I recently got into building woodies. After watching Rob Greens straightening video on YouTube I implemented his techniques and finally got wood arrows to fly right. So I got out some poplar shafts I've had for about a year and went to work on them.





Then I went to making some pretty arrows and realized I really need a crester.  I googled how to make one and this is what I made today




Used a motorcycle "well nut" as the coupling.

Here it is spinning
http://youtu.be/GvWLYyhvL1k

My first lines with it



I still have a lot to learn about laying down the paint. Mine looks thin and streaky.

The gold above was done with a paint pen.

This blue and yellow was done with hobby paint, and what I was told are quality acrylic brushes . I don't know why it looks so thin and smeared?

What did you use for a motor ,if you don't mind me asking.

What did you use for a motor ,if you don't mind me asking.

Nice

What type of motor do you use.

Really like the colored stains what type did you use?..

I picked up the motor from my local sewing machine/vacuum repair shop.
It's a 700 RPM motor that I wired into a dimmer switch so I could control the speed.

Those are not stains, they are acrylic hobby paints that are in a squeeze tube. I just squirted it in a papertowel and rolled the shaft thru it to coat.

Nice job! A home made crester is still on my Bucket list...

Dutchman ,
It was pretty easy to make . Minimal tools needed . Took maybe 35 min to assemble after I had all the stuff.

Hey Brian, are you thinning the paints at all? With Testors I never thin it but sometimes re-dip the brush to get good coverage. Some colors seem to go on thinner than others. If you re-dip, make sure to go kinda quick so the paint doesn't start to dry. It'll gunk up on ya and then start to build up too thick.

Nice looking rig, by the way!  

I tried thinning , and keeping regular.

Not testors, just hobby store acrylic. I need to look for some testors acrylic to try out

Look at yard sales andthrift shops for old sewing machines, less tha twenty bucks

Brain, seeing the "well nut" I think you may have fixed the trouble with self made cresting machines.....James

Nice job Brian....pretty solidly built rig you've got there.  Have fun learning to crest.....it does take a lot of trial and error to get "your" technique to a point where you can repeat things.  Good luck!

Fine Job Sir!!     My Home-Made Crester has  NEVER  let me down yet!!  

looks great !!  I made one with a sewing machine motor as well but kept the foot pedal to control the speed.... works great..

Brianlocal, can you post a wiring diagram? I can't quit figure out how to wire my motor to the dimmer switch.

Pete,
Here is a diagram



The dimmer switch is just an adjustable resister. Black wire from power cord goes to ONE wire from dimmer, the other dimmer wire goes to ONE wire from motor.
Then the white wire from the plug goes straight to the other motor wire.

My motor is made for single speed , so reducing voltage causes some AC motor vibration and harmonics but it is fine . You may find you need to start the switch at a higher speed than you want just to get the motor to start moving then reduce speed.

Whats a "well nut"??

There uses in the motorcycle and automotive industry.

It looked like a motor coupling in design, but it's an expansion nut .
Google "motorcycle well nut" it will show pics .
I just went to the local Yamaha shop to get it