Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: stringstretcher on December 21, 2009, 06:40:04 pm
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I will be getting some red osier shoots soon, and would love to hear about your process of making them into arrows. How do you dry them, when to take the bark off, straightening, and on and on. Would love to see some finished pictures if anyone has some also. Take me through your process...................
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I like to leave the bark on for two or three months after cutting and then heat straighten Charles. This leaves just enough moisture under the bark to help create steam which makes the initial straightening process much easier. From there, I will scrape off the bark and continue to heat/and straighten the shaft with my propane torch between each reduction (if needed).
Green wood doesn't scrape very well but once you heat temper the wood it'll work more like season wood. So heat your shaft up good and scrape down to the green wood again. Repeat the process until you get the shaft down to the correct diameter. After your final heat straightening I would suggest you put the shaft back for a spell to futher season out. You will be amazed what a year or two of seasoning will do for these shafts.ART
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hi charles ;D
heres a pic of a couple of arrows and some shafts i have straightened
(http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1019/1001372p.jpg)
and one of the points
(http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/694/1001373l.jpg)
the arrow on the left with the point and the one that is notched without a point are actually wild rose shafts,but all the other
shafts are red osier
they take heat well
i do as artcher1,dry for 2-3 months,then scrape and straighten.
i use a can of sterno for heat straightening though and not a torch.
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Thanks Art and sailordad. That will get me off on the right track I am sure.
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I scrape the bark off immediately, its much easier. Then rubberband them in bundles to dry.
Cut the shoots long and thicker than you think, at least 1/2" at the fat end.
After their dry and somewhat straight I use one of them $5 thumb planes to reduce them.
Also take the time to work at straightening them while thier green, do a little bit everyday if ya can.
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Too bad the bark has to come off. Then again, if you hit a critter real good, it'd be tough spotting the blood. ;D
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Red Osier has been my preferred arrow material for a number of years now, and it makes awesome arrows!
I cut the shoots in winter and let them sit for a week before removing the bark. After the bark is removed I let them sit for another week before I begin hand-straightening. This is done slowly, a little bit every day, as they dry. You will find that MOST of the straightening can be done at this point, no heat required. When they are straight, and will stay that way, they can be bundled and put away for seasoning. I allow mine to season for a year. Once they are fully seasoned I reduce them to the desired diameter and do some final heat-straightening.
My preferred tools for reducing the shafts are a hand plane and a cabinet scraper. I recently began experimenting with a dowling jig from Lee Valley Tools which is proving to be very useful.
Jason
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stringstretcher
keep an eye out for the mail man. in a few days you should have them ;)
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Thanks again
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ya you betcha eh
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red ozier seems kinda weak, but that is when it is green, what spines are you getting from these shafts?
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I can measure them for dia and spine them after I get them and let you know. This is my first time working with them...so we will see.
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red ozier seems kinda weak, but that is when it is green, what spines are you getting from these shafts?
they seem weak when green lke ya said,however once they are dried they are much stiffer.after a year or so of seasoning they are even better
i dont hunt with them,only cause stone is illegal here. and all my primitive style arrows get stone on the end.most i make are for the wall.when i make one for hunting they get store bought metal broad heads.
but i do target shoot them and shoot at the wood fence.after 4-5 shots in the fence the split once and awhile.
as far as spine goes idont spine with any thing.i shoot naked shafts and what shoots good thru my bow thats what i make into arrows for target shooting
what doesnt shoot good becomes my wall ornaments
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ya may want to check out the spine tester grunt just posted, could help you group your shafts. :)
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i love his spine tester,but like i said
i just shoot them and see what flies the best
i keep my primitive,primitive ;)
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Got a box in the mail today. Thank you Sailordad. Never seen anything like that around here in Va. Maybe just not looking in the right places. I am sure red osier has to grow here somewhere. I will start right away on bending these straight each day for a couple of weeks, and then peel the bark off and straighten some more. Will get some pictures later. Check back in about a year for the finished arrows.........lol
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excellent,glad ya like em. :)
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I have to say, Sailordad, you do a good job straightening those shafts. In the picture, I can't tell the difference between those and a picture of Port Orford Cedars from an archery shop. I'm still learning the straightening technique---hope mine will come out that straight!
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I am no longer a huge fan or red osier (tons around these parts). In my hands ocean spray makes a far superior hunting arrow. But with the RO, as you dry it (remove bark right away), shafts will go through three phases. First, its green and totally elastic (i.e. can't be straightened). This can last a week or so, but depends on your RH etc. Phase two starts the plastic stage, when you can easily straighten the shafts by hand. Do this a few times a day. After several days they will be too dry to straighten easily without the application of heat. This is the third stage. If you understand which phase your shaft is in you know how to proceed.
Dave
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One thing to remember about any shoot shafting is you want to harvest at least second year growth to get consistent arrows. Generally first year growth has leaves along the shoot. The second year small branches grow out of the bud at last years leaf scar. After the second year you have 2 growth rings; one for each year of growth and I believe having two(or more) growth rings give the shaft it's stiffness and resilience.
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I have to say, Sailordad, you do a good job straightening those shafts. In the picture, I can't tell the difference between those and a picture of Port Orford Cedars from an archery shop. I'm still learning the straightening technique---hope mine will come out that straight!
thanks
its not that difficult.but ya just gotta be patient with them when straightening them.i usually go thru about 3-4 sessions with each shaft before i get them as straight as i want them
the first session is to just get them roughly straight,the second one gets them closer,the third one gets them even closer.then i cut them 2" longer thani want the finished shaft.
the last session is the one that gets them almost store bought straight,but they are never perfectly straight.then i heat temper once i have them as straight as i can get them.
after each session i leave them alone for atleast a week so.
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Thanks for the tips! :) I think I have the straightening "feel" down now. It took me a few tries, but now I have the feel down. I've gotten a couple shafts done and am pretty happy with myself. Thanks, Sailordad, for the tips. Thanks to PatB for his advice and the shafts! This is fun!
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stringstretcher: just curious if youve mailed your end of the trade out as of yet? ??? ???
peace,
tim
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I have them in the box, and will be going to the post office the first thing Monday morning. Hope you like them....Now I will put an extra one of two in the box if they will find there way back on an arrow? Just hopeing I guess.....lol I have some other stuff that I am throwing in the box as well.
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I have also been playing with the RO tha sailordad sent me. When I first grabbed one, while bending it, I felt and heard a snap. I lightened up my pressure...lol...and have now taken them through about 3 hand straightening. They are getting straighter each time. I have them on my basement floor, right under one of the heat vents, so air is moving around them all the time. Be a while before I get to the heat part.
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Charlie, if you heard a crack while straightening the shoots don't use that shoot for an arrow without examining it very well. I save these for quiver stiffeners or fore shafts for compound arrows.
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I have them in the box, and will be going to the post office the first thing Monday morning. Hope you like them....Now I will put an extra one of two in the box if they will find there way back on an arrow? Just hopeing I guess.....lol I have some other stuff that I am throwing in the box as well.
ya i can probably do that.did you want them heads or something else.i have many many heads laying around that i have been meaning to put on shafts.
i have obsidion,keokuk,butlington,goldstone and other rocks that i dont know what they are.except that they are knappable.lol
i do have a bunch of straightened shafts and feathers that are already split too,just havent sat down and put them together yet.
the ones that i hear a snap from i dedicate as "wall hangers only".i make them that way only cause its good practice.or i use the shaft as pitch sticks etc. .i always let folks know to that they are only for the wall,that way they dont try and shoot them and have them blow apart or worse stick in their arm.
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If you can make an arrow for my collection, that would be just fine.......look for the box next week.
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sailordad, that's mighty fine work. David, sam with wild rose. After awhile they straighten and hold easily by hand. I like your description of the 3 stages. Jawge