Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Elusive One on January 24, 2007, 09:48:00 PM
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Arrows are going to be a problem for me I feel in my future. In my present finacial condition I can't justify spending much money on this new addiction. I have read about alot of ppl making their own arrows and I feel it is something I can learn.
My question is can someone give me a guess on what kind of money I would need to get the tools needed to make my own arrows. I am practically tooless(sp?) except for basic mechanics tools. And if someone doesn't mind taking the time could I possibly get a list of the basic tools?
Thanks,
Elu
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I am a newbie myself...on my second batch of arrows. I have found a lot of info in the how to section under main forums. Otherwise, do what you are doing, Im sure someone who knows more than I do will set you straight.
As for tools...a lot of it you can make and/or improvise. Good luck....
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I'll help you anyway I can Elu. If you are wanting to make wooden arrows that is. All you need is a small hand plane and some sandpaper and some wood. Click on this link and you will see how I and a lot of others make arrows from boards. Roy
web page (http://tradgang.com//noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=039622)
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You are really only going to NEED two things: a Fletching jig and a tapering tool. A Bitzenburger is about the best jig, IMO, and costs about $60+ new. There are also good others available for less or used. Tapering for nocks and points is pretty critical. The Tru Center is OK but a disk sander w/ guide jig is best and well worth the extra. These two tools won't make fancy arrows, but the rest of a GOOD arrow is simply craftsmanship.
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Here's what I've put into my new arrow bench:
Ebay: Arrow saw $29.00, 3 battery operated motors for making a cresting machine $9.00.
Others: New bitz arrow fletcher LW about $75, 2 arrow dipping tubes $2.50, paint/feathers $60-70. Total so far: $175-185.
Now I just need some shafts- thinking now of going with CarbonExpress Heritage rather than Goldtip Trads. $70/dozen. So, to fletch my first dozen, looking at about $250.
But, I'm certainly not doing it to save money. I can't wait to shoot my own arrows with character that I've put into them.
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Thanks for the link and the information.
And thanks Roy for the offer. If I have questions for ya should i just post in this forum or pm you?
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and the truth is, you can get away without using a fletching jig if you have to, and some guys love the really cheap taper tools that look like pencil sharpeners. I have found the most expensive part is that as soon as I finish one batch of arrows, I start buying stuff for my next batch. I just can't quit.
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WEll, when i started making my own arrows i had nothing, i would taper my shafts with a knife and sand paper, and would sit there and hold the feathers in place as i glued them.
I would not advise doing that as you tend to get a little frustrated with the hole lot. i went out and got a fletching jig and a taper tool and making arrows is one of my best bits about archery for me.
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I bought a couple of Wiffen tapering tools,theyre the cheap ones but they wok pretty fine.You can make dip tubes out of pvc tubes for polly.If your planning on cap/crown dipping, you can substitute spray paint instead of dipping.Jo-jan fletching jigs seem to be the cheapest and work pretty good too.Lok on the classifieds here and youll find some good deals.Im new to arrow building too but with the info people share here I feel confident that I can ask and find virtually any advice Im looking for.A great tool this site is and a lot of good dudes here more than willing to help.Good luck and enjoy.
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(pencil sharpener) taper tool, fletching jig, shafts, nocks, fletching tape ( the best for beginners )& points.. if your going to be doing wood'n arrows.. Try the sponsors for prices, I like Raptor Archery ( That's me )but there is others out there just as good.
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I use a Bitz fletcher myself, but you can get a Grayling fletcher for about $35.00 new. I have used them to, and they did a very good job. A whifen taper tool will work for about $4.50, then all you need is some shafts, and feathers, and you can cut your own feathers to.
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Well, if you REALLY want to talk cheap, you can buy 100 birch dowels from American Woodcrafters Supply for $25.00 or so, collect feathers from your buddies who hunt birds, and use self nocks filed into the shaft itself. Point tapers can be carefully cut with a pocket knife,or you can use .38 special cases.The feathers can be glued on and held to the shaft with pins until they dry. First step up would be a taper tool of some kind, around $5.00 or so, then on to whatever you want to spend.
Everything after that just streamlines the process.
Good luck!
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Good wooden arrows are not cheap to make. The least expensive arrow and the straightest will be an aluminum. Shafts will run in the $32.00-$35.00 a dozen range. You will need nocks about 10 cents each by the hundred and feathers around $38.00 a hundred. Finally a good fletching jig, buy a Bitzenburger they are the best and will probably out last you. Quality tapered wood arrows that will take a broadhead are going to cost you nearly $5.00 each to make. In the long run good carbons are probaly the cheapest when you take breakage in to consideration.
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go find some river cane or dogwood shafts (free in the woods)...or many other types of shoots. find some turkey feathers....i get most of mine from road kill and some deer sinew. after that all you need is points....maybe knapp some or can make them from nails pretty easily. no money, just time and patients.
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Bottom line, over the long haul it is cheaper to just buy arrows, but where in is the satifaction.
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All good from above. I myself have made arrows fro 12 years now. When I started I used pencil sharpener type taper tool $4 than and my dipp tubes were PVC an end cap and a funnel. I still use oil poly mixed 70% to 30% paint thinner. I have a jo-jan fletcher $50 twenty years ago. Than ya need shafts and feathers. I would say to do start from finish one dozen POC the first time ya can get away with less than $100 bucks and almost half that cost would be feathers and shafts. Shawn
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Get a Martin J-8 fletcher, $25 and a Whiffen taper tool, $5. Use dowels for shafts. I use wipe-on poly and don't even stain most of the time. You can make beater arrows for about $1 apiece.
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I started making my own (wood)arrows in the last year.
As stated above, the most expensive part seems to be the fletching jig.
I bought the Bitz. I like it, it gets great reviews. $70. (will outlast the original owner, in this case, it's ME)
Next in line, is the tru-taper. Feedback seems to be "love it or hate it". I love mine. $30.
I buy shafts (cedar) from 3Rivers, for about $28.
per dozen.
Get the feathers in the colors you like. I like them to be screaming bright.
Field tips or blunts for stumps, you decide.
Honestly, it's that first $100 that kills you, but you will not need to spend it again.
I LOVE shooting arrows I made myself. I'll get fancy with cresting later on, but for what I listed above, I'm in business.
Go for it! (by the way, it's EASY!)
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Elu, good info above. You can post your questions here, that way lots of good folks can give you their opinions.
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When you guys mention buyign shafts are those ready to go or do you still do some work on them?
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I use carbon arrows and one of the reasons I do is that in the long run their the cheapest you can make. All you need is a fletching jig and either have the shafts cut to length where you buy them or get a little back saw and fixture from a hobby store about $10.00. I use a jo jan fletching jig and it works just fine for about half the cost of a Bitz.Try fletching tape its great and very fast.
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I buy the plain cedar shafts from 3Rivers,
and wipe a coat (or two) of stain on them.
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The bitz is a great jig from what I understand, but my 30 dollar job has lasted for years and it's still going strong.
Make yourself a spine tester so you can use dowels and avoid the high cost of prespined shafts. You can make one for under 20 dollars.
You'll need a scale too. Those 25 dollar digital ones are hard to beat both for cost and ease of use.
I actually started a thread like this awhile back and my total output for tools was like 120 dollars. Can't remember the exact amount but it was less than 2 dozen finished arrows.
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Those 25 dollar digital ones are hard to beat both for cost and ease of use.
I'd love to get a hold of a decent scale for around this cost, can someone point me in the right direction?
(don't think it hijacks the thread LOL the O.P. may want one too :bigsmyl: )
Brandon
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Ok dowels vs shafts guys.... since I have more time than money would dowels be the way to go? Or boards into squares into arrows? I dont mind working on something in the least bit. And if boards..are they boards I can get at Lowes (Only real lumber place in town.)
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Your cheapest option for shafts is to use shoots. There is a lot of good info about what kind of shoots to look for, and how to make arrows out of them, on this site. If you are resourceful, you can pretty much make anything you need for next to nothing. In most cases there is a thread on this site showing you how someone made it.
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The shafts you buy from archery suppliers are ready to be made into arrows as is. They are spined into groups, and you can have the nock and point tapers cut if you wish. The dowels are just that, dowels. They will need to be sorted for grain runout, knots, etc. and then flexed to be sure they really want to be arrows. After that, you will need to spine them to your bow. This can be as simple as shooting them to see how they fly, or you can buy or make a spine tester. Remember, a longer arrow and big feathers will cover a lot of variance in spine.
There will be some waste in 100 dowels, but at .25 cents each, it's still worth it, IMO.
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I'm with Scattershot. It's true that the cheapest option is shoots. But shoots require a good bit more work than dowels. So does planing them from boards. When I consider everything....the price of prespined shafts vs the work and time involved with shoots or boards, dowels are the best option for me. I have more than a couple bows of different draw weights and arrow pass widths, so I can use more than one spine group. Plus there are arrows for the wife and kids. So the only dowels that won't get used are those with bad grain run out.
If you want only a couple spine groups from dowels, my suggestion would be to buy 3/8 and sand them until you can reach the spine you want. You can also leave them longer or shorter to manipulate spine.
And even if you use shoots or plane them from boards, you are still going to end up with a wide variety of spines.
Ultimately it's a personal choice. I definately admire well made shoot arrows. I'd just like to take some of the work and time out of it and end up with good arrows a little faster. But NOT at the prices they want for prespined shafts.
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the advatage of using natural shoots, river cane or reed is that the spine is less important and more forgiving than turned arrows. also, even if you do buy shafts, which there is no real reason to do, self nock them (with tile cutting blade on a hack saw frame). at most, you might pay for field points for your arrows. the idea of even suggesting buying carbon arrows is pretty absurd (especially on a traditional sight) there is no possible way that they are cheaper than wood arrows. if you have more time than money, why not try making some primitive arrows....it is fun, satisfying and cheap (free).
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I have a Jo-Jan Multi fletch, 6 arrows $82. Shafts, fell into 50 tapered Cedar for $42. Feathers full length 100 @$35. Chopper $23. Glue $2, nocks $0.10 each. tain, whatever was in the garage when we bougfht the house.
Even with aluminum buying shafts and feathers will save you a few dollars per dozen. Ovwer time it pays off.
Carbons do last longer but then they have no soul. :-)