Veritas Dowel Cutter to make wooden arrow shafts

[woodystyle777]

I've seen a lot of video's on Youtube of people using a $40 Veritas 3/8ths dowel cutter.

The problem I have with this is that all the field points i've found are always in traditional arrow sizes like 5/16, 9/32, and 11/32. So I'm wondering what these people are doing for the tips of the arrows (they never show past the cutting of the shaft).

The same company offers arrow making inserts that come in the traditional sizes but then your looking at a minimum of $240

Could 3/8ths shafts work for making completed arrows? If so where can you get the field points that fit 3/8ths?

[toomanyknots]

23/64 field points are widely available, and fit a 3/8 shaft just fine. And you can taper any diameter shaft to fit a 5/16 point if you want, it might look a little small on a 3/8 shaft, but it will be functional and all. (Ok, a 5/16 point might look a little more than a "little" small on a 3/8"shaft, but you can't really tell the difference between a 23/64 on a 23/64 shaft from a 23/64 on a 3/8 shaft, as least I can't.)

[bubbles]

I use the 3/8" dowel cutter to make arrows. Just cut 'em to 3/8" and sand 'em down to the spine you want. If the point doesn't fit, just file down the point end a bit till it does.  I find the dowel cutter leaves rings that such that need to be sanded off anyway but this could be because I don't have a jig to do it an just do it by hand.

[Pat B]

I use poplar shafts that were turned through a Veritas dowel cutter. Charlie Jefferson made the shafts. He burnished the 3/8" shafts by forcing them through a jig that compressed the shafts to 11/32".

[toomanyknots]

I use poplar shafts that were turned through a Veritas dowel cutter. Charlie Jefferson made the shafts. He burnished the 3/8" shafts by forcing them through a jig that compressed the shafts to 11/32".

That sounds pretty cool. Is it something complicated, or something you could make with ipe?

[Pat B]

I think 3Rivers sells the compression block(steel) that Charlie used.
 One set of these shafts I tapered the rear 9" to 5/16" with a jig I made.

[stringstretcher]

You can not use IPE for the compression hole.  The popular will just eat the IPE up.  I had my own design made using a 3/8 brass block with all size holes in it that I wanted.  I also have the upper line veritas dowel jig so to get the tolerances I want and need.  I can dig up some pictures if you would like?

[toomanyknots]

You can not use IPE for the compression hole.  The popular will just eat the IPE up.  I had my own design made using a 3/8 brass block with all size holes in it that I wanted.  I also have the upper line veritas dowel jig so to get the tolerances I want and need.  I can dig up some pictures if you would like?

Hows the finish come out on the more expensive veritas dowel jig? Do you get problems with tear out with any woods?

[Pat B]

BTW, Stringstretcher is Charlie Jefferson! 

[stringstretcher]

If you have the two blades good and sharp it gives a great finish.  Getting the blades sharp and set right is a learning curve I will say.

[RBLusthaus]

I use the 3/8 dowel cutter and burnish to the size I want using hickory or RO scraps with the proper size hole drilled.  Can get 8 or so shafts done before the hole gets a little wallowed out - so then you drill another hole . . .

Always wondered if the more expensive LV Doweler was as cool as it looks in the catalog. 

Russ 

[stringstretcher]

For the hobbyist that wants a dozen shafts now and then, the small veritas would/should work just fine, along with the holes in a wood block.  But when I am running two and three thousand at a time, that will just not work for me.  My brass block has holes drilled in it ti accomadate the expansion when it gets hot to give me a burnished and straightened shaft when I run then.  So when they come out of my jig set up, they look like they are sealed, and very very straight.

[stringstretcher]

Here is my dowell jig set up.

[stringstretcher]

and her is my burnishing/straightening jig

[stringstretcher]

Prior to running through the dowel-er.

and end result.  I try to run a gross (144) each time and then resharpen the blades to keep my tolerances close