cresting help

[Mark Colangelo]

Finally tried out my cresting jig and testors paints tonight. I did not do a white dip and tried to paint right over an old finished shaft. The yellow bar did not cover, which I kind of expected. I have a few questions about the testors. Do yall thin the paint at all before applying? Also, what do u find is the best paint brush to use? I am just fooling around right now but I would like to build some real nice arrows after deer season ends to bring with me to Kalamazoo for the Expo. Any miscellaneous tips for a novice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Orion]

I thin the Testors, or any lacquer, quite a bit.  A white crown dip makes the colors pop.  Otherwise, they'll be rather drab.  A high quality, very thin brush is best for small diameter lines.

[M60gunner]

I use the Testors Acrylic paints on the shafts I spray with Rustolem 2X paint. I have three different size brushes "for Acrylic paints". I picked them up at the Michael's store when I bought the paints. Hobby Lobby would be another sourse. I can't recall how much I paid a piece but I didn't buy the expensive ones. Another thing I do, let crest dry overnight then I take a foam brush and apply a couple coats of MinWax Polycrillic clear waterbased finish.
Whatever I use to paint on bareshaft usually requires 2 coats. One reason I don't paint over bare shafts. When I cap dipped years ago I used to dip a coat of clear before cresting. The cresting paints flowed out better. Many people do it this way for wood shafts.

[Mark Colangelo]

awesome tips! so you spray the rustoliem on top of the sealed shafts or before you seal? just white Rustolem spray paint?

[Ray Hammond]

Mark,

When I made arrows in quantity way back when, I used to get a pin striping brush made of squirrel tail hair from an auto supply house, to do my thin lines with. They'll form a very fine point, and with thinned paint you can get nice tiny lines.  

You really need to do the white under...or you won't be happy with your results.

[JRY309]

What I use for laying down cresting lines is an automotive pin strip brush.I have bought the other brushes,but with a pin strip brush you can lay down thick or thicker lines with just one brush.It holds more paint then those smaller brushes.

[M60gunner]

I spray paint onto the bare shaft. The Rustolem 2X paint I use is for outdoor use. Says for plastic on the can.
I clear dipped bareshaft I did not dip or spray paint. The clear over the bare shaft helps the cresting paints flow out and keeps me from having glue issues when I Fletch.

[Mark Colangelo]

thanks guys! ill pick up a pinstrip brush and some spray paint tomorrow!

[bucknut]

I tape off with masking tape the area I want white and paint the bare shaft then dip the full shaft twice. Then crest and dip one more time. Let each step dry before proceeding to the next step. I wait 24 hrs between dips.

[Captain*Kirk]

I also use the R/O 2X. I mask and spray right over the Varathane stain coat I use first. I've found Varathane to dry almost immediately. I use Polycrylic dipped over the finished and crested shafts. I don't thin the Testor's and sometimes the cresting comes out a little thick, but the one time I did thin, it ended up being almost see-through. I use various Testor's modeling brushes; for wider stripes, use as wide a brush as you can. For fine lines and pinstripes, use the smallest detail brushes. Testor's is quite low odor (relatively speaking), and can be used indoors without the wife throwing things at me.

[Mark Colangelo]

huge help yall! thanks!

[Captain*Kirk]

Originally posted by Mark Colangelo:
huge help yall! thanks!

We wanna see pix...