Cresting – anyone do it without a machine?

[LimbLover]

#5461

I’m dying to buy a Spinrite cresting machine but I’m currently too low on funds to do so. I’ve been cresting by hand lately with the water-based Rustoleum jars that you can buy at any hardware store.

It is DIFFICULT!!! I can handle thicker lines fairly well, but I can’t get those really tight lines of silver, gold, and white that so many folks use to break up their colors.

Do any of you actually crest by hand simply by rolling the shaft?

I would love to see your work if you do! I have a hunch that I just suck at it…or maybe need a nicer brush.

[bruc]

#41272

I built a cresting machine a while back using a small motor from an exhaust fan that was hooked up to a dimmer switch similar to that you would find on a dining room light. The dimmer switch slowed the fan speed considerably.
The shaft on the small motor was 1/4″ I had a 3″ piece of rubber hose that fitted over the shaft, the other end of the hose accepted the tapered wood arrow shaft. It was on a wood frame. The cresting end of the shaft sat in a v groove in a wood block that was lined with moleskin. It worked pretty good as far as rotation and speed was concerned I didn’t have the talent:wink: lately I have bought two sets of custom wood arrows and are happier with them especially the crest !!
Bruce

[Stumpkiller]

#41412

I have a plywood board with a block on one end that has a 3/8″ hole in the inside face and a block on the other end with a “V” groove in line with that hole – the blocks being seperated by 24″ on the outsides. I use Sharpie permanent markers and Pilot metallic ink markers for the following results:

But I do much better when using the same pens with my Bohning cresting lathe.

[LimbLover]

#42144

Stump – as I mentioned on Trad Gang..that is a great idea! I love the way you do these.

Here are some of mine. I’ve been using fast drying latex as it cleans up with water easier. I’d probably use different paint with a lathe. Again, I painted these by hand with the drying rack in the photo. It was trying at times but a lot of fun.

[rayborbon]

#45229

I do ghetto cresting with a can of spray paint. Does that count? 😈

[Mark Turton]

#46404

Quite a while ago someone put up a post having made a cresting machine using the motor and speed control from a sewing machine, gave fine control over speed and cost very little from e-bay.
Mark.

[William Warren]

#48432

I use latex too. These are by hand, no machine. I did buy some decent brushes from the art store.

[LimbLover]

#52882

These are great Duncan! Did you chop those magnum feathers?

[William Warren]

#56310

LimbLover wrote: These are great Duncan! Did you chop those magnum feathers?

Limb,
I did not chop those although I now have a chopper. Those are the last of a large quantity I bought back in the 90’s. Wish I could remember the name of the mail order outfit I got them from. The quality was very good.
Duncan

[LimbLover]

#56799

Limb,
I did not chop those although I now have a chopper. Those are the last of a large quantity I bought back in the 90’s. Wish I could remember the name of the mail order outfit I got them from. The quality was very good.
Duncan

I love them. Barred banana cuts are my favorite.

Here is another set I finished on Sunday. 80# Ramon. I tried two kinds of stain and crested in the center. I used the drying rack and spun them by hand again. I kind of like doing them this way. Not as accurate, but adds a bit of personality.

Duncan – I have to credit you for the inspiration of using two different stains. I don’t know why that hadn’t occurred to me before.

[William Warren]

#58369

Limb,
Those arrows look great and I like to hand spin mine too. I agree it gives ’em character.
The 2-tone stain idea was something I saw on that other forum in a build-a-long, beleive it was Stumpkiller’s thread. He uses Sharpie pens and paint pens for his crest. I’ve made a new set but I’ve got to get around to cresting them between all the honey-dos.
[edit]
Ooops, forgot Stumpkiller already showed off his handy work earlier, lookin’ good Stump.

Duncan

[Stumpkiller]

#58898

Duncan wrote: Limb,
beleive it was Stumpkiller’s thread. He uses Sharpie pens and paint pens for his crest. [edit]
Ooops, forgot Stumpkiller already showed off his handy work earlier, lookin’ good Stump.

Duncan

Thanky. THE ADMIRAL has asthma and after we moved into a ranch house with attached garage I started experimenting with odorless arrow finishes. Three Rivers alcohol stain for the shaft, Feibing’s leather dye for the crown (both wiped on) and then Sharpie permanent markers for the crest. I then wipe on three coats of MinWax polyurethane finish and, when dry at least overnight, I highlight with a metallic Pilot marker. The MinWax will remove the metallic ink marker but not the Sharpie; so the fine lines I do last.

Peace in the kingdom and they look pretty good.

Here’s an almost intentional looking mishap when I tried Sharpie under lacquer (instead of polyurethane) years ago. It runs. The crest under the fletching in the lower arrows was supposed to be two narrow black lines with a red line on either side. Instead it’s a gradual fade, almost airbrushed look.

[LimbLover]

#59237

Good looking work Stump!

Man I’m fired up. I’m slowly going back through my arrows and cresting those I haven’t done. Basically removing the top layers of poly with sandpaper, cresting, and recoating.

I want to do another set and have a great idea but all I have left is a bunch of 100# Ramon’s and there isn’t any way that I can shoot those monsters!!

Anyone have a really really heavy bow on here?

[LimbLover]

#59238

Good looking work Stump!

Man I’m fired up. I’m slowly going back through my arrows and cresting those I haven’t done. Basically removing the top layers of poly with sandpaper, cresting, and recoating.

I want to do another set and have a great idea but all I have left is a bunch of raw 100# Ramon’s and there isn’t any way that I can shoot those monsters!!

Anyone have a really really heavy bow on here?

[archer38]

#15402

I put my shafts through a cardboard box and spin them with my cordless drill. I dip them first or spray them. Then poke them through the box, put the drill on one,lock the trigger and start painting stripes. I sometimes place indicating marks on the side of the box to keep the spacing consistent.This works well for me.

[Jason Wesbrock]

#17351

That’s an excellent idea. If you use a variable speed drill, you can use a hose clamp around the grip and trigger as a speed control.

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