Sections

Arrow Dipping & Cresting

  • Arrow Preparation

    • The most important part of arrow building is the proper cleaning of the arrow shaft. Failing to properly prepare the shaft can create poor adhesion of paints and stains.
    • We recommend cutting the shaft and installing all necessary hardware prior to cleaning the shaft for dipping. This minimizes handling of the shaft and reduces risk of contamination.
    • Always make sure that the shaft is straight. Your shooting will only be as accurate as the straightness of your arrow.
    • Any arrow should be dipped as soon as possible after cleaning to keep the shaft from becoming contaminated. Many arrow builders have had success using acetone, lacquer thinner, alcohol and other solutions to clean shafts. However, we stand firmly behind SSR Arrow Shaft Surface Cleaner. Other degressing soaps also work well for cleaning arrow sahfts.  Scrub your shaft with hot water and a good degressing soap, rinse with hot running water and allow you shaft to air dry.  This method will neutralize te pH of the shaft allowing for better adhesion.
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  • Arrow Dipping

    Fletch-Lac Paint – Bohning dipping and cresting paints come in a wide variety of colors and styles. Fletch-Lac paints are available in glosses, fluorescents and metallics. The glosses are bright, true colors that are easy to apply. Fluorescents are 2 to 3 times as bright as standard colors. UV stabilized for longer life. It is best to use a white base coat under all fluorescents. Metallics are great for pin stripes, crests and dips. They are easy to apply and dry to a brilliant sheen.
    • Optimal temperature and humidity for use of Fletch-Lac paints is less than 70° F and less than 65% respectively.
    • Fletch-Lac is not compatible with polyurethane, Mineral Wax stain or neoprene with rubber.
    • All Fletch-Lac paints have a shelf life of 2 years from the date of manufacture accept the 1 oz. cresting paints which have a shelf life of 1 years from the date of manufacture.

    Flat White     – A flat white base white primer for use as a base coat under colors. It is recommended to dip a base coat of white under all colors to give them a brighter, truer color.


    Super Coat     – A clear lacquer that cures to a super-hard finish. A one-coat sealer for wood shafts. Super Coat is a solvent-based clear coat formulated with a high impact polymer. The coating will not soften when shot into targets resulting in less target graffiti on the wooden arrow shaft. Super Coat may be thinned with Fletch-Lac Thinner if necessary. We DO NOT recommend clear dipping over a crest. This will cause the crest line to become fuzzy and run together.


    Fletch-Lac Clear and Blue Clear     – Blue Clear dipped over white or colors produces sharper, brighter colors. Clear is recommended as a seal coat for wood shafts. Clear is also used as a dip for aluminum shafts. We do not recommend thinning Fletch-Lac Blue Clear or Clear. We DO NOT recommend clear dipping over a crest. This will cause the crest lines to become fuzzy and run together.


    Fletch-Lac Thinner     – A thinner specially formulated for use with Bohning Fletch-Lac Paints. Used to thin Fletch-Lac paints to the correct viscosity for dipping and cresting arrows.


    Dip Tubes     – Bohning Dip tubes come in plastic. The plastic tubes are available in 12", 24" and 34". The length you chose depends on what length of dip you prefer for your arrow. The tubes are 1" in diameter and are used for crown dipping one arrow at a time.


    Dip Tanks     – Bohning Dip Tanks are great for dipping multiple shafts at one time. They are aluminum tubes with a welded flat base. The Dip Tanks are available with a 4" diameter for dipping 12 shafts at one time. The Dip Tanks come in lengths of 12", 18", 24" or 36".

    When Using Dip Tubes or Tanks:

    • Determine how far down the shaft that the fletching or dipping area needs to be. Usually 6 – 12 inches is sufficient.
    • Allow a dipped shaft to dry 24 hours before fletching.
    • The paint may be left in the Dip Tube or Tank. Note: Only polyethylene related plastics or aluminum are safe for storing Fletch-Lac Paints. Do not use PVC, copper, brass, galvanized rubber or steel.
    • A Model 12 Arrow Holder works with the 4" Dip Tank.  
    Fletch-Lac Paint Required for Dip Tube / Tank
    (Rounded to the nearest measure)
    Paint Depth 1" Diameter Tube 4" Diameter Tank 6" Diameter Tank
    6 inches4 ounces3 pintsNo Longer Available
    12 inches8 ounces3 quarts
    18 inches12 ounces9 pints
    24 inches16 ounces6 quarts
    30 inches20 ounces15 pints


    Model 12 Arrow Holder – Arrow Holder for dipping 12 arrows at one time. For use with the 4" diameter Dip Tanks. Fits all shaft sizes.


    Arrow Holder Assembly Instructions

    Lay out all of the contents of the bag. You should have:
    • 1 – Main Body Bolt
    • 4 – Machined Nuts
    • 2 – Arrow Holding Plates
    1. Place 1 Machined Nut onto top of Mail Body Bolt and place it about 1 inch from bottom of hole in Mail Body Bolt.
    2. Place Main Body Bolt through center of Arrow Holding Plate and position against bottom of Machined Nut. Be sure you have Arrow Holding Plate rivet heads facing up.
    3. Position second Machined Nut against bottom of Arrow Holding Plate, and tighten.
    4. Position third Machined Nut 4 ½" from bottom of second Machined Nut.
    5. Place main Body Bolt through center of second Arrow Holding Pate and position against bottom of third Machined Nut. Be sure to have Arrow Holding Plate rivet heads facing up.
    6. Position fourth Machined Nut against bottom of second Arrow Holding Plate. Rotate bottom plate until each hole lines up with the top plate. Tighten fourth Machined Nut.

    Dip'N Plugz     – Dip'N Plugz are used to plug the end of an arrow shaft before dipping with Fletch-Lac Paint. Dip'N Plugz come in two sizes. Max for carbon and uni-bushing style shafts and micro for smaller ACC style shafts. Plugz can be reused over and over. Simply peel off paint once it has dried.


    Dipping Arrows with Bohning Fletch-Lac Products

    When we speak of "dipping arrows" we are referring to the procedure of dipping the rear portion of the shaft in Fletch-Lac Paint. This is generally referred to as the crown dip and usually encompasses 7" – 11"of the nock end of the shaft. Aluminum, wood, carbon and fiberglass shafts can be successfully crown dipped with Bohning products.

    Why should I dip arrows?

    • A dipped arrow is more visible in flight.
    • A dipped arrow will eliminate any potential fletching and adhesion problems.
    • A dipped arrow will allow you to apply a "crest" to the arrow, which makes your arrow readily identifiable.
    • A dipped arrow is much easier to find in the unfortunate circumstance of a miss.
    • A dipped arrow just plain looks better than a bare shaft.
    How to Dip an Arrow Shaft:
    1. The first step is to clean the rear portion of the shaft to be dipped. This is best accomplished with Bohning SSR Arrow Shaft Surface Cleaner. Soak the rear end of the shaft in SSR solution for approximately 5 minutes and then rinse thoroughly in hot running water. Allow your shafts to air dry. Do not wipe dry.
    2. You must dip a base coat of white when using fluorescent lacquer. A white base coat will make all colors truer and brighter.
    3. Stir your Fletch-Lac paint very well before dipping. Never shake Fletch-Lac before dipping as shaking creates excessive air bubbles.
    4. Allow the Fletch-Lac to stand for about one hour after stirring to allow the air bubbles to rise to the surface and dissipate.
    5. Make sure there are not air bubbles on the surface of your Fletch-Lac prior to dipping. If there are air bubbles present, you can eliminate them by lightly touching them with an object such as an old arrow shaft.
    6. Before you dip your first shaft, dip a test shaft to check the paints' viscosity. When dipping a crown dip, the paint should run freely from the end of the shaft for at least 15 seconds before it starts dripping droplets. 15 to 20 seconds is a good rule of thumb. If it runs for less than 15 seconds the paint is to thin, which can be corrected by leaving the top off the container to allow the solvents to evaporate. If it runs longer than 20 seconds, it is too thick and should be thinned with Bohning Fletch-Lac Thinner.
    7. Now you are ready to dip a shaft. Lower the shaft into the lacquer slowly to the desired level. Remove the shaft slowly and allow the paint to run back into the dip tube for about 60 seconds. Dip the shaft a second time, allow the paint to run off into the tube and then hang the shaft up to dry.
    8. A piece of wire or line strung across the room makes a good place to hang shafts. Use the "clamp" type of clothespins and clamp the arrow shaft below the wire or line. Caution – make sure you have cardboard down BEFORE you start hanging dipped arrows up to dry.
    9. You should have some type of ventilation in your dipping area. The solvent vapors are heavier than air and will tend to settle in the room. Ventilation should, therefore, be below waist level.
    10. Do not expose drying Fletch-Lac to drafts. The lacquers will dry fast causing the paint to dull on one side.
    Dipping Arrows with the Uni-bushing System and Wrapped Carbon Shafts:
    1. After cleaning the shafts, insert a Bohning Dip'N Plugz into the Uni-bushing or the end of the carbon shaft prior to dipping.
    2. When the arrow is completely dry (12 hours min.), remove the plug and proceed as normal.
    3. Bohning Dip'N Plugz come in two sizes, micro and max. The micro size fits the smaller Uni-bushing in the ACC shafts. The max size fits the standard Uni-bushing in aluminum shafts and they will fit all of the newer wrapped carbon shafts.
    4. It is important that you plug all Uni-bushing and wrapped carbon shafts before you dip. Failure to do so will allow paint in the Uni-bushing or shaft and render the shafts unusable.
    5. Dip'N Plugz are reusable. Just peel the paint off the plug after it has dried.

    Working with Wood Shafts
    Bohning has been in the arrow components business since 1946. Many of our products were originally developed for wood shafts, so we can offer these tips for the traditional arrow builders…

    Starting with a quality wood shaft:

    1. Stain the shaft using one of Bohning's Fletch-Lac Wood Stains. Dampen a clean rag with stain and rub into the wood grain. Allow the stained shaft to dry at least 2 – 3 hours.
    2. Clear dip the stained shaft with Bohning Fletch-Lac Clear to seal the wood against moisture, dirt, etc. Allow the clear to dry at least 4 – 5 hours.
    3. Lightly sand the shaft with very fine, wet sandpaper (400 – 600 grains). Then dip a second clear coat. Allow shaft to dry 8 hours.
    4. Optional…Apply crown dip of white at this point. Allow paint to dry at least 24 hours. Crest.
    5. Install nocks and fletchings.
    Conclusions on Dipping:
    • Dipping an 11" crown dip of Fletch-Lac Clear will add an average of 1 grain of weight and 0.001" diameter to a shaft.
    • Dipping an 11" crown dip of normal viscosity White Gloss Fletch-Lac will add an average of 4.5 grains of weight and 0.003" diameter to a shaft.
    • Double dipping an 11" crown dip of normal viscosity White Gloss Fletch-Lac will add an average of 7.5 grains of weight and 0.0042" diameter to a shaft. Double dipping, for better coverage, is dipping the shaft, withdrawing completely from the paint for 1 minute, and then dipping again. From the bare shaft to the double dipped shaft the balance point of a 2117 changed 0.335". No measurable difference was found between White Fletch-Lac and any other color Fletch-Lac.

    Fletch-Lac Wood Stains     – Bring out the beauty of your wood shafts. Available in Shadow Gray, Rich Mahogany, Autumn Glo, Olive Haze and Walnut Hue. Before applying stain, use sandpaper to gently clean off any glaze, which may have occurred during the turning down process. Pine is especially prone to glazing. We recommend that kiln dried wood is used to eliminate moisture problems in the coating process.

    To use:

    1. Carefully stir stain with a wooden stick to prevent scraping of can lining.
    2. Using a soft cloth, gently wipe stain on shaft with an up and down motion. Do not use paper towels as they often contain detergents and lotions that react with stain.
    3. Wipe continually until desired color is achieved.

    Bohning stains are formulated to give a shadowing effect to allow the grain to show through. We recommend staining the shaft before dipping in Fletch-Lac Clear to seal the wood. Fletch-Lac Super Coat is a perfect gloss protective topcoat to finish off your shaft. Be sure to allow 2 to 3 hours between coats so all solvents can flash off.

    Note: Wood that has not been fully dried will cause sap (turpentine) to rise to the surface of the wood when stain is applied. Durco urethane coating that has been applied before stain will cause this same problem.


    Bohning ArroWraps and Specialty ArroWraps     – No time to dip, but still want to add color and visibility to your arrow. Try Bohning ArroWraps when you want it done right and done fast! 2 sizes and 6 color choices. Separate wraps for aluminum and carbon to avoid unnecessary overlap. This helps keep your shaft balanced, improving arrow flight.  Everything from traditional stripes to tiger stripes. Choose from carbon or aluminum widths to minimize overlap and increase arrow balance. High-end durability and great vane adhesion.

    Simple & Easy Application…3 Steps and you are Done!

    1. Remove backing and place face down on hard surface.
    2. Align shaft with edge of ArroWrap.
    3. Using steady down pressure, roll shaft. Now you are ready to fletch.
    Aluminum wraps weigh approximately 10 grains while carbon wraps weigh approximately 8 grains.
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  • Arrow Cresting

    Arrow Cresting Kit – The Arrow Cresting Kit has everything you need to crest carbon, aluminum, fiberglass and wood arrows. Dip or crest easily with the instructional video taking you step by step through the arrow building process. Kit includes:

    • 300 rpm Standard Crester
    • Dip Tube
    • Fletch-Lac Thinner
    • 6 Cresting Paints
    • Paint Caddy
    • White Lacquer
    • Arrow Holders
    • 2 Cresting Brushes
    • SSR Arrow Shaft Surface Cleaner

    Cresting Brushes – High quality camel hair brushes for cresting arrows. Brushes come in 1/8", ¼", ½" and hairline.


    Paint Caddy     – A convenient way to store cresting paint jars. The Paint Caddy holds 6 – 1 oz. cresting paint jars and 12 brushes.


    Pro Crester – A 110 volt AC, 60 cycle, 300 rpm motor holds arrow shafts 1 ¼" above the table for cresting. Spins the arrow to make arrow cresting easy. The Pro Crester has an attached aluminum tray. The tray can catch paint drips and allows you to clamp the crester to a table.


    Standard Crester – A 110 volt AC, 60 cycle, 300 rpm motor holds arrow shafts 1 ¼" above the table for cresting. Spins the arrow to make arrow cresting easy. The Standard Crester has the same motor as the Pro Crester. The Standard Crester has an unattached tray set away from the crester motor. Allows for easy storage.


    Cresting Instructions Using Pro and Standard Crester

    Cresting arrows is a tradition arrow builders have practiced for centuries. As long as there have been bows and arrows, somebody somewhere has personalized their arrow shafts with their individual pattern. This pattern identified the owner and sometimes their lineage. This rich tradition lives on today!
    • Preparation – For best results, we suggest you dip your arrow shafts in white Fletch-Lac (see arrow dipping information) prior to cresting. You will need to decide on the colors that you want to use in your crest. A good rule of thumb is to keep it simple. 1 or 2 main colors, with a 3rd for pin striping (usually a metallic or black).
    • Make Your Template – In order to keep all your shafts the same, it is a good idea to make a template of your crest. You can do this on a plain piece of paper by drawing lines in the exact pattern you want your crest to appear on the shaft.
    • Adjust Support Tray– Once you have your template, place the dipped end of your arrow shaft into the crester chuck. If you have a Standard Crester, place the support tray under the opposite end of your shaft, 10 to 12 inches from the crester. The Pro Crester has the tray attached.
    • Set Template – Tape your template directly under the shaft where you intend to create your crest. Choose your brushes, generally, a thin hairline brush and a 1/8" for larger bands.
    • Check Paint – Check your cresting paint and thin if necessary. Paint should be as thin as possible, yet still provide good coverage. You are now ready to crest.
    • Starting to Crest – Turn on crester. Arrow should rotate away from you. If arrow does not spin true, grasp shaft momentarily while motor continues to rotate. This should make the arrow spin true. If not, move felt cradle closer to the motor. You should always begin your crest with the large bands and finish with the pin striping (this allows you to hide most mistakes and uneven bands). Load your brush with enough paint to do one band. You may wish to experiment on some test shafts. Start in the middle of your widest bands, pushing paint toward each edge. You should try to allow the rotation of the shaft to "pull" the paint from your brush. Allow shaft to rotate for a moment before moving on to your next color. This will allow your first color to dry. Pinstripes are the finishing touch. The thinner the paint, the better quality of pinstripes. Use the smallest brush to apply stripes between color bands or in the center of bands – be creative. Be sure to keep checking paint consistency as you crest additional arrows. When finished, clean brushes with thinner, then wash with dish soap.
    Conclusions on Cresting:
    • A shaft (double dipped – Gloss White Fletch-Lac) was crested. A 2 ¾" three color crest was applied. This is a very common crest. Shaft weight prior to cresting was exactly 410 grains. After the crest was applied, the shaft weighed 410.6 grains. The crest weights 6/14ths of a grain. The crest added 0.002" diameter to the shaft.
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