# DIY Bow painting



## Bowjoe1972 (Oct 29, 2008)

There was a guy on here a while back that did his with a sharpie..LOL I know bumper paint on the limbs works well..


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## Hydration Tube (Oct 6, 2010)

I used regular Rustoelm spray paint from Lowe's. Worked well for me. I had a crappy bow tho.... I prepped the bow with a scuffed pad. They use these on cars after wet sanding. The scuff pad gets all the finer nook and cranny areas. That's my 0.02 but I'd see what some others are doing. Many bows are made of different materials and may require something different. I'm sure someone in here will know.. Good Luck


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## bowhunter1661 (Oct 9, 2010)

Thanks, I actually have painted one before and used the frefrigeration paint. Worked really well but it was a junk bow. The bow I want to paint now is new so I'm not sure about the between route. Maybe powder coating..


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## bhuntin (Jun 19, 2009)

And again, WTH? What r u doing? Posting nonsense on the threads? What does this have to do with DIY?


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## poorshooter (Mar 30, 2009)

bhuntin said:


> and again, wth? What r u doing? Posting nonsense on the threads? What does this have to do with diy?



looks like the man wants to do it yourself!!


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## ChrisMar (Jun 2, 2009)

its not non-sense, i read on this section last year and painted my bow and it worked really well. if i wouldnt have asked like this guy i would have paid over 225 to have it done. did it myself for 25. sanded frame, primed and rustoleumed. then clear coated. love it.


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## h3lman (Jan 9, 2010)

Thanks for asking the question sire. I'm going to have to paint some limbs soon and I too am concerned about using a finish that will look good, be durable and most importantly not break down the material the limbs are made from. One of the other threads that I dug up here mentioned a brand of paint called Krylon Fusion for plastic. Unfortunately Krylon paint is pretty rare in Australia and the one place I can find it so far doesn't have the matt black colour that I need.


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## bhuntin (Jun 19, 2009)

Sorry for the confusion. There was a guy posting [spam] about a week or so ago. marked it spam and mods took it off, Sorry. BH


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## bowhunter1661 (Oct 9, 2010)

Thanks, I actually chose refrigerator paint. Sanded the bow down, primed it, and painted with black semi gloss. Did 4 coats, It actually looked really good! The refrigerator paint is alittle tougher I believe as well. Works great, looks great... And BTW for a young, struggling, penny pinching college student like myself a DIY paint job for your maybe not so new bow is NOT nonsence. Especially when you take your time and actually make it look like a factory finish for about $20.00.


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## Deer Eliminator (Jan 21, 2010)

I have painted cars for some years now. One thing I have learned is that, an automotive paint supply store will make you up a spray can of the color of your choice. It also will make you a clear to go over it. Thus no paint gun or compressor needed. This allows you to make some cool choices of colors. In a durable paint that will last a long time. And a properly prepped bow will come out cool. 

Hutch


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## Gary Wiant (Dec 7, 2008)

I too am thinking about painting my daughters (new to her) 09 Bowtech Sentinal, my biggesst issue is what needs done to the "In Velvet" finish? will the paint stick to the finish if I remove the finish will it effect the toleranceds between the bow and limbs? I want to paint it gloss black and she wants to put Flur Pink accessories on it and use it for 3D / Target so matte finish isn't an issue. I think I'm going to do everything myself except spraying the bow, I'll have my buddy with a Auto Body shop squirt the paint on, I PM'd Lee Martin 2 times but I have not heard from him yet

Thanks


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## Gary Wiant (Dec 7, 2008)

come on guys no one strip off the in velvet coating o a bowtech


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## warped Arrow (Sep 20, 2005)

I did a tutorial on how I paint a riser on another site that I frequant called ArcheryManiacs. I go through filling in blemishes, ctripping, priming, painting, and clear coating. All with stuff found at Walmart. Check it out.

Del


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## kickercoach1285 (Apr 28, 2009)

You can get as elaborate as you can afford. Skies the limit. Automotive paint does really well and some really neat things can be done with an airbrush and clearcoat.


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## warped Arrow (Sep 20, 2005)

Here is the one I painted:

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk231/dragonsheart1004/Archery/Wicked Bow/Wicked1_0.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk231/dragonsheart1004/Archery/Wicked Bow/Wicked1_1.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk231/dragonsheart1004/Archery/Wicked Bow/Wicked1_3.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk231/dragonsheart1004/Archery/Wicked Bow/Wicked1_2.jpg


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## Gobblergetter23 (Mar 11, 2009)

Gary Wiant said:


> I too am thinking about painting my daughters (new to her) 09 Bowtech Sentinal, my biggesst issue is what needs done to the "In Velvet" finish? will the paint stick to the finish if I remove the finish will it effect the toleranceds between the bow and limbs? I want to paint it gloss black and she wants to put Flur Pink accessories on it and use it for 3D / Target so matte finish isn't an issue. I think I'm going to do everything myself except spraying the bow, I'll have my buddy with a Auto Body shop squirt the paint on, I PM'd Lee Martin 2 times but I have not heard from him yet
> 
> Thanks


they have a prep for plastic and vinyls at most body shops called mad dog or something like that helps they paint etch use it on automotive plastics does wonders


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## URBINA (Nov 2, 2009)

for plastic go to a auto paint store and buy plastic prep spray but first scuff with a red 3M scuff pad.
if you buy a cheap air brush gun 25.00 and some acrylic paint 3.00 you can spray anything.
After you can use clear coat ( semi gloss or satin finish ) satin looks best in my opinion but let the paint cure good and a few light coats of clear will do it.

good luck


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## bambieslayer (Apr 7, 2010)

Gobblergetter23 said:


> they have a prep for plastic and vinyls at most body shops called mad dog or something like that helps they paint etch use it on automotive plastics does wonders


the stuff this gentlemanis refering to is bulldog adhesion promoter for plastics. its is some godawfull smelling poo but it will make paint stich to just about anything. another tip wash and dry with rubbing alcohol on paper towels before scuffing and after. many light coats dry faster than a couple heavy ones


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## bowhunter1661 (Oct 9, 2010)

Wow lots of good info! Keep it coming everyone and if anyone has any pics of their bow they have painted please post them!


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## The G (Nov 12, 2009)

I did my riser up with high performance rustolium...came out really nice


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## NHLHVECTRIX (Jan 3, 2008)

I use to paint lexan snowmobile race hoods with a paint called pactra you can get it at the hobby shop. it is used for r/c airplanes and cars.. 

http://www.testors.com/category/137919/RC_Car_Lacquers


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## kawabunga (Oct 21, 2009)

I do custom paint mostly on bikes, Bulldog is a popular adhesion promoter although i've never used that brand, there are others to, if your just going over an existing finish you can just scuff, easiest is scotch brite pads for paint prep. If your going to bare metal they have etching primers in spraycans, only problem would be the limbs. 

Gary i'm pretty sure that stuff is just like automotive paint as they sell it in sprayable form for the custom paint market, although I havent seen those bows. I think you could just rough it up by sanding or prep pad. I would say you could strip it with chemicals but the limbs would be a problem like I mentioned above. I would try a small inconspicuous spot, kinda hard on a bow, with a scotch brite pad to see how it looks with a scuffing. 

Good luck,
James.


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## Natedawg4081 (Dec 24, 2010)

I would either paint it with quality DuraCoat paint or hydrodip it.


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## bowhunter1661 (Oct 9, 2010)

I have found the paint! lol Plastidip @ plastidip.com. Check it out it is a thin rubber paint that you can buy in spray can form from any hardware store. I am guessing it will be just like the invelvet finish. so for the guy whom wanted to paint his daughters Bowtech bow and still keep the Invelvet finish.. This might be the product to use. Good from -20 to 200 degrees F and is skid, water, rust, resistant. Someone needs to try this.


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## bowhunter1661 (Oct 9, 2010)

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-517089.html. Here is a forum I found where a guy used it on his bike. Sounds like an "Invelvet" finish to me...


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## whack&stack (Oct 15, 2007)

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=917698
here is mine i did. i used rustoleum out of a can mixed with mineral spririts and painted with paint gun. 3 coats.
prepped by using scotch scuff pads and then shot with primer. 
put the decals on the limbs and used clear with flex in it. 
i think it turned out great.


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## Gary Wiant (Dec 7, 2008)

I'm not trying to replace the in velvet finish I'm trying to remove it and get to bare metal so I can paint the riser & limbs

Later


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## falconsgolie29 (Feb 9, 2011)

Can you post a pic of the finished bow?


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## BlueRidge (Dec 12, 2005)

Has anyone bead blasted a riser? Looking to refinish an old riser and thinking the rough finish from the blaster would help with adhesion, and also a good way to remove the old dip.


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## bowhunter1661 (Oct 9, 2010)

Best way to remove old dip IMO is just with a chemical stripper. I tried that plasti-dip on a few old accessories to do alittle experimenton how well it works. Well first off I painted an old stabalizer I have and it came out really nice, hard to keep the paint from runnning because it s\is so darn thick. After about 5-10 thin coatsit had a thick rudder paint coating. It actually quieted my bow too!The stuff is tough as well, but you need to make sure you prep your materials well first or else it can just peel off. I also painted an old cobra sight that I had laying around. However, this cam out just okk. I did not prep it properly and only applied 3-4 coats. The few coats that I sprayed hardly did anything for sound and virbration absortion and when I preformed the scratch test the thin paint just ripped off (this could be becaus eof the lack of prep or the thin coat..) also you HAVE to tape the areas where the sight slides or it will not go back together due to the thickness of this paint. But, with 5-10 coats on my stabalizer and proper prep it worked great. completely resitsted scratches and deadend sound. I would almost consider painting a set of limbs with it, or even a whole riser. With the way it feels after 10 coats it is nearly an exact replica of Invelvet.


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## bowhunter1661 (Oct 9, 2010)

I am going to try to get pictures up as soon as I get my camera


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## roaddogjru (Aug 18, 2008)

http://www.lauerweaponry.com/

Here is the stuff you need to paint the bow. Everything needed is in the kits. DuraCoat can be used on limbs also without any worry about cracking as it is somewhat flexible anyway. Works really well and is not as brittle as powdercoat thus more resistant to chipping and can be repaired.
strip your riser then have it blasted with 120 grit aluminum oxide. Don't touch it or use any cleaners after blasting. The 120 al/ox opens up the surface just enough to hold paint really well.


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## roaddogjru (Aug 18, 2008)

http://www.lauerweaponry.com/

Here is the stuff you need to paint the bow. Everything needed is in the kits. DuraCoat can be used on limbs also without any worry about cracking as it is somewhat flexible anyway. Works really well and is not as brittle as powdercoat thus more resistant to chipping and can be repaired.
strip your riser then have it blasted with 120 grit aluminum oxide. Don't touch it or use any cleaners after blasting. The 120 al/ox opens up the surface just enough to hold paint really well.


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## bfoot (Dec 30, 2009)

I have a good alternative. If you do the stripping yourself, you can go to a customizing auto shop or most motorcycle shops and get a riser powder coated for about $25. You will end up spending that much painting it yourself and not get the quality of powder coating. I had a bow done at a shop riser, cams, limb pockets, cable guard rod and string stop for $50 and it looks awesome. You do need to strip it yourself. They do not mind sandblasting it to really clean it up but if they have to strip it it costs 2 or 3 times as much. You can use any good stripper and do a good job.

bob


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