper]

Great thread, thanks Mike!

[Bob at Work]

do you add more oil paint between dips?
thanks!
Bob

[Mike Vines]

No need to Bob.  After the marble dip is dried, I crest like normal and then dip over everything.  Im at work now (at lunch).  When i get home, I will get a picture of the shafts that have now been finish crested, dipped and ready for feathers.

[Steve O]

Originally posted by moredneck:
Can you do this to carbon arrows?

Yes, just pull the nocks and plug the end.

[Bob at Work]

Mike...I meant the marbling dip...just wasn't sure if you added a drop of color after each arrow was dipped in the oil/water mix.
thanks again!
Bob