cane help

[chessieboy]

Gonna make some cane arrows. I need help.  What do you guys use fill the ends with?  And how do you shape them to size?  I've heard different thoughts I just wanted to get more ideas.   Thanks

[aero86]

you can get a drill bit and hollow them out.  i use 3/16 dowels and use a file to grind the end to shape.  then just glue them in!

[mullet]

There is no need to fill the ends unless you just want to. If you do, wrap the ends with tape before you drill or they will split. Amd bamboo skewers work pretty good.

[M-P]

Howdy,  My experience has not quite paralleled Mullet's.  I have troubles putting on a commercial field point, if I don't fill the point end.   The nock end is not as finicky.   Either end, I always put on a thread binding to prevent splitting during drilling or filing.   Trade points and stone points and tanged points are easy to mount without filling.   Double headed nails can be made into truly nifty tanged field points!   Ron

[aero86]

ive only gotten into the habit of filling the nock end because i did it for some trade arrows and the korean style arrows i made..  so now i do it to all of them..

[jturkey]

when you say (fill) do you mean as a footing or for weight? footings i use anything from oak to osage to cherry to dries goat hedge. hickory  maple anything hard as for shaping it belt sanders, rasp, file, pocket knife and a few stone flints i have found and use. as for weight i use sand lead balls steel rods. and things like that. hope this helps

[Pat B]

You can mount commercial glue on points(target or broadhead) without filling the hole. Use a disc sander type taperer and not a pencil sharpener type. I don't fill the center for any points, commercial, trade or stone.

[M-P]

jturkey,  Cane and bamboo are hollow.   When we're talking about filling the cane , we're talking about filling that hollow with a piece of dowel.   I suppose using a heavy dowel would add some weight, but that's not why I do it.  When I taper a cane for mounting a commercial point,  the taper is always shortened by the empty center.  Filling the cane before tapering gives a little more glue surface and lessens that chances that the cane will be driven deeper into the socket and collapse.  Of course you might just plan on never hitting wood or stones, etc. and then the extra strength isn't needed.      Ron