Does anyone else have alot of trouble using this thing? Mine cuts uneven, and on small shafts like 5/16's it doesn't really cut but chips. I have tried new blades and ever angle of the blades I can, and still looks like crap. Also, after taking alot of time staining and sealing, I always have a little exposed wood after tapering point end.
Any advise?
X2
Bought mine from a member on this site for $14 and tried it on 5/16 and 11/32. Only ruined 3 arras. sold it on **** for $10 + shipping and will try to pursue other venues. I've got an old hand crank pencil sharpener in my roll top desk that works better.
it'll work fine with some tuning. Actually it's not the easiest of things to set up. I havent used mine in quite awhile. I'm using a disc sander for the nock ends using a jig and the wood chuck for my point ends. You could do both with the WC but I don't, just seems to not quite do both well, does one or the other perfect but not quite both if you are setting up to shoulder a point.
Keep tinkering. And just because those blades are new doesnt mean it's sharp. I do know another arrow builder up here that does use a drill. He chucks his True Center in a vise...chucks the arrow up into the drill and does his nock ends. He says it'll work well this way on either end and with dull blades to boot.
You may also try flipping the blades over bevel down. And also try shimming them if you really want to use it and can't seem to get it to work. Like I said mine worked fine with a sharp blade (I sharpened them before using them) and I didnt have to bother with any of the tinkering other then adjusting for degrees.
I sharpened my blades too. That said, I like the little pocket taper tool I bought from The Nocking Point.
I bought one a few months ago and have tried every conceivable blade adjustment. It simply does not cut well at all. I get far better results from the cheap plastic "pencil sharpener" type. The shafts I tried it on have all been 11/32 cedars.
I like the whiffen better than the Trucenter.
My 70-75# 11/32 wouldn't even fit in the tool!
I tried two or three different ones--more trouble than they were worth to me. For times when I have just a couple to do, I use the pencil sharpener type from Kustom King. If I have a bunch to do, I use my Woodchuck.
Chad
When a $4 tool works better than a $25 tool, I buy the $4 tool. I know they CAN work. But life's too short to have to tune a simple tool that any kindergartner that has ever sharpened a pencil can do more eaily. I have considered selling mine but really didn't want to pass that frustration to someone else.
Ok, I feel better. I thought I was the only one. Its works ok on large diameter stiff arrows. But not 40# 5/16" arrows.
I think I am going to pay the arrow maker the 5 dollars to do it. I just ruined more than 5 dollars of arrows.
I have found that the better the shaft fits in the tru-center guide,(read that "snug") the better it will cut. I also believe that it has something to do with the placement of the blade in relation to the edge of the mounting surface. I mean, how much difference can there be in little razor blades?
Geez, now I'm gonna have to look at my taper tools and see what's different about them.
BigCountry,
I have two, I like the way they work, just make sure the blade is sharp.
The first one I bought was really dull.
yup, i tinkered with it for a long time. it worked fine on the nock end. completly worthless on the point end. i bought the plastic pencile type sharpeners, and won't look back.
I lightly chuck the nock end to a drill and taper the point end with "drill power". Seems to come out pretty good most of the time. Otherwise I get blisters after a couple of shafts.
130 bucks for a Woodchuck seems like a bunch till you read a thread like this one.
I was never able to make good tapers with the Tru center tool.
130 bucks for a Woodchuck seems like a bunch till you read threads like this one.
I was never able to make good tapers with the Tru center tool.
Luke, you big weenie LOL...blisters, pfffft.
I wasted money on one as well. :) The little plastic ones work far better.
I got a tru-center for free from a friend. The only reason I took the time to "tune" it is because it was cheaper than the pencil sharpener ones. Once they're adjusted properly they work great. Like someone had said earlier, make sure you have the right size guide for the shafts you're tapering.