Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: wv lungbuster on January 14, 2011, 02:03:00 PM

Title: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: wv lungbuster on January 14, 2011, 02:03:00 PM
Anyone use this method instead of a wood chuck tapering tool.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: lpcjon2 on January 14, 2011, 02:09:00 PM
look at this from the How to section and yes many do use it.
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000059
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Dave Worden on January 14, 2011, 02:12:00 PM
Sure, I taper woodies on my 9" disc sander.  I drilled a hole in 2 blocks of wood and glued them to a base at the proper angles.  Then I insert the shaft through the hole and rotate it against the disc till it's properly tapered.  You can also just cut V-grooves into a base and use that guide your arrows.  The V-groove will accomodate any diameter of arrow, while the blocks that I have will only accomodate one size.  Just don't let the sander pull the shaft into the disc (unless you want really short arrows!).
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Fletcher on January 14, 2011, 02:19:00 PM
I like a "V" groove type guide and you will want a stop of some sort.  AMAW makes a V guide block with both the nock and point angles already set.  Several of the sponsor suppliers, incl me, have them for $11-12.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Davesea on January 14, 2011, 02:37:00 PM
I finally changed over to sanding my tapers.  Works great.  I try to keep my shop tools to a minimum, so I use a sanding disc on my table saw (woodcraft sells it).  I bought Tim's Taper tool which works great and allows you to set up quickly and accurately without using clamps.
Dave
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on January 14, 2011, 04:50:00 PM
Absolutely! A belt sander clamped gently on its side on a lump of board (it becomes a portable arrow tapering tool, to lend to friends, and because I don't have a proper work bench), and a guide block from 3Rivers.

(http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/Archery%20Craft/IMG_0426.jpg)
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: magnus on January 14, 2011, 05:43:00 PM
O use one as well. Love it.

Keeping the faith!
Magnus
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Jason Kendall on January 14, 2011, 05:58:00 PM
I used a block like Bens above with the disc on the side of my belt sander, worked great, the cedar made the shop smell good too!
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: JamesV on January 14, 2011, 07:15:00 PM
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd390/Hy42dra/Arrowtaper2.jpg)

(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd390/Hy42dra/Arrowtaper.jpg)
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: traditional beagle on January 14, 2011, 07:28:00 PM
What's wrong with just using a 4 dollar plastic taper tool. These jigs are great but I don't see the logic. A taper is a taper isn't it.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: magnus on January 14, 2011, 09:13:00 PM
Beagle. There is nothing wrong with the hand held. If you do a lot of arrow making though the blades will dull quickly. If you only do a few dozen a year then the hand held will be just dandy for you. Plus I like excuses to fire up my power tools.

Keeping the Faith!
Magnus
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on January 15, 2011, 12:32:00 AM
I bought the very best hand-held taper tool, and couldn't get it to work on Douglas fir.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: portugeejn on January 15, 2011, 12:46:00 AM
Yup, Doug Fir didn't work on my hand-held taper tool either.  It just tore out chunks of wood.  

RonP
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Green on January 15, 2011, 06:07:00 AM
Here's what I made....can't take credit for it as I got the idea off Youtube, but it's simple to use and was easy to build.

 (http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n525/rgreen1958/PointTaperJig.jpg)
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 15, 2011, 08:21:00 AM
Trad beagle the hand held style is too small on occasion. If you put an extra coat or two of poly on the shaft it wont fit inside nicely, causing burns and flakes. I prefer the disc sander. And as stated above doug fir splinters badly on a pencil sharpener style. Yes some gadgets are for fun, but some are out of neccesity.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Gator1 on January 15, 2011, 10:44:00 AM
Great thread here.

Since I don't have a disc sander of any type, I was wondering, what is the most cost effective way to go?

I'd like to get into building some woodies, but I understand the importance of an accurate nock/point taper.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 15, 2011, 01:19:00 PM
Gator I have never used anyhting but the plastic pencil sharpener style and my belt sander. I would look into the tru taper tool, probably much better than the plastic style. If you were to buy a woodchuck taper tool you could take the same money and buy a belt sander.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: wv lungbuster on January 15, 2011, 02:14:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by PEARL DRUMS:
Gator I have never used anyhting but the plastic pencil sharpener style and my belt sander. I would look into the tru taper tool, probably much better than the plastic style. If you were to buy a woodchuck taper tool you could take the same money and buy a belt sander.
Thats what I was thinking about the woodchuck taper tool. For less money you can buy a belt/disc sander combo. And have a tool for multi use.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: COOCH on January 15, 2011, 02:39:00 PM
Besides I think we all have a bit of TIM TAYLOR the TOOL TIME guy in us.   :goldtooth:
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Jack Denbow on January 15, 2011, 03:07:00 PM
If you have access to a table saw you can replace the blade with a sanding disc and make a couple of guides to do your tapers. That is what I did for about 20 years.
Two years ago I bought a 4x36 belt/disc sander and a Tims Taper tool,  available from Wes Wallace and Bull Mountain Archery. This freed up my table saw and a big sander that I used to put on the 10" taper. I now have a stand alone unit to put my nock/point tapers and 10" tapers on my shafts, plus I can hook it up to a vacuum.
Using a sander type tool you can do any kind of wood you choose to use. If funds are limited I would buy the belt/disc sander and get one of the jigs from AMAW then when funds become available get the point/nock Tims Taper Tool. Then if you want to do a 10" taper you can purchase that part.
Jack
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Walt Francis on January 15, 2011, 03:31:00 PM
I went through the several hand taper tools (tru-taper) but as stated before, they didn't work on all types of wood and they were not very precise.  Next, I tried the disc sander and table saw with jigs and spent more time setting them up then it took to taper a dozen arrows.  Bought a wood chuck and never regretted it, it is always there and ready when needed.  I should have saved the time and money and bought the woodchuck to start with.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: flint kemper on January 15, 2011, 04:27:00 PM
The critical factor is to have accurate tapers for the nock and point and using a disc sander of some sort is the key. If you nock taper is not dead on then your nock will not set on straight and that causes problems same for the point. Spend the money on any of the above products mentioned if you build any amount of wood arrows at all and be done with it. Flint
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Gator1 on January 15, 2011, 05:32:00 PM
Can you do a 10" Taper with the woodchuck?  Or is it strictly for Nocks and Points?

Thank you,
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: wv lungbuster on January 15, 2011, 06:02:00 PM
Nock and point only Mitch. I think I'm just going to with the belt/disc sander and arrow guide block. I don't think it will be to much of a hassle to clamp the arrow guide into place.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: traditional beagle on January 15, 2011, 06:07:00 PM
Yeah, I get it guys. I don't do enough wood arrows to justify rigging up a jig. Only a dozen every couple years.
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: Eric Krewson on January 16, 2011, 08:44:00 AM
Simple ideas from simple minds I guess. I made this jig with a piece of wood to go in a miter slot of the table. No set up required if I take it off my sander, just slide it back in the miter slot and it is perfectly adjusted and ready to go. Perfect tapers every time.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/Archery%20%20pics/arrowtaperjig-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: JamesV on January 16, 2011, 10:50:00 AM
you can also use a table saw, just take an old blade and glue a sanding disk to it if you don't have a sander.

James...............
Title: Re: Tapering arrows on a belt/ disc sander
Post by: SEMO_HUNTER on January 16, 2011, 11:29:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by traditional beagle:
What's wrong with just using a 4 dollar plastic taper tool. These jigs are great but I don't see the logic. A taper is a taper isn't it.
Maybe this explanation will help.

I spent exactly zero $0 on my jig that I use for tapering woodies on my belt sander. I already had the belt sander and the piece of scrap wood was in a box of scrap I keep in my garage. Why pay $4 bucks for a tool that I don't need?
The logic is, use what you already have on hand. If you don't have a belt sander then get the taper tool, if you already have a belt sander then take a few minutes and make a jig for it. It's very simple and it's all that I have ever used. Takes me about one minute on each end to taper the point and the nock ends.
Doesn't get much simpler than that.  :thumbsup: