Footed shaft question

[2Knives]

Ok, another newbie question for all you arrow eggspurts!!
I'm making footed shafts obviously and it seems like I can't get the shaft all the way down on the foot.
Should I kinda taper the shaft so it'll go down easier???
I've made alot of arrows before but never footed shafts...this is fun!

[2Knives]

No footed shaft gurus???
This is driving me crazy. If I hammer down the shaft into the foot too hard, the footing splits.
Any tip or tricks I should know?

[Bruce Martin]

2knives, put clamps just next to the splits in the footing (clamps on the solid side) and gently tap the arrow into the footing with a mallet; alternatively hold the arrow shaft and tap the footing home by tapping on a solid floor. Before gluing the footing, you can make a pencil mark on the shaft where it should align with the footing wings when inserted all the way. You are right, that last milimeter is a bit hard to achieve.

[dino]

Bruce has what I do.  On four wing foots I just clamp with small c-clamps right below ea wing cut on the footing block.  That way you can force the shaft in without worrying about cracking the footing block.  Another way is to make the wing cuts longer so the angle on the footing block wing is more gradual.  Less force to put in the block, less chance of cracking. dino

[Michael Peschek]

This might be helpful...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Nve9CetSKg

[bowhunterfrompast]

Do a search thru the threads here..several post on the footed shaft have been done lately..bhfp

[m laughlin]

no expert, but i have luck using duct tape as the clamp, about 3-4 wraps.
matt

[Al Kidner]

Yep, the clamps are the way to go. Enjoy the footing!


ak.

[jonsimoneau]

Not sure if you are making 2 wing or 4 wing footings.  2 wing are fairly easy.  You plane down 2 sides of the end of the shaft until you have a wedge.  I use a small thumb plane that you can get from about any hardware store.  To make it go in the footing easier, sand the planed down edges, and also run some sandpaper through the slot in the footing.  I use gorrila glue to glue them.  Put the glue on the shaft and slide it in there.  It won't go all the way on the first try, but once you get the glue inside the footing slot, it will just slide right in there.  Clamp it together with 3 1.5 inch C clamps and thats it!