Arrow build-a-long

[Urufu_Shinjiro]

All the wrap is really doing is discouraging the wood/boo from splitting so getting right up to the bottom is not necessary, if it's going to split in the mm between the bottom and the wrap then you had a problem before you even started on that shaft, lol.

[Eric Krewson]

I drill out the nock end of the cane and glue in a inch long hardwood dowel before I cut my nock. This way the hardwood dowel eliminates the need for wrapping by making the shaft solid. I do the same on the point end.

I have shot my cane arrows a good bit and never had one split.

[osage outlaw]

I got the rest of the nocks wrapped.  I put a couple drops of superglue on the thread and spin in against my finger to smooth it out.  I use a latex glove to keep it from sticking to my finger.  When it dries I put a second coat on them.  I plug the point end like Eric does.  I bought some tiny dowel rods yesterday. 

[DC]

Looking Good. Are you wrapping the nocks freehand or on an arrow lathe? I found that when I used CA on nock wrapping it left it so abrasive that it tore the skin off my fingers . Does spinning them with the rubber gloves stop that?

[osage outlaw]

I wrap them by hand.  Spinning them on my finger smooths the superglue.

[osage outlaw]

I drilled the ends of the shafts out with a 1/8" drill bit and glued in a dowel for a plug.  Now I will be able to taper them for points. 

[lebhuntfish]

Looking good bud!

Patrick

[osage outlaw]

To many other projects are slowing this one down a little.  I did get the arrows tapered and put some field points on a few of them.  When I shot them they all entered the target at an angle like this. 

[TRACY]

Clint bare shafting is pretty simple, like was said you do need to be consistent on anchor, but I just leave them pretty long, and what ever tip weight I plan on using. Then get close, say 7 or 8 yards, line up straight with the target, shoot, for a right handed shooter if the arrow hits the target leaning left it is to weak, cut it off a bit, if it is really bad left slant , cut maybe and inch to start, just keep doing that until it hits in the target straight, maybe a little nock high. As you get closer be sure to shoot it more than once and take off less at a time. If it hits with a right slant you will have to add point weight or sand the shaft to weaken it up. You can make a really nice set of flying arrows by doing them one at a time. It takes time but to me well worth it. If I see anything but nock when I shoot and arrow I ant happy with it.
 Pappy


Looks like what your dealing with. Great post and learning a lot!

Tracy

[bjrogg]

That doesn't surprise me one bit Clint also keep track of which way you have them on bow, you might flip it over and have it shoot good. Have to make sure you turn it right direction when you fletch it

[Knoll]

keep track of which way you have them on bow, you might flip it over and have it shoot good. Have to make sure you turn it right direction when you fletch it

+1

[Aaron H]

Clint when your arrows enter the target nock left like you have there, that means your arrows are under spined.   You could either reduce point weight, or shorten the shaft until it enters your target straight.

[osage outlaw]

Thanks for all the help guys.  I spent most of the day messing with bare shaft tuning the arrows.  I got some interesting results.  I marked one side of the nocks so I could tell which side I had on top.  On some shafts that really made a difference.  I found out that the shafts are over spined for most of my target selfbows in the 45 lb range.  Even when I left them the full 33" long.  About half of the shafts shot straight out of a Pearly bow that I traded for at Marshall.  It's marked 45 lbs @ 27" but it feels much heavier than that.  I plan on using that bow to hunt with this fall so I set aside those shafts.  Since the other shafts are to heavy spined for my other selfbows I decided to try them out of 2 FG recurves that I have.  One is a short and heavy poundage bow and the other is a longer and lighter weight bow.  This is where things got interesting.  The remaining shafts showed they where to weak spined for the longer light weight bow.  When I shot them out of the short heavy bow some shot straight and some were to stiff.  Both bows are center shot.  That really confused me.  I can't figure out why they are weak spined for the lighter weight bow.  There is probably a 10 lb difference in draw weight.  I found half a dozen shafts that shot well out of the short recurve and set those aside.  The remaining shafts will need to be shortened to fit the longer recurve.  This is the first time I've ever tested shafts like this.  It was a real eye opener for me.  Usually I just spine them and cut them to 28". 

My taper tool kept chattering on the bamboo shafts.  It left a very rough surface.  I bought a taper gauge block from Ed Neat at the Classic.  I don't have any round sanding discs so I had to make it work on the belt.  I used a hot glue gun with gorilla glue sticks to put the field points on the shafts.  It seems to work really good.  I tried pulling a few points off with pliers and they wouldn't budge.  It was a lot easier than using that amber colored hot melt glue. 



 

[osage outlaw]

I forgot to ask about helical fletching.  I normally use a straight jig.  I have both left and right handed.  I would like to use one of those jigs on these arrows.  Does one shoot better out of a RH bow?  Does it matter what wing feathers I use?

[bjrogg]

Very interesting Osage. Curious if anyone has any answers for you about your bare shaft test results.