nutters?

[gene roberts]

I have recently read about nutters,they are supposed to be perfect for bushy tails.Could i have some pics??? could it be possible to make an arrow from a dowell rod?

[Hillbilly]

The original nutters were made from ramin dowels, just fletch, taper the point, and screw a nut on it. It's very possible to make good arrows from dowels, just check the grain carefully. Ramin is getting harder to find, but the poplar dowels from Lowe's make good arrows if you pick through them. I'm sure other kinds would work, also. After all, commercial cedar shafts are dowels.

[gene roberts]

thank you and what size neut would be best?if they(dowel rods) are crooked a bit is there any way to straighten them?

[gene roberts]

BTW what size would i need if i shoot 145 Field points,do they work on rabbits,i need pics bad espesially on the tapering part.

[mullet]

  Rabbits don't care what it is when they get WOPPED.

[Pat B]

Here are 2 nutters. One is on a 11/32 cedar shaft the other is on a hardwood shoot shaft. I believe the nuts are 1/4" or so and I like a drop of super glue on the threads after installing the nut.       Pat

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[stiknstring]

On my 11/32 shafts I use a 3/8 nut.  Just tight enough to screw itself into the wood a bit.  They dont weigh as much as a field point but I compensate by leaving the shaft a little long.  I have got to tell you that I dont know how they do on squirrels since I have not hunted them in Montana but man do they do the job on cottontails.  Three for four last year and all were very quick kills.  Nutter hit like a truck. 

[Hillbilly]

You can straighten fairly major crooks with heat or straighten out slight bends by using a smooth metal rod or hook to burnish and compress the outside of the bend.

[scattershot]

I use two 3/8" nuts, and they weigh 160 grains, just like my field points. Check American Woodcrafters website. They have birch dowels for $22.00/100 or so. At that price, you can afford a few culls! Those birch dowels make a nice heavy arrow, and with the two nuts they hit like a hammer.

[gene roberts]

thanks for  the pic and info i'll try to make some

[Minuteman]

Heres some pics of my version of a nutter. Kinda works like a judo without the wallet pain.
 
 

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[Minuteman]

They aren't exactly primitive but neither are regular nutters. The toothed washer grabs the grass and keeps the arrow from snaking underneath and getting buried. It'll stand the arrow up purty good in taller grass and makes an awful tearing sound when it hits stuff.
I have yet to shoot a critter with one so I don't know how well it' would kill stuff but it seems like it would sure impart the wompin' on something. Another cool thing is that with the larger nut , two toothed washers and the 1 1/4" drywall screw it brings the weight up closer to a field point. Haven't weighed em yet but they fly just ike my field points.
 The nut is just a regular 5/16"( I think) nylon bushing nut, taper the tip of the arrow a little til it screws on tight. Then pilot a hole for the drywall screw, slip the washers onto the screw and insert it into the end of the arrow.The little washer keeps the larger one centered on the screw.
  Theres reall very little tapering that needs to be done. Just enough to get the threads started .
 I want to try them out with larger toothed washers but thats the largest kind I had on hand.
 Hope you enjoy 'em.
 Chris

[gene roberts]

whoa!!! those look like they could do a little damage on a varmit,'specially the toothed washers!ouch ,i might try some ,and minuteman did you even taper the points???

[Minuteman]

The nuts wouldn't fit without a little tapering. Just a shave off the first 1/4" of the shaft is all you need to get it started. If it stops turning before the tip gets to the end of the nut then back it off and shave a little more off. i use a pocket knife, you could abrade it with sandpaper or a rock for that matter.
 I shot the one in the picture through a piece of metal roofing yesterday afternoon and it was no worse for the wear!

[gene roberts]

 ,cool a peice of metal???i think me and my friends(Skyler and Don Wilson) are gonna bye some dowwel rods and nut,possibly some toothed washers