Author Topic: Reducing shoots  (Read 4088 times)

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Offline BowEd

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  • BowEd
Re: Reducing shoots
« Reply #15 on: May 05, 2020, 07:54:05 am »
Part of the work reducing time when making shoot shafts is harvesting them the right size.
Even to the point of leaving a little natural cambium on their final look.
If they start too large I get them close with a sanding block 8" long with 36 grit paper on it.Stroking evenly on all sides keeping full length taper on them till their around 3/8" on the fat end.
Then into the drill and reduced from there with 60 grit to 80 grit to 100 grit.
All the while along the way I weigh them for mass and test spine weight.
More time consuming than split timber shafts but tougher IMO too.
Preparing a dozen is a full day for me.Still have to fletch them yet then too later.
I forgot to mention I use a crack in my work bench to lay the shaft in while I stroke it down to thickness evenly on all sides.I've taken wiggles out completely that way also.Shafts perform well and stay straight after heat corrections too.
Hazel here will end up a trifal thicker overall for the same spine as dogwoods or ocean spray.My local plum here is the densest & skinniest of them all.Great hunting arrows.All are tough.
I've started staining them too to get away from the bone white flashing affect they can have while in the stand for a shot.
I keep a sizer around as 1 of my tools when reducing diameter too.


BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline Sagebrush

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Re: Reducing shoots
« Reply #16 on: May 07, 2020, 01:43:39 am »
So one thing I've found that has sped the tapering and reduction is using the sharp dowel dye as a rounded scraper.  This has been an amazing quality and efficiency boost. Waiting on my thumb plane.