Arrows!!

[Little Miss Purple]

I will be making arrows according to my budget!! I have been advised to treat them in yacht varnish before fletching etc...

can I add colouring to this?? or does anybody have other advice??

Ta muchly

[Radar_UK]

Originally Posted by Little Miss Purple

I will be making arrows according to my budget!! I have been advised to treat them in yacht varnish before fletching etc...

can I add colouring to this?? or does anybody have other advice??

Ta muchly

Is there a prize for guessing the colour ?

[clickerati]

Can you not stain the wood first, and then finish in varnish to protect the stain?

[Macbow]

LMP - I would stain them first then varnish them. If you do wish to make them wild and colourful there are waterbased stains available in vibrant red, blues, greens, yellows etc but I haven't seen purple.
I use a couple of coats of Danish Oil applied with fine steel wool as a sealer, which gives a beautiful smooth finish that fills the grain. Often a few more coats of Danish Oil is enough but if I'm cresting I will finish them off with two thin coats of hard glaze water based gloss varnish as it smells less and dries much faster than poly. If I'm doing more than a dozen I actually prefer to use a dipping tube (very easy to make) as it is super quick and less messy.



The cresting inspiration came from these nesting Mallard hens near my home.

[Little Miss Purple]

and by cresting you mean what exactly???

I have arrow wrap and....actually I have AIUK LMP wraps and lilac arrow wraps! Having never used either, it is all new!!

[Macbow]

LMP - cresting is the circular bands of colour and lines painted on the shaft but arrow wraps will do the job. BTW I sent you a PM.

[wingate_52]

Get a tube and dip your arrows. Rustin's Danish oil is great. Smells a little like fish oil but a quality product and easy to apply. Take your time. Let them dry and buff each coat before reapplying.

[Huffy]

Hello Macbow,

The set of arrows that you have made look wonderful.
Could post details about your dipping tube, I guess you have used plastic pipework from a plumbers merchant.

Many thanks , Mark

[provins]

Hi LMP
I use Windsor&Newtons drawing inks, available from art shops, wiped on to the shaft with a bit of cotton. These come in a range of colours I'm sure you'll find something suitable although I seem to remember trying a few out when I went through my purple phase.The ink dries in a few minutes so its easy to apply a second coat if needed,follow this up with a coat of Ronseal quick drying varnish let it dry then a quick rub of fine steel wool followed by a second coat again applied by a cotton rag.
I use HMG glue for fletching and it all works well.
By the way,I put the piles and nocks on first.
Hope this helps.

[Macbow]

Originally Posted by Huffy

Hello Macbow,

The set of arrows that you have made look wonderful.
Could post details about your dipping tube, I guess you have used plastic pipework from a plumbers merchant.

Many thanks , Mark

Hi Mark, that's it exactly - plastic pipe roughly 2" diameter with a screw on cap sealing the bottom end. The gasket at the top end is a 3" square peice of inner tubing with a 4-6mm hole punched in it held on with a jubilee clip. Push the shaft through the hole in the rubber gasket into the varnish and jiggle it about then as you pull the shaft back out it leaves just a thin, non dripping coat of finish on the shaft which dries very quickly. Usually I'll just leave the tube full and cover the top with cling film. When it is time to do the 2nd and 3rd coat just add a tiny bit if water or whatever solvent you are using, give it a wee shoogle and repeat the dipping process. When I have totally finished pour the remainder back into a sealable container and wash it out. The whole process is much easier, quicker and less noxious with water based varnish.