Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: dragonman on January 07, 2010, 04:48:29 pm
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another question from a novice arrow maker, if the feather has enough material on either side of the central spine , such as in big tail feathers, can both sides be used, on the same arrow??
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Both sides can be used, but not on the same arrow. The offside of a right-wing feather will behave like a left-wing feather. Same with tailfeathers.
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thanks a lot Hillbilly, for both answers, just what I needed to know, I've always bought feathers and stuck them on straight but now its time to learn arrow making skills
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When I'm using tail feathers, I use the whole feather. One on each side for two fletch.
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I just started making my own arrows.
I split some feathers and used the "top" for left wing fletchings, and used the "bottoms" to make spiral wrapped flu-flus.
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Mullet doesnt that contradict what Hillbilly said above about using the 2 sides on the same arrow ??? or is it different for a 2 fletch? ???
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If you lay the Feathers on in a Two Fletch pattern....both edges of the Feather are curled up away from the Shaft...on Both Feathers more or less making it a 4 fletch Arrow ...or if you do it like the Northeastern Tribes did...you split the Feather 3/4 of the way up...and only use both sides of the Feather at the Nock end....I am sure that someone has some good pictures of these two styles...If I keep yacking....I am going to be late for Work........ ::)
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Mullet doesnt that contradict what Hillbilly said above about using the 2 sides on the same arrow ??? or is it different for a 2 fletch? ???
No, two-fletches are no different in requiring same-side feathers to fly well, but Eddie is talking about using two whole feathers for eastern woodland-style fletching (not split all the way.) similar to these.
As you get away from the center of the tail, the feathers become more curved toward each side like wing feathers. There are left-side, right-side, and center tailfeathers, so even with tailfeathers you have to match sides unless it's the flat, even center ones..
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Now Eddie and Steve..........why dont ya make it simple for him .....use one tail feather ;D How ya doin' Steve ?
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Howdy Bob!-now where's the fun in simplicity? ;D
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thanks for the imput, I must admit it has got a bit confusing ??? but if I use all left hand sides of the tail feathers on one arrow and all the right sides together on another, I cant go wrong, right??? I will leave the 2fletch for now till i've matered the 3 fletch
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dragonman, you should be good to go.
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Here are a few more Cherokee style 2 fletch and a 2 fletch of my own design.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/forPA010.jpg)
...and these are tapered ash arrows with 3 being fletched with right wing and 3 with left wing. They all fly well and I can't tell the difference when shot. The one with the white fletch got Robin Hooded and I had to re-cut the nock and change the feather location.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/taperedasharrows001.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/taperedasharrows002.jpg)
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beautiful arrows Pat B, Hope mine turn out as good and thanks for all the help everyone
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I just realized these tapered ash arrows are not the ones with the left and right wing feathers. These are fletched with miss matched commercial feathers but all left wing. ::)
These are the ones I was meaning to post. The shafts are hill cane I had sent to Art Butner and he returned 6 finished arrows less the fletching. I fletched three of these with left wing feathers and 3 with right wing. I marked them with either red wrapping or blue wrapping.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/Artshillcanearrows008-1.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/Artshillcanearrows007-1.jpg)
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even nicer, much nicer.!!! what type of knocks are those Pat?
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They are self nocks, made with maple I think. That is Art's work there. All I did was fletch them. ;D
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These cane arrows are also footed with the same wood as the nocks. This method of footing was an experiment Art was trying. It is a tapered fit as was his usual but with these arrows have no wrapping at the joint of the cane and maple. You can't feel the transition seam but you can see the color change.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/primitive%20archer/Artshillcanearrows008.jpg)
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cool arrows, that cane must be petyy strong then to not split on impact? what average wall thicness does it have? are the footing designed so that they can be replaced or aret hey permanent. I dont know if that type of cane grows over here? i'm gonna look into it because it looks like nice arrow making material I'll bet its light
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Dragonman, you need cane with at least medium thick walls for that conical foreshaft to work. Here's one that had an unfortunate accident (hit an iron stake) and as you can see, the cane fared quite well. Not so for the foreshaft, it split. Foreshaft was replaced and the set given away. No one the wiser ;D. ART
[attachment deleted by admin]
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This is a native cane called hill cane that grown only in the Appalachian Mountains. It is related to our native switch cane and river cane. Arundaneria appalachiana, tecta and gigantia respectively. There may be a similar Japanese cane in the same genus.
The wall thickness of the hill cane is about 1/3 the diameter or slightly less. This footing method is Art Butner's secret. He wanted me to try to mess these up. I haven't gone out of my way to ruin one but the joint is tough. The foreshaft is not intended to come out. Some folks make they with detachable foreshafts but I use the cane for self arrows with self nocks and points hafted directly into or on to the cane.
Another excellent arrow bamboo is Bambusa multiplex. It is a clumping type bamboo that is not invasive but only grows in warmer areas. A friend in Coastal South Carolina has a 100' hedge of bambusa. He divided a 50 year old clump that was only about 6' to 8' in diameter. Thick wall culms and long internodes(12" to 14") so only 2 nodes per 30" arrow in some cases.
Art, you were typing while I was.
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Yeah, your hill cane is one of the better ones to use this method on Pat. Tonkin, switch cane and the bambusa works just as well. Probably work on hardwood shoot shafts with a centered pithy center like sourwood of multifora rose. Will have to try those. ART
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Art, is the joint just your standard taper joint?
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That's correct Pat.
ART
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Art. Those arrows don't seem to have as long of a forewhat as some I have seen on you previous arrows? Is this something new or just something you are trying? I also noted that there is no wrapping on the splice????
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Purpose is really to reduce the shafts diameter suitable for todays point sizes Charles. The foreshafts also help eliminate nodes in that area that would otherwise interfere with my tapering tool. Much easier to taper wood than the cane itself. Keeping the foreshafts short creates less stress on the joints, or at least that's my thinking.
If you're after a specific spine weight and if a node happens to interfere with attaching your point then this is good method around that. ART