What have you found to be the best way to cut the nock grove in river cane to get the right width? And do you drill a hole for the bottom of the string grove before cutting the slot?

After plugging the end of the shaft, I just use three broken hacksaw blades taped together to cut in the nock and finish it up with a 1/8" nicholson rattail file.

After plugging the end of the cane with a hardwood dowel 1" long, I use a tile cutter blade in a hack saw frame to make my slot and then sand with 100 grit to clean up/shape/fit.

It's not necessary to plug the cane if you intend to sinew wrap it below the nock later or if you cut your nock right above a node.

Just like the Ferret said,,round tile cutter blade in a hacksaw frame. I also have a very small rattail file and of course sandpaper to clean it all up. This made self nocks alot quicker and easier for me.

The round tile cutting blade is a good idea! Would save some time cleaning up the nock.

I just discovered a Dremel bit (#542) that works great for nocks:

 

After plugging the cane with a dowel, I use the dremel.  It cuts a perfect nock.  

I used to use a tile blade but have found this tool much quicker, easier, and more precise.

Once cut, I smooth the sides of the nock with a tile blade to prevent them cutting into the string at full draw.  Then sand smooth with sand paper.

Jeff that looks kinda thin, do you make several passes with it or are you shooting one of those skinny new strings?

i have a tile cutting saw and it is just the right width for my strings and i cut them to the depth of a regular noc and then round off the bottom with some sand paper. the bottom of the noc is a node after rounding i put sinew around it then glue. done      

QuoteOriginally posted by the Ferret:
Jeff that looks kinda thin, do you make several passes with it or are you shooting one of those skinny new strings?

Mickey,

It's thin but is almost wide enough with one pass.  But the beauty of it is that the entire bit is covered with an abrasive so simply moving the bit side to side will widen the nock while maintaining depth.  

Also, the radius of the blade is perfect depth for a nock.  (you cannot cut too deep)

Jeff

I took my dremel and put two of the steel cutting abrasive disk together and cut my slots.  By the time I sanded them smooth and finished the bottom with a small rattail file, the fit perfect with just a slight snap on the string.  Thanks everyone.  Got the nocks seniewed last night, now goint to work on the fletching.  Going to try different glues to get the feathers set first and then seniew them down.  Any one tried fletch tape on them?

Oh yea, bout all I use anymore. Great stuff. So easy. Lightly sand the fletch area first to get good adhesion.I then sinew wrap the leading edges and smear tite bond 3 on it to waterproof it.

I cut the nock right above the node and use a tile cutting rasp no need for a plug it is solid and never have any problems, ( so far )

I agree with Tim..never plug my cane...you can cut the nock in between nodes and wrap with sinew and it will be fine..never split a cane yet and shoot over 60 @ 25..gut

QuoteOriginally posted by 1gutpile:
I agree with Tim..never plug my cane...

What about arrow weight?  

I use plugs for a dual purpose.  Stronger ends and to get a more uniform weight.  

I weighed some dry 32" shafts and they barely push 325 grains; you need a heavy point to get a 500 grain plus arrow.  Yet, I've had other shafts that weigh in at 500 grains or more.

My goal has been to get a fairly matched set in weight, length, and rough spine (rough as I have no spine gauge).  

Goal: 30" arrow, 550 - 600 grains total arrow weight, fairly close in diameter/spine

I've been playing around with adding BB's or shot to bring the weight up.  I now have a couple of shafts that rattle with loose BB's.  

Getting a matched set is turning out to be a fun but most frustrating exercise.  I originally thought twelve, but would be thrilled if I get 4-6 matched.

I plug and wrap my nocks. It's probably overkill, but I give a lot of my cane arrows away to folks, and i think it's just a little extra insurance. It doesn't take that long to plug them and since I plug the point end as well I can do them at the same time.
Getting a matched set does take a lot of work. I try to match them by weight as close as I can, Then group the ones that shoot together.

For weight up front, better flight, using a bigger diameter cane and getting the spine to where I want it..I foreshaft my cane..never plug it, never will...I can get within 10 to 20 grains with stone point, glue, pitch, sinew,..another benefit is when you do get your shot and you don't get a pass through the deer will normally break off the foreshaft resulting in getting your hard earned arrow back..just re-foreshaft and she good to go..try foreshaftingyou will probably never plug cane again..and I don't know a single Indian tribe that plugged their cane..sorry Ferret...gut.

QuoteOriginally posted by 1gutpile:
 I don't know a single Indian tribe that plugged their cane..sorry Ferret...gut.

The Indians aren't making my arrows gut, I am. They didn't use tile cutter blades or fletch tape, or CA glue or tite bond 3 out of a bottle either, but I do.They also probably didn't use a gas stove to straighten them either, which is something else I do.

I don't like messing with foreshafts (but it's certainly ok if you do). I'd rather drill and plug. Since the foreshaft is the weakest link and is the thing that does break, I feel my arrows are stronger by not using them. I don't care about individual arrows. If I shoot a critter and it breaks the arrow, no biggie,the arrow will have done it's job, and I'll make another, or more likely, I already have a half dozen or a dozen I've made just like it waiting for their turn to play.

What's a foreshaft?

Jeff a foreshaft is a piece of hardwood with the same outside diameter as the cane, but with one t end whittled down to fit inside the cane.  You glue/sinew wrap the tapered end of the foreshaft into the cane and mount your head on the other end.

BTW I recently visited the Grayson collection over at Columbia University Missoouri and saw tons of cane/reed/bamboo shafts made up without foreshafts.

QuoteOriginally posted by the Ferret:
[Q] ... foreshaft is a piece of hardwood with the same outside diameter as the cane, but with one end whittled down to fit inside the cane ....  [/Q]

Sounds like a plug!