the lost art of cresting arrows

[sweet old bill]

Do anyone else still do any home cresting of arrows? I made a cresting maching out of a walmart hand mixer, cut one beater off at 2 inch from the machine and have a board with 4 eye hooks. I pust the arrow thru the eye hooks, attach the rubber band from the arrow shaft to the single beater and turn it on...the cost was under $10 bucks to make. I also get the cresting paint from walmart at about $1 a bottle. I do for both traditional arrows and also on my compound arrows.

[fasteddie]

I have never bothered to try arrow cresting . I did purchase some arrow wraps but only bothered to use two of them .

[Lawdwaz]

When I was shooting traditional archery equipment I dipped and crested all my wooden shafts.  When I switched back to a compound and Easton ACC shafts I found that it was best not to dip/crest the shafts because I was forever re-fletching the shafts that got monkeyed up.  No way could I keep doing it and have it still look good. 

I have a friend who is an artist (his art work has graced the cover of many sporting magazines including Traditional Bowhunter and NYB's Full Draw) and does a magnificent job cresting his arrows!

[SteveMcD]

Hi, Bill.. yes I do my own too. For me "Less is More" where paint is concerned. I've used FolkArt paints from Walmart but found better wider selections of Folkart paints available at Craft stores. I also found sharpie paint pens to work well. 

Mine is made from a 10$ sewing machine motor off of @Bay. I did use surgical tubing (actually fishing lure tubing mounted to the motor axle.. I use a small piece of wood with a 3/8's inch hole and heavy duty plastic that the shaft fits through to keep the shaft steady and stable when spinning.

[sweet old bill]

Steve great looking crest and liek the way you built your crester. I see you are from my old stamping grounds, I finished USAF service at Stewart AFB  and married a girl from Walden NY. I got hired at IBM at Fiskill and was there for about 5 years till I moved down south to setup a new PLant at Manassas Va.

The Hudson valley is one of the best places I use to love to hunt. Lots of good hard woods, and it use to be lots of easy areas to get permission to hunt. I also was a member in 1965 of the Walden sportment club, they had a lot of the farms open to club members...I am a recurve shooter and love to shoot it. But for hunting I got back to my compound bows with sight, kisser, peep, and release. I just never got good with the recurve, I have tired and tried. I got past 20 yards and two arrows never go to the same place.

[SteveMcD]

HI, Bill.. yes I remember you telling my that. I am a past director at Ti Yogi Bowman, and Past President and current Director of Neighbors Gun Club in Rhinebeck. Still plenty of areas to hunt here but getting harder and harder with development. I know Walden Sportsman's Club, they have a Traditional Only Shoot every Labor Day. I've been with IBM for 35 years... hopefully just a few more to go.  I certainly ain't staying longer than 40. Got some property up in Gilboa, and plan to move up that way when I retire.