Poplar arrows for hickory backed lemonwood

[Pat B]

I made these poplar arrows for the hickory backed lemonwood ALB I made. The arrow shafts were turned by Charlie Jefferson(Stringstretcher) and I tapered the rear 9" from 11/32" to 5/16"were. These have self nocks wrapped with sinew and a drop of TBIII used as a nock index, the fletching is put on using fletch tape and a sinew wrap at the forward end.  I colored the shafts with wood stain and sealed with two coats of Tru-Oil. The fletching are secondary flight feathers chopped by Matt Gundock(Magnus). The physical weight of the finished arrows came in at about 525 grains with the 125gr points. They shoot well from the ALB.
 

[stringstretcher]

Looking real good Pat.  You seem to be liking those Poplar shafts.  Hopefully in the next couple of  months I will be able (on bended knees here) to make the run from the lumber that has now been air dried for over 2 years.  Should be some good ones.

[Fred Arnold]

Pat, nice work on those poplar shafts and the use of the secondaries. I purchased 14 dz barrel tapered poplar from Don Stokes a few years ago when he was deleting all of his old stock. Best shafts I've ever used and also seem stronger than a lot of other wood shafts tried. I still like working my own bamboo and cane but they don't compare to the poplar for matched sets.

[Pat B]

I agree Fred. We figured that out about poplars when Charlie sent me a few to test drive. They are as tough as any doweled shafting I've ever used.  I  like making cane and hardwood shoot arrows mostly but I've really enjoyed using these poplars.
  Charlie, I really do like them and can't wait for more. You'll be back at it before you know. 

[Trapper Rob]

You sure do know how to make them Pat.

[Danzn Bar]

Really nice looking arras Pat! 
DBar

[Mohawk13]

Love Poplar for arrow shafts. Light and Strong and durable. Have used it for years. Nice looking arrows Pat...

[Scottski]

Drop of glue for nock index I like that. May I use that idea?
Nice arrows by the way.

[Pat B]

Thanks guys. Nothing fancy about them. just good, solid arrows. I did add a bit of cresting by hand so I won't show a close up of that. 
Scottski I just put a drop of glue just forward of the nock, let it skin over for a minute then rolled the shaft over so the drop was underneath and let it cure like that. When dry it is proud and makes a good index.

[TRACY]

Very nice arrows Pat! Really like the nocks and overall appearance.


Tracy

[Pat B]

If I overshoot the target I'll never find the arrow.    I thought about putting tracers at the nock for visibility.

[Pappy]

Cool arrows Pat, very nice ,hard to beat Charlie's shafts. They been hard on deer the last few years. I will have to try the index you do. I usually just mark the nock,but then I have to look. I like the index and if I am using glue on nocks I always use index nocks.
   Pappy

[Jim Davis]

Drop of glue for nock index I like that. May I use that idea?
Nice arrows by the way.

Maybe you should ask Saxton Pope for permission on that one, or whoever he got the idea from....

[Pat B]

Jim, I didn't realize Saxon Pope used a drop of glue as an index for his arrows. I've been doing it for years and couldn't tell you where I go the idea from.

[Jim Davis]

Jim, I didn't realize Saxon Pope used a drop of glue as an index for his arrows. I've been doing it for years and couldn't tell you where I go the idea from.

Now my memory is serving up a modified item: I now seem to recall that Pope and Young glued a  tiny bead on the arrow for an index. Too lazy to go look.