Finishing wood arrows?

[rwbowman]

I'm building a dozen Douglas Fir arrows and have a question. Have any of the wood arrow builders here crested with Testors and sealed over the crest with polyurethane and have you experienced negative results in doing so?

Thanks!

[Dirtybird]

If you seal over the testors I would wait a minimum 24 hours.

[Bud B.]

Even waiting I've had run issues with Testors and oil based poly.

I use an acrylic clearcoat over the cresting to prevent this. Using your cresting machine simply put a coat of clear over the Testors and have at it after the clear dries.

Waterbased

[rwbowman]

Thanks guys! I used one as a test shaft and tried different colors, then dipped in poly. The metallic silver burned and ran like Forrest Gump!

[Bud B.]

Yeah, that's why I went to clearcoating over the crest then dip at least once, maybe twice more. Not a problem one since clearcoating.

[Robyn Hode]

I use Testors enamel and seal with Minwax polycrylic (water based poly).

[JamesV]

I spray mine with BullDog then wipe-on polly

[Larrydawg]

I buy acrylic clear laquer at ace hardware and spray them before I crest and Fletch. Works great

[rwbowman]

Thanks guys! I think I'm finished cresting as of last night and plan to let them sit for a day or so before going any further. I will head out today to find some clear coat to cover before sealing.

Funny thing is I will only have an eleven piece set, as my test arrow is covered in a LOT of different colors!

[Bud B.]

Strip down #12 and have at it again! I dip mine once or twice before cresting so the wood is protected in case something like that happens and I want to fix it. The final dip or two is to seal the cresting.

[rwbowman]

I hear you Bud! I wasn't smart enough to dip prior to cresting though.  

[hitman]

I do the same as Robyn Hode with good results.

[Green]

Using Testor's for cresting, I'll let it cure two hours, then tail dip the shaft to 1/2" above the crest in slightly thinned water based poly.  Let that cure 24 hours and then put your final full length gloss poly dip....the water based will protect the cresting so it won't be effected by the oil based final dip.  Been doing this for a few years now.

[WESTBROOK]

RWbowman, I've been dipping over testors enamel for years with oil based poly and have no issues at all except with the metalics.

Get you some acrylic silver & gold and you wont have to worry about that any more.

You do have to let the paint completely dry before dipping, I always let them set for a day.

Eric

[reddogge]

Minwax Wipe On Poly will not run the Testors paint. I use it all the time. I let it dry overnight though.

[jonsimoneau]

Pro-finn is the best clear sealant I have found.  This stuff dries rock hard and does not wear off, even when pulling arrows out of 3D type targets.  Good stuff.

[rwbowman]

Thanks guys! I was leary of the metallics, so this is where I stopped with this batch.
sealed with two coats of Minwax Polycrylic.

Before sealing:


After:


And finished:

[Don Stokes]

A note of caution- make sure your clear coat is compatible with your fletching glue. It's rather disconcerting to have feathers flying off when you release.

[rwbowman]

No doubt Don! I used bohning fletch tape on these and am beginning to wonder if I should put a drop of glue on the back ends of the feathers as well. Some of them have to be reminded that they are supposed to be flat on the shaft.

[Don Stokes]

I usually fletch with superglue, and I have encountered problems with acrylics. I crest with Sharpie pens, and I like to put a few rings under the fletching. I learned to limit the overspray where the fletching goes.