If you want fancy, don't look here.....Arrow Build Along (Update PG6)

Rooselk · January 21, 2011, 09:04:00 PM

Excellent so far.

1oldbowguy · January 21, 2011, 09:14:00 PM

Like what I see so far, MAY I HAVE MORE PLEASE? Oh yes, thank you.

Fletcher · January 21, 2011, 09:37:00 PM

Looking good so far, TW.

Pavan, POC will vary about 100 gr, Doug Fir about 150. Sitka Spruce has the most consistent weights I've found so far, maybe 50 gr in a hundred shafts Weights will run in a bell curve, most in the middle with fewer on the ends.

Stumpkiller · January 21, 2011, 09:38:00 PM

Hanging on pins and needles so far. Never tried spray urethane (I used to dip lacquer and lately have been wiping with spar polyurethane).

Keep it rolling.

(PS - like the victors kepi, too).

Wannabe1 · January 21, 2011, 09:47:00 PM

Stump, I found if you use slow even strokes, about 10" from shaft, it makes a nice coating. The steel wool helps the next coat look even smoother.

Thanks Fletcher, I really appreciate your patience with my questions.

January 21, 2011, 10:54:00 PM

I just got my new grain scale and went through some arrows I made. I am sorting them, relighting my pipe, sipping on Earl Grey tea, I should have used something to denote the batch, so I am grouping them by weight. Perhaps go with varied thread colors, i like to serve the first little bit of the lead end of the feathers. there is something calming about wood arrow building and fixing during the off season. Fletcher, thanks for the info. Surewoods and Doug Firs are on my to do list.

Fletcher · January 21, 2011, 10:56:00 PM

TW, you are very welcome. I really enjoy using stuff I've made. Helping others do the same seems natural to me.

straitera · January 21, 2011, 11:49:00 PM

Fletch sent me a new Reparrow he made specially for heavy stumpin. Great arrow Fletcher now w/135gr Judo installed. In the woods tomorrow. Great job Wannabe. Thanks both.

East Coast archer · January 22, 2011, 12:04:00 AM

I gotta add, Fletcher is always willing to answer questions just like most of the good folks on here. He's answered several for me and been a good help.

Ron+dog · January 22, 2011, 12:21:00 AM

you guys crack me up

Wannabe1 · January 22, 2011, 03:05:00 AM

I used a blower I had to speed up the drying time a little. Here are the shafts on their 3rd and last coating of urethane. Will hit them one more time with the steel wool (to me it is important to use a fine steel wool or the shaft will dry with a rough finish) and they'll be ready for the nock tapering.

magnus · January 22, 2011, 07:17:00 AM

TW your work bench is entirely to clean and organized.Lol!
I have 3 work areas and would be embarrassed to post pics of any of them. Great build along!

Wannabe1 · January 22, 2011, 12:07:00 PM

Thanks Matt but, it's a mess to me!

Ok, I tried to get a good pic of the shafts after drying and steel wool. They came out with a nice soft sheen and very uniform in color in my opinion. For tapering the nock ends, I use the Tru-Center Taper from 3R's and the Wiffen taper tool. I start with the Tru-Center Taper and finish with the Wiffen. Don't know why but, it works better for me that way. Individual results will vary.

liv2hunt · January 22, 2011, 12:22:00 PM

I always did like the smell of good pipe tobacco burning. Looking forward to the arrow building lesson.

Wannabe1 · January 22, 2011, 12:31:00 PM

If you're new to building arrows, one of the key factors for installing the nock is to ensure that the wood grain of your arrows is correct to the alignment of the string. By this I mean that the string runs vertical so the wood grain of the arrow needs to be horizontal. I like to use the classic nock due to the little bump on the side. I make sure it is in line with the wood grain plus it points to my cock feather.

longbowben · January 22, 2011, 12:34:00 PM

Looking good

Wannabe1 · January 22, 2011, 01:05:00 PM

Remembering to make sure my nock and grain are aligned, using Duco Cement, I then glue on my nocks after the tapering process. Some may think my taper is short but, I fill the nock with glue and then attach to end of arrow. This helps bring the nock flush to the arrow and I don't have to do any doctoring later. I've yet have a nock fail this way.

Cyclic-Rivers · January 22, 2011, 01:21:00 PM

Looking Good so far, I had to light my pipe to get the atmosphere right!

mnbearbaiter · January 22, 2011, 01:24:00 PM

Looks alot like my arrow making! I do nothing fancy to my arrows, just stain/seal/fletch/shoot! Good work!

Wannabe1 · January 22, 2011, 01:46:00 PM

Yep, these are for shooting and hunting. Not looking at! I've seen some beautiful arrows that would have been just to hard for me to shoot or hunt with. My arrows are tools and while not an arrow master builder, I build them to get the job done. I did the ones below some time back and hunted with them this last season.