Painting arrow shafts

[Pydpiper]

Considering painting my arrow shafts before fletching.. Picked up a small airbrush but don't know what to do.
I need to know about shaft preperation, paint type and glue.
Appreciate any help!

[JT of PA]

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I believe if you pass your arrow through a deer the shaft will turn red.

- Sorry, PP, couldn't resist.

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[awshucks]

Just use rattle can laquer, comes off in a swipe or two w/ acetone. I use two coats on mine to cover the skips..

[diesel]

I use Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy white paint works very well and then will use tester paint to crest with. Have not had any problem getting any of your Super type glues to work with it.
I hear krylon Fusion paint works very well.
Do not use a primer paint and try to glue your fletching to it the fletching will fall off in about a week of so. Did some arrows for a friend and used a gray primer paint and fletched with some wild Turkey feathers these arrows really looked good . Gave them to him he really like the he put them away and got them out a week later all the feathers were just laying in the box it was really sad.

[wheelie]

I had a dozen airbrushed in snake skin. Look nice and they last good but almost impossible to get out of 3D animals. I would never do it again. Don't know what paint. The guy who paints my goalie masks, Harley's and helmets did them for me.

[Farmer]

i have painted a couple over the years . My 1st question is what type of shaft

are you painting . Aluminum or carbon ? If it is aluminum here is what I do

1 - clean with preprite from Bohning then allow them to dry .

2 - mask of the area you do not want to paint

3 - apply a mist coat etch prime ( with zinc chromate ) ( helps paint adhere to

aluminum ) allow to dry thouoghly

4 - spray main color ( I generally always use white ) have used autmotive

base as well as laquer with good results . Allow to dry thouoghly . PS use

lite coats and allow a bit of time for paint to tack up . Check that you have

complete coverage 2 coats usually do it . You want just enough to so that it
is not see thru .

5 - spray 2nd color and fade into my white base color . same procedure as

step 4 . Allow to dry .

6 - optional with laquer - you can give it a coat of clear laquer to give it

more gloss and durability . 1 lite coat let it tack up follow up with a2nd coat

till the gloss is even on the whole shaft . Allow to dry .

7 - allow this to dry for a day or 2 . It is time and temperature . If the

temperature is up dry time goes down and vice versa . Most of these

materials need to be applied at room temperature or above and lower

humidity is prefered


Here is a link to some that I have done earlier

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... 91#p413091

Pydpiper if I can assist in any other manner let me know . Have not used

airbrushes very much . have sprayed most of these shafts with a small

automotive touch up gun . Will go look to see what brand of paint I used on

my last batch.

[Farmer]

PS if you do not have or want to purchase prep rite or use etch prime - I have gotten away with clean shafts with acetone and scuffing aluminum shafts with 400 grit sand paper of a red scotch brite pad .

[taz3]

Enamel paints are what I use with my air brush they tend to lay down better, acrylic paint can be more forgiving because it can be buffed, but that can get tricky with arrows being they're so small. Prep is going to be the key to be sure the vains stay in place, you may find it better to mask the vains then paint.

[Pydpiper]

Thanks guys! Farmer, I just may take you up on that offer when I get this ball rolling.
Never considered painting shafts before, but got a good deal on an airbrush, so it will likely be my first project. I need to fletch my new arrows anyways, so it all just fell together.
I would like to do some kind of "fade" effect, but may be over my head in skill level.

[Normous]

Make sure your fletching sticks this time I'd hate to see you go hunting and your Blazers fall off at the worst time.

[Pydpiper]

Make sure your fletching sticks this time I'd hate to see you go hunting and your Blazers fall off at the worst time.

That was just a bad batch of glue, yeah, thats it.

What is the glue of preference these days? I keep hearing about something with a "blue lid".

[Cossack]

I (used) to crest my arrows with lacquer spray when I didn't know better. With experience I found that while the cresting looks good initially, wear caused by the rail soon diminishes its appeal. Moreover, vanes do not stick to it as well as a bare shaft. Lastly, and most annoying, It all has to be removed to re-fletch even one vane. Much to do about short term beauty, IMO and no apparent benefit, except perhaps making arrows easier to find. Now use florescent colored vanes instead....easier to see and they shine under black light.

[Pydpiper]

....easier to see and they shine under black light.

Hey, that is brilliant!
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... =1&t=35233

I have a bag of "glow powder", it is the same substance Rolex uses to illuminate the hands on their watches, it really is the best glow material out there. I tried to buy it as a paint, but it was a no-go at the border.
I use it to apply small "dots" with this powder and crear epoxy (as a mix) on some of my flashlights, they glow all night.
I was thinking of mixing some of this with the paint, would make for some very cool video footage. There are no luminocks for my current arrow shaft.

[awshucks]

The 'blue lid' is Gorilla super glue.......Google arrow cresting, I had a link http://www.texastrackers.com/Videos/Arrows.wmv but can't get it to come up on my computer???

[Ont_Excal]

UV Clear Coat.



http://www.luremaking.com/catalogue/cat ... liquid.htm

Farmer has you covered for most of the paint work.
Just one other thing I would mention is that you make sure to use an oil-free air supply.