Made some new arrows Saturday...

[Ray]

There is a mixture of several arrows here but the process is pretty much covered... I also retooled some older arrows...

Several coats of Tru Oil on the new shafts helped me finish them as the shafts were bare port orford cedar. In between the last coats I used steel wool. Each coat took about 20 minutes or so to dry.

I used a sander on the ends to taper the arrow shafts down so that the nock and the points fit snug. Each side (front and back) had a slightly different angle.



I glued the nock on and let it dry (prior to the fletching).



Shaft inserted inside the jig and ready for cock feather.



Feather ready to go into clamp.



Feather in clamp and on arrow shaft. I used the third notch on my jig for each feather in order to get uniform results. Let it dry. Since it was warm this drying only took about 15-20 minutes. Note that there is a small gap between the arrow shaft and the feather which is undesireable.  Make sure to fix that before you let it dry. There is no glue in photo however a small amount of Duco cement was what I used. If there is still a gap after it dries it can be fixed with small needles and Duco cement for a precision resolution. I had to do that on a few.




After the first feather dries I rotated the jig 2 more times and repeated the process above. I used a small pocket knife to trim the front of the feathers so that they do not catch on my fingers when they leave the rest. Results...



Using a hot melt adhesive glue I put on the points.




Some of the new ammunition.



The next batch will be with some zwickey broadheads.

[boneaddict]

Thats AWESOME RAY.  FOr all the patience I have in tying flies and such, I've never been able to make my own arrows.   Yesterday I went out and shot for the first time in awhile.  First three shots.....one was perfect, the next one high, clipped the top of my target, went sailing and never found the arrow. third did the same damn thing and this time the arrow shattered.  Kind of an expensive way to start. 

[tlbradford]

Thats AWESOME RAY.  FOr all the patience I have in tying flies and such, I've never been able to make my own arrows.   Yesterday I went out and shot for the first time in awhile.  First three shots.....one was perfect, the next one high, clipped the top of my target, went sailing and never found the arrow. third did the same damn thing and this time the arrow shattered.  Kind of an expensive way to start. 

Be glad you don't have boys.  I don't know how many raw shafts my dad donated to my friends and I for sword fights growing up.

[Ray]

I failed miserably on the attempt to craft my own string. This will require much more practice.

I forgot to mention that in the above I used 32 inch shafts. My draw is about 27.5 inches so I had to trim the shafts with a knife. I measured 29.5 inches from the nock groove to the end of the shaft and cut there.

Going to the range shortly to test out the new arrows.

[boneaddict]

What are you shooting them out of?

[Ray]

I went to the range for a test run. I think shortening the lengths down from standard 32 inch to the 29.5 inch from the nock groove has permitted me to be much more accurate than before.

The arrows are being launched from a Pacific Yew Classic Longbow. It is a 57 lb at 28 inch draw and has an overall length of 62 inches. This bow is fiberglass and Yew laminated, has an arrow rest and is naturally a very light bow for carrying wherever you go.

I have also tried out a new bow which Jay St. Charles has been crafting. It is made out of Ipe and is Hickory backed. This is an English style longbow without an arrow rest and shoots very very smooth. I have tried only a couple of different weights with this Hickory and Ipe bow but they always had a very natural feel. It has horned tips on each end. This is not a fiberglass laminated bow. I was thinking about getting one. Jay does not have any photos on his website of these bows. I am not sure why but I do know he has been selling them... The ipe he is using is a very dark wood and it seems like an incredibly durable wood as well. Matched with the hickory, they even look a little fancy. They are not custom bows as some people sell but I do like them a lot. I believe that actionshooter has seen them before.

If I could own a lot of bows I would like to get one of those Sapphire bows. Also one of these days I intend to make a self bow from vine maple. Perhaps this winter...

[DeKuma]

You have more patience than I do Ray!

Arrows sure look good though.  When I get into traditional, I would love to make my own.  My own bow to someday maybe.  After I buy the new Sapphire.  That is one good looking bow, and the product endorser here seems to handle it very well, so maybe his luck will rub off on mine too!

Looked at the Martin Dream Catcher the other day.  It is pretty, but priced close to the Sapphire.  I would rather have Ernine build me a custom than go that route.........

[Ray]

I don't know anything about Martin Dreamcatchers. I am wary of buying a bow that I cannot put my hands on  prior to making the purchase and or which was made by a factory when it comes to longbows and recurves. Sometimes these sort of bows just don't shoot as well as you want and one can be much different from another in such a way that makes it not good. However I do know that there are plenty of good ones as well. For that reason I cannot buy anything from a source other than someone like Ernie or Jay. These are the type of folks who put a lot of effort into their products and stand behind what they make. That is important to me as a customer.

[boneaddict]

Indeed, I wish I had time and money for multiple bows from these guys.  Both artisans, and thats what they are, a piece of art that works as a dang good tool. 

NEAT!!!!!!!!   I'm glad your arrows worked. 

[Slider]

Sweet!!!

[Crunchy]

Nice work.  Do you bother to weigh the arrows?  Seems like there could be more variance to each arrow.

[Ray]

I spine them sometimes to detect their rigidness. You can buy ones already subjected to this though. I usually get ones 55-60 lbs.

If they are all crafted from the same kind of wood then the weights should be pretty close to the same as long as the diameter and length is the same. Some people say there can be a 50 grain difference but I don't think that matters much when you're hucking them 30 yards and I have not noticed any degrading experiences.

I believe spining them is much more important than miniscule weight differences.

[Ray]

The new Zwickey Broadheads arrived. Time to match em up. I found my best shafts of the lot and lined em up.


Hot melt glue


Done

[boneaddict]

Those look kind of painful.

[MountainWalk]

bitchin', ray. when i first took up archery i shot a howatt bushmaster long bow, with cedar shafts.. i just dont really have the patience for them anymore.. went to alum.. now im with carbon, and im flirting with going back to alum.. seem to cast better for me..

i myself tried to make a string by following a traditional archery mag article.. i cannot do it.. good luck... ever shoot the howard hill heads?

[Ray]

I have never shot howard hill. I would say that I would try it out if it showed up in front of me.

I use aluminum arrow shafts for blunts and judo points (just picked em up them last year) with flu flus. Shooting birds or small game with cedar shafts doesn't seem very economical if they break. However I only took two shots at grouse last year and missed. I need to get in out of the western washington jungle before I consider shooting them. Or at least higher up where the forests are a little more open anyway..

[Gobble]

Nice Lookin arrows Ray! 

[tlbradford]

Here is an older model of the Howard Hill broadhead which I shot my first elk with.  This broadhead is from a batch ordered in 1981.  It finally drew blood in 1990.  They shoot really well if the wind is blowing too hard.  In a strong wind they get blown around pretty good.  I really like the two blades for cutting properties and getting through the ribs to the vitals, especially when I am only shooting around 200 fps.  I only have 3 of these left, but have some Zwickey Black Diamonds in reserve.