Author Topic: Very first arrow (Read 4868 times)

dogleg · « **on:** October 16, 2009, 06:23:58 pm »

Just got done putting the finishing touches on my first arrow. Shaft is ramin, I think. The dowels very in color, from a fairly bright orange, through natural color, to a grey-green. Weird, but anyway... Feathers are turkey, left wing primaries, cut in sheild pattern, 6 1/2" long by 1" tall. They're cut freehand, to my own pattern, so if they look odd that's why. Their wrapped in mercerized cotton floss, as is the rest of the shaft. The point is just something I cut out of an old dull circular saw blade. Don't know the spine, as I haven't gotten around to building a tester, yet. Gotta build one of those cool R/D's of Marc St Louis's, from the newest PA, first.

After realizing how large the fleching actually is, I may cut it out to a small game head, like some of the types I've seen on here. Who knows?

Please let me know what you all think, especially if you see something wrong. Like I said, this is my very first one, and I did it to get to know the process. So if I've somehow screwed up the process, please let me know.

Mike
(dogleg)

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Pat B · « **Reply #1 on:** October 16, 2009, 06:39:32 pm »

Looks like a killer to me. How does it shoot. That's the important thing!

dogleg · « **Reply #2 on:** October 16, 2009, 06:42:16 pm »

Forgot to put in a thanks to John K, for sending me these feathers. Sent me a mess of turkey, and some pheasant. Heck of a guy. Thanks, John.

dogleg

dogleg · « **Reply #3 on:** October 16, 2009, 07:15:01 pm »

Well, Pat, it flew great. Right up till I punched it into a concrete block. Guess I did good on tempering the tip, though. Had to pry it out the block. It was in there pretty good. Didn't break, and didn't bend, either. Wanted to make it into a critter-gitter, anyway.

I'm just starting to shoot again, after many years, so I shoulda known better. Got cocky after the first few, and went out to 'bout thirty feet. No backstop, either, just my garage. Dumber than a bag of hammers, right?

Guess I got a little too excited.
dogleg

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sailordad · « **Reply #4 on:** October 16, 2009, 07:25:01 pm »

well it was a nice arrow
dont feel bad
i just did that same thing (more or less,well the arrow busted)
with the first stone tipped arrow i tried to shoot from a self bow
i was nervous for one,didnt want to wreck it, and completly missed the target
sunk the arrow head right up to the shaft,then split the shaft about 6" back.
hit the fence to the left of the taget,had to dig my stone tip out of the fence
didnt hurt the tip at all,just waisted about 5 hrs worth of work on that arrow is all
well look at the bright side
you can still use the point,the fletching and maybe even the thread
thats what i plan on doing,grab and straighten a new shaft and transfer the other stuff to it
good luck

peace

dogleg · « **Reply #5 on:** October 16, 2009, 07:45:54 pm »

Sailordad,

I'll be able to reuse the arrow, thankfully. I made it about 2 inches long, and she only broke right at the back of the point-notch. So I think I'll either make it into a blunt, or better yet, I've got a leaf shaped medevil type point I'm working on. Forge is still down, so I'm just doing the one, with the oxy/acetylene torch. Just gotta work out a tool to form the ferrule. Might be an afterlife, for this one. Sorry to hear about yours, though. You get that sinking feeling, when it happened? I sure did. She may not be fancy, but that first one's kinda special. Not to mention the time it takes to make these things, completely by hand. I've got not feather cutter, fletching jig, or any of that yet. Although, honestly, I kinda think it's more fun, that way.

By the way, how do you guys work down the quills? Took me longer to do that than to do the rest of the arrow.

dogleg

Sparrow · « **Reply #6 on:** October 18, 2009, 10:31:12 am »

Thats a fine looking arrow. I do the quills the hard way with a razor and sandpaper,I saw someones little jig here on PA and saw the light.Haven't made one and tried it out yet,but I will. Look down the line on this thread and look for something on feather trimming. ' Frank

mahtosapanumpa · « **Reply #7 on:** October 18, 2009, 06:36:56 pm »

Dogleg,
I make a clamp with two pieces of a wood with a leather hinge on one side. The feather fits between with the quill riding along the top where I can file it down with a flat file and some sand paper.

Kirby

dogleg · « **Reply #8 on:** October 18, 2009, 06:43:28 pm »

Thanks guys, looks a heck of a lot easier. I'll give it a try.

dogleg

ken75 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 18, 2009, 06:49:54 pm »

are you stripping the fletch off of the quill ?, turkey and goose feathers are the only ones i've been able to do this with.makes it easy to attach and no grinding !

dogleg · « **Reply #10 on:** October 18, 2009, 10:03:27 pm »

Ken75,

I'm just about to give that a try. Started looking way back, got to like page 13 or so before I found it. Soon as I saw it, I remembered seeing it in some old movie. Don't know why it never came to mind, before.

Anyway, thanks for the tip. This should make arrows a lot more enjoyable. And the wife won't have to listen to me muttering what she calls 'naughty talk', under my breath.

dogleg

John K · « **Reply #11 on:** October 19, 2009, 10:29:58 am »

Hey, Thats a fine looking arrow ! Glad the feathers are working for you.

I don't grind my feathers, i just strip them.

Have fun !

Canoe · « **Reply #12 on:** October 24, 2009, 01:43:21 pm »

Howdy DogLeg and Group,

Ya thought it was bad when you broke your arrow... I punched a hole in the garage with an arrow recently!!
Man, was She P.O.ed!!! I would have gladly lost an arrow rather than have to put up with the talking to I received from the boss.

And, I really like that feather clamp, I'll be making one today. Thanks for sharing.

All the Best,
Canoe

mahtosapanumpa · « **Reply #13 on:** October 24, 2009, 10:32:50 pm »

Canoe,
I thought of another thing I did when building the feather clamp. I melted wax on both inside halves of the clamp because I was having some slippage occurring. The wax created a stickier surface which helps keep the feather from slipping when using a file.
Kirby

huntertrapper · « **Reply #14 on:** October 26, 2009, 12:17:35 pm »

better than my first arrows ever looked

Primitive Archer