I have some sitka spruce shafts that I stained on the lower broadhead area. I used white exterior latex paint (as some have advised to) on the crown area. I let it dry in the house for about 12 hr. I lightly steel wooled the crown area.  Then I used Krylon spray paint over the primer. In some spots it has crackled! So, I lightly sanded and re-sprayed. It is better, but not real happy with it.  I guess they are not compatible.  I like the color of the Krylon. Should I just spray the Krylon on without the primer? Or should I use some exterior latex over the primer?  I am going to use testors or Humbol paint to crest with and then apply polyurethane over it all with the gasket system.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks, David.

Come on you arrow experts....

snag,
I am not sure how to fix this problem, but you can keep it from happening again by starting off with Kilz paint.  I use it in a dip tube, but you can also spray it on.  You should be able to use Krylon over it without the paint crackling.  I bought one of those aerosol model airbrush kits and use Testors paint to cover the Kilz.  You can get some cool fade outs or just color a single color before cresting.  Hope this helps.  Brady

White exterior house paint isn't a primer.  If you want something to go under the Krylon to help with color or give it a good base, use whatever primer Krylon recommends.  Contrary to some painters, paint ain't primer.  Also, while 12 hours may be enough time for that paint to dry, it may not be enough time for it to cure.  Dry and cure are two different animals.  You may have better results after it has cured.

Guy

Its always a good idea to test new paints for compatability before using it on a project. When I put a crown on my arrows I use an fast dry oil based enamel thinned enough to just give me good coverage but so far all I've done is white crown
dips.
So far I have used all oil based finish.
My sequence is - stain, 0000 steel wool,  full length polyuerthane dip, 0000 steel wool, crown dip, very lightly steel wool, crest, full length polyuerethane dip. With appropriate dryin times between each coat. This has given me a very durable and attractive arrow finish.
There are practicaly an infinite number of ways to finish arrows, some better than others, so experiment a little and see what works for you.

I had the same thing happen once. I threw
away the krylon and now only use rustoleum.
Never had a problem since.

Sorry - hope I didn't mix you up with what I mentioned on your previous post.  I used spray primer under a brushed-on coat of house enamel, and that seems to work.

I guess I didn't give you the correct info. The first coat for crown was an exterior latex PRIMER. It wasn't just latex paint. I guess I will finish these and just use them for practice arrows. I like the sequence you use Dryrot...your name is what worries me. lol
What enamal do you use for the crown dip? Is there a certain make you like? How long do you cure each coat?

Being somewhat of a perfectionist...this really @#!!!

Deeeep breeeaaaatthhhhh!!!

Krylon makes an all-purpose white primer that will probably work better than the one you used.  On the other hand, I've used a crackle finish on arrows and it can look pretty cool.  But if that's not what you're looking for it can be something of a dissapointment.
There are a *lot* of possible finishes and techniques for using them out there.  Practicing on cheaap dowels can be a good idea.

Guy

It sounds to me like you put lacquer over enamel. If you do this, it will cause the paint to wrinkle and bubble.

Robert

I would stick with an acrylic enamel and use duco cement and a water based poly.

I doubt the primer/base coat was fully cured and you used an incompatable paint over the top. The top coat as it dried is the mostly culprit. I am sure it would have been ok had it cured out.I would and do use white pigmented shellac as my base primer to make colors jump and give a good bond. Also many wood shafts have a milling glaze that needs to be broke by light sanding with 220 sandpaper. Just enough to break the shine. The shellac is an alchohol base and can be thinned and cleaned up with it very easily. Dry very fast  too. Can be top coated in 2 hrs at room temps with most any finish, oil or latex.

I went back over the crackled areas with 220 and then 000 steel wool. Then I shot the ones that I had already sprayed with Krylon with another coat. They seem to have taken it fine. The other ones that I have only prepped with the primer I lightly sanded and sprayed with a white krylon primer. I did only one to see how it takes. Then I am going to follow this up with the colored krylon. I guess I will crest and then dip in polyurethane and see what happens.  The next arrows I do I am going to do something different for the crown coat. It sounds like acrylic enamel over water based poly works.

The crackling is called "Orange peeling" and its caused by paints not being compatable. Your house paint is an acrylic enamal (water base) Krylon is a lacquer. You can not put lacquer over water base or oil base materials.
Bob

Thank you for clarifying that for a complete novice! I sure wish the store I bought it at had told me that.  I explained what I was going to use them for and everything!

Aromakr, I sent you a pm.

David, I work for a major paint company.  A large percentage of the calls we get from customers having problems on their projects could have been avoided if the retail store had given good information.
"They didn't tell me that at the store," and "The guy at the store *said* to do it this way," are pretty frequently somewhere in the call.
Most paint companies have a toll-free help line.  A quick call will help avoid problems.

Guy

Guy, I have learned my lesson...as usual the hard way.