# Dipping/cresting carbon arrows, quick help needed



## archery4life (May 14, 2003)

So I decided I was going to dip some gold tip traditional carbon arrows and make the back 12" or so with a white cresting then fletch over them. How hard could it really be right? Right! I had bought some stuff while back and now and currently trying it. I had a 1/2 pint of Bohning gloss white lacquer and a 12" dip tube. I tried to dip a couple of times to see if I needed to thin. Everytime I tried it would form a ridge at the base if the arrow, so I thinned, thinned, thinned somemore, and thinned again. No matter how thin I got the soloution it kept forming the ridge, I tried to pop the air bubble on the end of the hollow hole of the arrow (the end where the nock inserts) but still formed. Finally tried it with a nock in and seemed to stop forming. But by this point I am almost at a 2:1 ratio of thinner to paint, yes 2 parts thinner (16oz) vs 1 part paint (8oz). By this point I know I screwed up. It is so thin that the first coat is almost clear and not smooth but a bit bumpy and following the wood grain simulation of the arrow. After dipping a couple times I am starting to see progress but it does not seem to be really dripping evenly and kind of splotchy. At this point am I wasting my time with this mixture? If not how long in between coats should I wait? The last thing I need to do now is waste a whole day on something that won't work.
Should I just clean the paint off and , run to Depot and get something off the shelf and start over, Walmart, a Hobby Shop? I don't think they have any of this type of lacquer acrylic at Depot. Maybe a latex based? I don't know... I am just frustrated and need some serious help. I need to finish the today if possible. Thanks guys, this was not how my first experience was supposed to turn me off to this but make me want to do it more..... :angry:


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## archery4life (May 14, 2003)

Yeah it looks like I need to just strip these and start over, dangit! The finish isn't even glossy or smooth. Any info for the future would be appreciated though. I knew I was getting it too thin sometime ago, but kept thinning like a dummy. Any over the counter products that are best? Thanks again.


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## JimPic (Apr 8, 2003)

I use Krylon or Rustoleum when I dip my carbons.You have to put something in the nock end of the shaft so the paint doesn't build up(you found that out).I use a piece of weight tube and the paint runs off smoothly.I don't even thin,btw.After the paint dries,I dip the end in a sealer.When that dries,I do my cresting with Testor's model paint.When the cresting dries I'll put another coat of sealer over the whole crown dip again.These were dipped with Rustoleum and sealed with minwax polycrylic


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## archery4life (May 14, 2003)

Awesome JIm! Those are some purdy carbons. I am on my way to Depot now. I am new to this so forgive the dumb questions. How do you get the different colors and stripes. Are they dipped and taped? Do you do all 1 color, then tape and dip again? Do you have a color you did for the base then spin the arrow on a lathe type devise and paint with a brush while it's spinning? Thanks again for the tip.


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## archery4life (May 14, 2003)

Jim, just got back from Depot. Grabbed some gloss white Rustoleum Oil Based protective enamel, all I saw was oil and water based. Is this what you used? Will this hold up and stick? Man I really hate not having a clue, but gotta learn someday.


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## pilotmill (Dec 10, 2008)

*cresting and caps*

I use Bohning to cap and crest, it works great and holds up well. 3Rivers has it in alot of colors...lately I have gotten lazy on arrows and began using the mylar wraps. They hold up really well, fletching sticks very well to it and there is no smell or mess to clean up. Granted with the paint you can be alot more artistic.

Great job on the arrows, like the matching greens.


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## archery4life (May 14, 2003)

OK, I think this is a record for me! At least for the most responses on my own thread from me. Jim, you inspired me today! I am a quick learner but sometimes a sloooooooow starter. I should have researched 1st B-4 I asked these questions, but wanted help fast to finish today. I did some searches and learned how to crest, primarily on Youtube from Three Rivers archery. Oh that Dale Karch.... Anyways..... I saw the crestors they were using and saw a post where someone said they got a cheap fan and used the motor. After finally the 4th store I found a fan, the fans are "seasonal" so nobody had em. I kicked myself in the butt today because I threw out a fan a few months ago I would have used today and would have not cost me any extra. I built an arrow crestor for about $12.50 including tax. I used a 1x4 piece of pine that I already had. I mounted it with a couple of L brackets that matched the existing holes and some clear air tubing for the connection, I will buy some surigal tubing soon as this would be much better. Here are a few pics of my very 1st attempt at dipping/cresting, I cant wait to finish these, I only hope my small barred red and white parabolic right helical feathers do these shafts justice. By the way I will be using either red or white nocks, not these nasty ones I used to dip today. I had a hell of a crash course on arrows today!!!!! These arrows are being used on my 58" Black Widow TFII that I will hopefully use to take a Javelina this weekend, so I went with the the and I think they will match quite well.


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## JimPic (Apr 8, 2003)

Real nice...you are a quick learner! It looks like you figured it out pretty well.Another tip is to use quality brushes.They'll make a world of differance in the cresting and they'll last a long time if you take care of them.Nice job and don't forget to post some pic's of the little piggies:darkbeer:


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## 755 (Sep 20, 2003)

I have had good luck with the dip plugs that bohning sells when dipping carbon shafts.
they are small tapered plastic plugs you insert in the end of the shaft before dipping.
hope this helps,looks like you already have it figursd out your arrows look really good.


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## SandSquid (Sep 2, 2008)

archery4life said:


> a 12" dip tube. I tried to dip a couple of times to see if I needed to thin. Everytime I tried it would form a ridge at the base if the arrow, so I thinned, thinned, thinned somemore, and thinned again. No matter how thin I got the soloution it kept forming the ridge, I tried to pop the air bubble on the end of the hollow hole of the arrow (the end where the nock inserts) but still formed. Finally tried it with a nock in and seemed to stop forming.



Dip'N Plugz – 
Dip'N Plugz are used to plug the end of an arrow shaft before dipping with Fletch-Lac Paint. Dip'N Plugz come in two sizes. Max for carbon and uni-bushing style shafts and micro for smaller ACC style shafts. Plugz can be reused over and over. Simply peel off paint once it has dried.


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## archery4life (May 14, 2003)

Sand, thanks for the info on the Dipnplugs. That will be a huge help.
Jim, I will dip again tonight in clear, should I get water based or oil based? Thanks again. I assumed a good brush would be a big help, was having a little trouble.


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## BowmanJay (Jan 1, 2007)

I use gasket laquer with my dip tubes, I dont use the thinning method without the dip caps...


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## JimPic (Apr 8, 2003)

archery4life said:


> Sand, thanks for the info on the Dipnplugs. That will be a huge help.
> Jim, I will dip again tonight in clear, should I get water based or oil based? Thanks again. I assumed a good brush would be a big help, was having a little trouble.


I use Minwax Polycrylic...it's a water-based sealer.


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## anglingarcher (Jul 10, 2006)

If you are using carbons get custom wraps. If you switched to carbon for consistency and accuracy than dipping them kind of negates those advantages. You can go to Onestringer Custom Arrow Wraps and have a custom design in much less time and have consistent weight.


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## JimPic (Apr 8, 2003)

anglingarcher said:


> If you are using carbons get custom wraps. If you switched to carbon for consistency and accuracy than dipping them kind of negates those advantages. You can go to Onestringer Custom Arrow Wraps and have a custom design in much less time and have consistent weight.


It doesn't effect the consistancy or accuracy any less than wraps.I use both wraps and paint and I weigh and spine test every single shaft before and after--there's no differance at all whatsoever.The dipped arrows shoot just as well as my wrapped arrows.And this is carbons and aluminums


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## anglingarcher (Jul 10, 2006)

I have made thousands of arrows and if you dip using bohning paints, which you do not, the viscosity of the paint changes with each arrow every second the dip tank is open. You will see that more and more paint sticks to each arrow as you dip them. That can cause a huge variation in weight and thickness of the dip. There is absolutely zero variation between two identical wraps. I am happy that Krylon and Rustoleum work for you, I know for a fact that the bohning paints take a lot more work. I also know that it takes about 5 minutes to put on wraps, and they are perfect every single time, and the design possibilites are endless. Can you do a fade with 8 different colors, a bolt of lightning, with a picture of a deer and your name with a dip? I personally like dips, but from a practical standpoint wraps are far superior in every single possible way.


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## optimax (Sep 18, 2009)

What is the best rpm the motor should turn????


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## RunsUpRiver (Jul 22, 2009)

Archery4life- What was the setup you finally went with? Paint/ etc...

I need some clarification here- are you guys using non aerosol rustoleum and Krylon? I am not sure I've ever seen those paints in non-aerosol form. Can someone post a photo of what they use?

Thanks!

Dean


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