Question on Building Wood Arrows: Part 2

[msubu21]

After researchering various websites regarding wood arrow cresting/crowning...I notice that most sell some sort of Spin Crester as well as Lacquer Gasket tubes for finishing the arrows. My question is....can you not just use wood stain to color the arrows and then simply use a paintbrush and paint to crown/crest the arrows. Then finish the arrow by brushing with a polyurethane coating.

[tpoof]

Yes you can use whatever you desire, but be aware that some finishes will not accept fletching glue so its best to try your products to make sure they are compatible with each other. There is some good info on spray paint cresting,, works well and is fast.

[AKRuss]

Cresting tools, dip tanks and gasket lacquer can help make some really nice arrows. However, if you're just starting out, you have much bigger fish to fry and what your arrows look like really doesn't matter much. An old codger I use to hunt with sprayed his wood shafting with whatever can of spray paint was on sale. He would simple throw his shafting on newspaper, spray, wait to dry, roll them around and spray again. Yup, they sure were ugly but than beauty is in the eye of the beholder. His trophy wall is dramatically better than mine too. If you're just going to shoot them away or break them right away (fun by the by), there's not much reason to put any finish on them at all. You can always use a rub on finish in either clear or colored. Stain is for looks, not function. You can certainly brush on a finish or even hold the shaft and spray it with clear lacquer. I have to confess I have more dip tubes and cresting tools than one man should, or so says my wife, and enjoy making good looking arrows but cresting never made an arrow fly better. I would suggest concentrating on spine, straightness, concentric tapers and such before refining the aesthetics of your arrows. Just a thought ...

[msubu21]

Very true....I am working on spine, tapers, straightness....trying to get the basics down.

BUT: Its just like back when you were 16 though....but did not quite have your license yet. That still did not stop you from washing your car and putting fresh coats of wax on it....even though you could not drive it yet....and were probably going to break a few things once you could drive it.

Same is true for making arrows look good. Kinda like how the old English archers would paint/crest their arrows for battle, so they could tell their arrows apart. That arrow design is yours and yours alone. (Considering you make it yourself). That is what sets you apart from the other archers. Kinda what I am going for. Just want something I am proud of that I can say I made. (I like having these projects to keep me busy by the way). Thanks again for answering the question.

[tpoof]

The more you care for your arrows, the better they fly! :)

[Handshock]

I have used minwax stains to provide various colors rather than using dip tubes. I do use a crestor to apply lacquer paint crestings. I also have used hellsman spar urathane with great success as a finish clear coat.