So it sounds like something fun to do in the down season. Does anyone have any tips or tricks to get a guy started down the road to learning? Everything around my hometown is compound oriented and nobody seems to dip or crest arrows anymore. I shoot carbon shafts, is there anything special or different as far as prep or coating or paint choices? Sorry for all the questions, just wanna learn it correctly and make some functional good looking arrows

I suppose with carbons, most use the arrow wraps instead of cresting and crown dipping. I only shoot wood arrows so have no tips on what paints and such for carbons. I know the straighter the arrow, the better the cresting. Using carbons should take care of that. I finally broke down and bought a good cresting machine after using a home made one and that made a big difference also. I bought the "Spinrite" crestor and use Testor brand model paints.

I. Use Krlon spray paint AWSOME colors and a marker pen easy and cheap you will need a. Spin crester

Wood, Aluminum carbon, they all take paint very well. As with fletching prep is the key.

I may get hammered for this, but there are some informational videos here spinriteresters.com

Look at the video Dan linked. A great tutorial.

I was using a homemade jig, until I finally broke down and bought a spinrite. You won't be disappointed with one. I use "one shot" paints.

I think there is a c in the link above. spinritecresters.com

Should have added the are a really nice crester. At least, I like mine.

Ive done it with Scotch blue tape and Krylon spray. Tape off the stripe and spray it. Slow but it came out pretty good, for a redneck crester anyway.

I made my own crester and combined several ideas.The cresteres are an easy DIY project.Experiment with different paints,the thickness of the paints is important in cresting.Wood arrows are harder to crest than alum. or carbon.This is a very enjoyable task.

Hers a set I did, my second attempt. Did it with tape,sprat paint and sharpie.

To learn how to crest, you have to do it, same as everything else. There's a learning curve. Just apply yourself and you'll do fine.

I've done many hundreds of crests. Here are some tips. First tip is to keep your first crests simple.

Second is undercoater. Crest color bands look brightest with a white primer under them. I use white cap exclusively and extend the cap down to the bottom of the crest and use that as primer.

Third, applying your crest on a smooth surface yields best results. I hit it with 00 steel wool.

Fourth, no arrow hop. Starighten wood arrows before cresting.

Lastly, if you happen to choose Testors enamels as I do, thin them to where they flow off the brush and immediately level out. No fatty beads or it will take a long time to dry. usually it is just a gooey mess. Add several drops of thinner in the new bottle of paint, right up into the neck, and shake the bottle to distribute. Metallics don't need thinned, they flow great right from the bottle.

Wow thanks for all the responses guys and PM's. Got some videos to watch and a grasp on what I'll need. Thanks a ton!

For quick cresting on wood arrows I use Sharpies.

I also use pens on light colored carbons like GT Trads.

https://youtu.be/BoaF-j0mYCQ

Get some different size bushes and don't load it up too much to start,have fun and keep a steady hand!

I don't know if this has been mentioned but use a white base and the colors you crown and crest will be brighter. And an oil base poly will turn white a little yellow, I use water base poly.

I use a variable speed drill for the nock end and make a simple front end block out of folded cardboard (to match the height of the drill. I have a bit adapter with some rubber tubing on it to hold the arrow. Works OK, but you need to keep an eye on it while cresting. Paint pens are great and come in all colors. Some are even fine tipped.

search homemade cresters and you'll get lots of ideas.

Thanks for all the ideas Guys! Will look into all ideas mentioned

What brand of white base do you use on carbon shafts?

In my view cap wraps and fletch tape go with carbons like peas go with carrots.

I use on carbons either wraps or Rustolem 2X spray paint for the “cap”. I bought a whole set of waterbased acrylic Pactra paints at the hobby store for 10 bucks. I use a Spinrite Crester. Actually I have three crestors but like it the best. I also use wraps on my aluminums but I dip my woods usually. I go old school and use Fletch Laq paints on my woods. I have enough “stuff” and time that I usually have a dozen shafts or two lying around waiting for fletch. When you reach this stage either you have deep pockets or an old guy who’s been collecting stuff for 45 years. I answer to the last. Your first attempts at making arrows may not look like the ones from Bob at Whispering Winds but you will get better as time goes on. There’s one fact about archery that never goes away, you always need more ammo, arrows.

Wow, that's amazing. The cap color and crest design on those look almost identical to some of the first I did back in 2004. That crest design is my favorite. I've made hundreds of crests identical to that.

Just finished this up. Had to make it since I couldn't locate my Bohning after I "cleaned" my garage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW5TNZNRKyI

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