Paint instead of wraps?

[Carl Brickey]

#7477

Ok, so I’ve been feverishly reading everything I can about FOC, and I’m going to make my hunting arrows out of carbon shafts again this year. I’ll use the A&A fletch, but I want as much visibility in flight as possible. Will painting the entire shaft with a rattle can spray job have less of an impact on the foc than using a cap wrap?

I hunt in the hills and hollers of Tennessee and Virginia and usually there is some sort of sharp light contrast to shoot through, so the brighter the arrow, the better.

P.S. This is one of the most helpful forums I’ve come across! Thanks!

[Doc Nock]

#62387

I do not feel “qualified” to offer advice on much, but have dealt with your very question, so here goes.

The lightest wraps I could find were bargain store shelf paper, but still weighed enough to drop my FOC.

I wrapped tape at the point where I wanted to end my “crown dip” and using a spray can of paint, (after cleaning the shaft w/ alcohol and lightly roughin it with steel wool) I sprayed it.

To my delight, it barely added any appreciable weight…even with a 10″ crown spray!

I see them very well and use white on black shafts…

Fletching sticks ok using NPV and I’ve used the Silver Bohning glue…I just lightly sand my feathers and wipe them to remove the dust before fletching.

Good luck!

[Carl Brickey]

#62531

Awesome! I think I’ll get some bright chartreuse paint for mine. Thanks for the tip! I wonder if super glue gel will work on that? I’ve used super glue gel for the past 5ish years fletching my arrows and it’s held up fine. I’ve never used paint though.

[smiley1]

#62627

Super glue gel works well with paint, wraps and carbon in my experience. I use the locktite gel and it has never failed no matter what the surface. Good luck and yes you are correct this is a great site for very useful information.

Steve

[Doc Nock]

#63062

The only caution I might share with Super Glue is that SOME such solvent based glues (arent they all) will react with the paint.

If you have some old pieces of shaft, spray them and try. I’ve used krlon pain before but any should work. Just clean the shaft well as there is “release” agent on some /most from the mandrill on which they’re made.

Ya don’t need to glue on feathers…just let spray paint dry on clean shafts then run a line of glue on the paint.

I’ve had some eat into the paint and it looked like I fletched them with tabbacy spittle!

[Carl Brickey]

#63143

I’ll try that. Do you remember what type of glue you used Doc?

I’ve been using super glue brand gel, and it’s worked fine on finished wood and bare carbon shafts. I can get a two pack at our local grocery chain for $1.

[archer38]

#19501

I’ve tried spray paint caps and had problems with the glue. They worked, but not the best !! I even tried an automotive clear lacquer over the paint. Better, but still had some glue issues !!

[Stephen Graf]

#21195

the bohning feather tape works with no issues on paint.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#29111

Prior to adding wraps or paint, have you tried shooting with a bright, 4x AA fletch and nock combo? I find that I have no problems seeing my arrow in flight with yellow, orange or pink fletching and a bright nock color. Just sayin – if you’re really getting on board with high FOC and reduced fletching, don’t add more than you need to on the rear end, if you don’t truly have to.

[Carl Brickey]

#29203

Well, I’ve already painted three cx heritage 250 shafts just past the black numbers with fl. chartreuse krylon. I am planning on using chart. 4x 2.5″ AA fletching with a turbulator, and my point stuff should arrive from 3 rivers tomorrow. Then off to bare shaft tuning.

IF I don’t get the number I’m looking for for FOC, then I’ll try to cut the nock down a bit. If that doesn’t work, I’ll get some new shafts and use the painted ones for goose arrows. (I’m hunting honkers with a bow this sept. for the first time)

[wojo14]

#29787

Steve Graf wrote: the bohning feather tape works with no issues on paint.

The tape is great! I switched a few months ago and never when back to glue! I do put a small drop of glue on the tips and tails of the feathers.

[Carl Brickey]

#29869

I had a roll of the tape a few years ago, and I don’t think I’ve ever fletched a dozen arrows faster. Maybe I’ll order some on the next 3 Rivers order I do.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#29949

wojo14 wrote:

The tape is great! I switched a few months ago and never when back to glue! I do put a small drop of glue on the tips and tails of the feathers.

That’s the same way I’ve been doing them for years, and it works great.

[Ed Ashby]

#30356

Smithhammer wrote: … have you tried shooting with a bright, 4x AA fletch and nock combo? I find that I have no problems seeing my arrow in flight with yellow, orange or pink fletching and a bright nock color.

That’s my ‘cure’ too. I prefer the ‘day-glow’ yellow fletching and nocks. Even with my ‘old eyes’ I have no trouble seeing the arrow’s flight/impact, even in low light.

Ed

[Carl Brickey]

#30367

I have a blitzenburger fletching jig. Would anyone happen to know what number to set it to for 4 fletch? Is it the smallest degree?

[Col Mike]

#30440

cpbiv

Goggle the jig and you can get the instructions from their website.

Semper Fi

Mike

[David Petersen]

#30531

I don’t own a Blitz (prefer the cheaper and simpler Bohning), but the standard angle for 4-fletch is 90 degrees. They fly great that way, and you needn’t worry about a cock feather or looking at the arrow to nock it. FOC aside, I’m a late-life evangelical convert to 4-fletch. I find you get more steerage from less feather and weight. Four-fletch are also easier on the hand if you shoot a stickbow with no shelf, etc. So far as visibility, I have always vacillated between bright for visibility and dull for camo. Maybe my little longbow is faster than most others, which I doubt, but frankly in a hunting shot, considering the deep concentration involved in the shot, which is frequently in low light, and all the other distractions, I can rarely see the impact point anyhow. Of course if several inches of arrow were sticking out, it would be different. But since adopting almost all of Dr. Ashby’s research recommendations, that no longer happens, as they all disappear in a nano-second while passing through. Keep playing around with it, it’s all fun.

[Carl Brickey]

#30650

Thanks for the tip Dave! I’ve always shot 3 fletch just because, but I enjoy the experimentation and tinkering part of traditional archery. I always have. I just epoxied my inserts and aluminum sleeves onto the business end of three cx heritage 250 shafts. Hopefully I won’t have to trim very much off the nock end to get them bare shaft tuned as I have around a 30″ draw.

[archer38]

#31674

I’ve done 4 fletch on my Blitzenberger jig.

You can do 105/75 or 90 degrees on it. You can also use the 120 degree setting by doing 2 feathers and then take the arrow out and rotate it 180 and do the other 2.

I prefer the 105/75 orientation !!

[Carl Brickey]

#32068

Thanks Archer! I’ll keep that in mind. I need to find the manual online too and have it handy. I inherited this jig from my dad when he stopped bow hunting as much. So there was no paperwork with the jig.

I also started bare shaft tuning yesterday. Took 3/4″ off and they look like they’re flying pretty good. It got dark on me though, so I’ll have to shoot them some more with fresh eyes.

[wahoo]

#34794

I just spray painted my shafts with krylon paint and I use gorilla glue for fletching and inserts and point on wood shafts works great

[Carl Brickey]

#24412

I can gladly say that I have a great setup for this season and hopefully many to come. The paint worked out great, and after getting my arrows tuned I have around 24% FOC. CX heritage 250 shaft, 100gr brass insert, 125gr. Steel adaptor, 185gr grizzly broadhead, and a ~2.75″ aluminum sleeve footing. Also did the 2.5″x4 a&a fletch with a turbulator.

The shafts looked like 9mm holes when I finally got them paper tuned, and they fly great with the broadheads. Now we wait for the end of sept. And whitetail season…..

[TSCHMED]

#145732

I’m just at the beginning to convert to a high FOC rig and I’ve always used, and really liked my reflective white wraps (and I guess I should eliminate wraps), but this paint idea has me thinking that paint could be the best of both worlds.

I see “reflective” coatings from Rustoleum, etc but they are not white, it seems like they are a clear coat, which would help at night to find arrows (with a flashlight), but clear won’t help in the daylight. Do I need to do an overspray (over a white base coat) t0 achieve a bright, reflective crown? I think my wraps weigh around 10 grains and I’d like to eliminate that weight, but I also would like to keep the visibility of them.

Is there a white (or bright colored) reflective spray paint out there? I can’t seem to find one with a search.

Thanks.

 

[richard roop]

#145737

While I haven’t gotten into the ultra extreme excessive F.O.C. I do understand the concept. I just tend to keep using what’s worked well in the past.

One thing that you might try, though, is the big crest instead of the crown dip or wrap.  Mark where your fletching is on the bare shaft and do about a 6 inch crest ahead of the fletching. I mask each end of the area on the shaft that I want the crest and rattle can a white base coat. When dry, I rattle can a coat of hot pink and finish with a clear coat.  Actual cresting lines are done with either paint or a Sharpie Marker as the spirit moves me.  Shafts are then fletched with 5 inch hot pink feathers and a hot pink nock installed.

This gives a number of good things happening; nock, fletch and crest give about 12 inches of color to follow in flight,  the crest moves the weight forward a bit compared to dip or crown wrap,  and they are easier to find in the unlikely event of a miss.

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