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Do you build your own arrows?
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<JB Florida>
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Hello again!

Do you build your own arrows?
I am coming up on needing some more and I'm considering getting the tools and parts to make them up myself.....
If you make them, what tools do you have?

Thanks again,
John
 
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John,
I buy the shafts (xx75)and have them trimmed to length by the store.
They debur the trimmed end and then I go home.
I Glue the inserts in with Epoxy and Glue the Nocks on with fletchtite.
I have a fletching jig for a single arrow and will watch TV and fletch arrows. Mine cost about $25.00 or so and is made out of a Black PLastic like material. It is alot like the Blitzenburg(sp?) jig and works very well. It came with a coller for 3 and 4 fletches that is interchangeable.

You can buy your own cut-off saw if you want but to me it is an expensive that dosn't pay for it's self as I don't make dozens of dozens of arrows in a year.

Hope this helps
Greg
 
Posts: 1525 | Location: Hilliard Oh USA | Registered: 17 May 2002Reply With Quote
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Hello JB,

You didn't say "wood or aluminum", but both are fairly easy to assemble from raw shafts.

I've assembled some aluminum arrows, and re-fletched a bunch more. I use a single vane fletching jig ($25?), and bought a very cheap cut-off tool from Harbor Freight (a 4" angle wheel grinder - $25 and cut-off support fixture - $9, if I recall). A lot cheaper than the $100 arrow cut-off fixture, but no "ruler" so I use a tape. I clamp the cut-off wheel fixture and a "stop" to the bench (set for proper length), and use a screw-in field point and pliers to remove/install the inserts with hot glue. The "hardest" part is probably setting up the fletching jig to get the vanes placed where I want them. It does take a while to do them one vane at a time, and always end up putting on a new nock because it never works out to be in the correct position. If doing a "new" arrow, don't glue on the nock until you're done fletching, or put just enough on to keep it from moving so that you can use the same one. I prefer feathers, but they don't seem to take abuse as well as plastic vanes.

Any other questions, let me know!

Bill
 
Posts: 1169 | Location: USA | Registered: 23 January 2002Reply With Quote
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I do both wood and alum. A good fletching jig is a must. I use a tubeing cutter with a drill bit inside the shaft for my alum. And for wood you will need a taper tool. Use latex paints and water poly for my woods thats allows you to fletch with "duco" cement. I have found the most important part for me is getting the knocks perfectly straight.
Dean
 
Posts: 1057 | Location: adirondacks,NY ,USA | Registered: 30 December 2001Reply With Quote
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I use a Jo Jan multi fletch 80$, fletch tite glue, XX75 gamegetter green shafts, Marco Vanes, Marco nocks
 
Posts: 39 | Location: Sacramento Ca. | Registered: 23 July 2002Reply With Quote
<waldog>
posted
The black plastic-like fletching tool amosgreg is describing is made by "grayling". It works quite well and fletches bot 3 and 4 fletch. Whatever your fletching jig make sure it is left or right helical according to the fleathers you can get. Either will work. The local archery shop where I get my shafts is more than happy to cut to legnth for free and the inserts are just pennies, sooo......

Anyway, I once built and shot wood shafts exclusively, and probably would today if I had a convient sorce and the time to do so. Anymore I just crown dip my aluminums and carbons for enhanced visibility, then fletch.
 
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<Mark Mcdeavitt>
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Hey JB
I build both alluminun and wood. Depends on what you would like to do to your arrows. I dip and crest both types of arrows.this can get a little costly. A good source for these materials is 3 Rivers Archery. they are very reputable. In case you are looking for wood shafts, they stock all types, spine weights you'll need.

Shoot straight,
Mark
 
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<JB Florida>
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Thanks everyone!

I called to order a 3 rivers catalog.

Bow season is six weeks out for us here in Alabama

John
 
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Anyquestions , please feel free to ask.
 
Posts: 55 | Registered: 12 August 2005Reply With Quote
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I do my own fletching and gluing on carbon shafts - not exactly making my own arrows!

One tip is to use the Arizona EZ-Fletch jig to glue your fletches. It's a decent tool for the guy who just does his own arrows- not a huge production run. I use the aluminum version for the modern carbon shafts - 6 degree Right Helical spins 'em nicely.

I use NPV cement to glue the fletches. I clean with denatured alcohol first.

I use PowerBond to glue the inserts.


Don_G

...from Texas, by way of Mason, Ohio and Aurora, Colorado!
 
Posts: 1645 | Location: Elizabeth, Colorado | Registered: 13 February 2004Reply With Quote
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I make all of my own arrows from wood to carbon.

What kind of arrows are you wanting to make? That makes a big difference in the equipment you need.

In simplest terms you will need a cut-off tool for aluminum and carbon. You can buy the actual arrow cut-off tool or use a dremel. Just make sure that you square the end. A piece of sandpaper works for both carbon and aluminum. The Axis type shafts comes with it's own stone.

A fletching jig, plenty to choose from. I have 6 Bitzenburger's that I use.

I use 24 hour epoxy for the components and super glue gel for the fletching.

Wood arrrows are a whole nother ballgame. First you need find good quality shafts.
Straighten them.
Spine them and match them for weight.
Straighten them again
Grind nock and point tapers.
Straighten them again and keep the ones that stay straight. Use the discards for bang around arrows or tomatoe stakes.
Seal the arrows to keep the moisture out. I use 8-10 coats of an epoxy finish that I mix myself.
Glue the nock and fletching on with Duco. Epoxy the points on.

Out of 100 shafts I will get roughly 2-3 dozen high quality matched arrows.

Then of course if you want to get fancy, you can stain the shafts, cap and crest or whatever else you want to do.
 
Posts: 2034 | Location: Black Mining Hills of Dakota | Registered: 22 June 2005Reply With Quote
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SDHunter,

You might try the PowerBond for gluing inserts. It beats any 24 hour epoxy that I have tried by a factor of 3 for toughness and longevity - and I really beat on my arrows when prepping for Africa. It seems to be a bit more elastic than the epoxies.


Don_G

...from Texas, by way of Mason, Ohio and Aurora, Colorado!
 
Posts: 1645 | Location: Elizabeth, Colorado | Registered: 13 February 2004Reply With Quote
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Don,
Thanks for the tip. I'm always trying new stuff, but normally just use what's in the shop.
 
Posts: 2034 | Location: Black Mining Hills of Dakota | Registered: 22 June 2005Reply With Quote
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