Painting a dowel?

Hang them and use spray paint.

I’d recommend a spray laquer.

-- Herb, Florida - Here's why I close most messages with "Be Careful!" http://lumberjocks.com/HerbC/blog/17090

Screw in both ends so you can control the swing. If you want to lay them down, a screw in each end and a board under the screws. Turn it by hand and lay it down when you are finished.

One neat way is to spin the dowel as you paint it. Keep it spinning while it dries to eliminate any runs or imperfections. That’s the hardest part – avoiding runs and marks from holding the dowel. The guys who make custom wooden archery arrows have been doing it that way for a couple hundred years.

Check out this video. The video show striping (cresting), but you can paint the whole dowel if you want. You can rig up something pretty easy, or buy a cheap commercial arrow crester. If you have access to a lathe, you’re already there. Custom fishing rod makers use the same basic technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoQT5XBj5Ac

Hang them and use a “painting pillow” to paint them in one go. Not sure about the name in english. It is like a pieze of carpeting with small brushes on one side. Really quick and gives a nice, even finish

-- "Do or Do not. There is no try." - Yoda