A handful of arrows

[M2A]

Hi Folks. As I have never posted outside of the bow topic, I'm expanding my horizons here.

Just finished 7 arrows to supplement my ever dwindling supply of target arrows. 5 tulip poplar and 2 Doug fir. I ripped the blanks from boards last winter and rounded them on a table saw jig a made. Prior to these I have about 20 under my belt made this way so still a work in progress.

Shafts have some walnut husk stain bands, fletchings are goose except for the 1 flu -flu that has turkey tail feather. These are the 1st arrows I fletched not using commercial pre cut fletchings. As I don't have a burner or cutter I did by hand. It was an evolution of methods getting them cut and quills ground so by the time I was on the last arrow things were going well. lol

6 of the arrows are 2 different cut styles 1) I left the leading edge full length. I had seen this design in a book but for the life of me cant find the reference right now. Just had to try it. 2) Just a straight  cut parallel to the quill. All fletchings are 5"

I have about 10 more from this batch I'd like to complete this winter. I hope to progress more towards natural builds using self nocks, pitch glue, ect. I have some POC shafts and everything to make a set of those and I may do that but its much more fun for me to try and see how much I can do from scratch.

They should work well but in hindsight I maybe should have shortened to fletchings to 4 inches for less drag. Comments good or bad always welcome. Thanks for looking.
Mike 

     
IMG_2429 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_2425 (2) by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_2430 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr                   

IMG_2428 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_2426 (2) by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_2424 (2) by Mike Allridge, on Flickr
   

[Morgan]

Nice mike!
 I’ve got a bundle of river cane and a sack full of feathers that I need to get to work on but for some reason I just can’t get the wheels rolling. What are you using to grind your feathers? If you’re wanting a feather burner, someone posted a simple but nice homemade one here some time back. I think I have the topic saved somewhere.

[burchett.donald]

  Nice clean work Mike...Douglas Fir is A1 shafting...That's all I shoot now...
 
                                                                                                                       Don
                                                                 

[Trapper Rob]

Those are some sharp looking arrows very nice work.

[Danzn Bar]

Nice looking arras …….next time try some self nocks.
DBar

[M2A]

Thanks guys.
I settled on using my belt sander Morgan. Only concern was using my straight fletching jig clamp to hold it. Worked well but sure don't want to mess up that clamp by getting too close.
Hope to get some more doug fur blanks cut this winter Don. In fact I lucked out a few weeks ago at found some 4x4's with nice tight grain and few knots. I used some of the boards to lean the arrows on in the last 2 pictures.
Plan to self nock the next few I make Dbar. I do want to see how they will  hold up.
Mike
 

[ohma2]

Good lookin arrows ,i am a flu flu shooter me and my bunch had lots of fun with them.

[M2A]

Thanks Ohma!

[Hawkdancer]

Nice set!  How do they shoot? 
Hawkdancer

[M2A]

Thanks Hawkdancer. Unfortunately I was unable to shoot them yet. Someone forgot to put the hot glue back in my box I keep all my arrow supplies  . Hope to try them this week now that I found it. Most of the arrows I shoot are tulip poplar, they seem to hold up better for me and are not too heavy. Plus I have been able to get it for free. Will let you know after I try them out. Mike

[JW_Halverson]

I like 'em.

[Pappy]

Good looking set of arrows, one for all occasions. 
 Pappy

[M2A]

Thanks JW and Pappy.


I did find the resource for the inspiration to leave a leading edge of the fletching longer on a couple, so figured I'd share the photos I took at the Smithsonian a year or 2 ago. Not the best pictures...     Mike

 IMG_1075 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_1077 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_1081 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr