super easy arrow crester (lathe)

[knappinman]

Guys I just got the itch to do some cresting and was looking on the net at the power screw driver and sewing machine motor stuff and planning out how I was going to convince the wife that I needed to build (translate:  buy a bunch of crap to build a new tool   :D   )  one and after a few evening cocktails     and a visit to the shop to see what I have available, it suddenly occurred to me that I have a lathe with a 3 jaw chuck and a variable speed dial down to 500 rpm. Sure enough I put the nock end of the arrow all the way through the headstock and stabilized it with my jacobs chuck on the tailstock and I will be damned if it didn't work great, no flinging paint and clean lines.  Now all I had to try it with was some of that cheap acrylic craft paint but now I am going to go get some good paint brushes and paint at the craft store tomorrow and I will let you know how it goes.  I have no reason to believe it wont work.  Now I wouldn't go out and buy a lathe to crest feathers (although if that is how you justify getting new tools at your house be my guest     )  but if you have one and it dials down or belt changes to a low Rpm then your set.  I am sure it would work with both a metal lathe and a wood lathe as long as you have a chuck to center the arrow shaft and something to stabilize in the tailstock you are good to go.  You don't even need your nocks on the thing yet!! I see some  serious cresting in my near future and I promise to post pics as I get it done.  I am doing up some sitka shafts for a buddy of mine who bought one of my old bows and making me a new doug fir set (from scratch off the table saw) while I wait for my new Prairie predator short long bow from Mike at Maddog.  Can't wait to hit the craft store and I don't have to build anything     .

[Bud B.]

[AkDan]

right on!  I would make some roller stablizers, something you can move where you want it.  You wont need it for wood/carbon, but for wood it will take out any slight wobble you may find!  Means perfect super fine pin stripes!

[knappinman]

Good advice Dan!

[knappinman]

worked great except I added an extra silver stripe on one of them  

[knappinman]

Stabalizer of some sort would have helped me make finer lines but I am happy with it none the less.

[SCATTERSHOT]

Those look great. The only problem is knowing when to stop.

[knappinman]

Thanks, and you are right once you get going.....100s of arrows later you look up and realize you have an addiction!!

[Knawbone]

LOVE THE COLOR COMBOS ON THOSE ARROWS!!!  WELL DONE!!      

[AkDan]

nice job...

what I was meaning, the stabilizer rollers wont be needed for alum/carbon as much as you'll really want them for woodies.  The closer you can get them to your pin stripes the more consistent they'll be (and finer), they'll take the wobble out, than the rest is how to load your brush.

Great job btw it is a great combo!  I like that nock crest!  it wont be long you'll be splicing as well..then you're really doomed  

[knappinman]

yeah splicing....hmmm...    Thanks for the comments guys I have a thing for blue and have to incorperate it somehow in everything, no blue feathers so I thought hell Ill use the paint to get the blue.  Thanks for the kind words.  I wont lie that wood arrow thread gave me a lot of inspiration!!!

[Azwatasha]

very nice!

[AkDan]

you can die feathers any color you wish...so blue is not out of the question.

[Big Ed]

Very nice!

[Longbow58]

Like the colors, done an extra stipe myself the first few...excited I reckon.  

[Longbow58]

Using tape or glue for feathers?

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Those "turned" out Great

[Steve O]

I've always thought a small lathe would be VERY handy in the archery room.  Not only for cresting, but a guy could make inserts and other stuff.  Trouble is, I don't ever see anything for less than $1000.  Are there any  "hobby" lathes around that don't cost an arm and a leg?

[AkDan]

Delta of jet midi's. Or go with the smaller foreign metal lathes.   They'd do well at this with the through hole through the spindle and adj speeds.  With the through hole you done need the long bed maybe a 7x10.  You will need to stabilize the shaft behind the motor however.

[AkDan]

Got me thinking you could also remove the tail stock throw on another stabilizer in place of the ts and get by with a smaller machine.    Look at something like a taig or similar to it.   The only thing stopping you is the size through hole through the head. I believe the taig is a skosh to small for a 23/64 shaft but may be able to be modded.   There are other small metal lathes like it on the market.   Sherline has some with a .405.

I've been snooping one of these lathes for doing bamboo fly rod and some call work and wanted one capable enough to do some arrow work as well.   For me that means a 7x19 or bigger, which for now, is out of my budget.      Otherwise I'd have the Sherline lathe.   I don't need it for cresting but could see it working well.