Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: T. Talley on June 16, 2012, 02:07:16 pm
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Does anyone know if the dowel machine called the Arrow Shooter that Three Rivers used to carry is still being made? If so were can I find one? Any input on how well it worked?
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Don't know if they're still being made,Had one,worked fine. All it the shaft shooter is,is a router. You can buy a router cheaper and make shafts. Do a search here and you'll see some jigs and ect.
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Google verita dowel maker. A friend has one and we have made hundreds of arrows out of board wood that had been cut down to 1/2" squares and run the squares through the dowel cutter with a drill.
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The shaft shooter that 3R used to sell, is no longer made.
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Google verita dowel maker. A friend has one and we have made hundreds of arrows out of board wood that had been cut down to 1/2" squares and run the squares through the dowel cutter with a drill.
What do you use to hold the blank? I use a socket with a drill adaptor but it tends to strip the blank I guess you could call it. Then i pound a smaller size on it and that works until you need to get the socket back off. :o That kind of sucks. It does turn out nice dowels though.
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Are you guys talking about the 400$ dowel maker or the small 30$ ones? I bought the small 3/8" one - works ok but tears the wood a bit.
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Are you guys talking about the 400$ dowel maker or the small 30$ ones? I bought the small 3/8" one - works ok but tears the wood a bit.
I have the veritas 3/8 cheap one. Works good once it's adjusted. For mine I set the blade to the second hash mark on both sides and it's grabs some but with straight grain poplar boards I get a good dowel just have to sand it smooth. I did have a bit of a hassle until I got the blade depth right.
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I stumbled across this video a while ago on youtube. I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like a pretty ingenious idea. He made a dowel cutter from nothing more than a block of wood with a hole drilled in it, and part of a saw blade. I imagine they would need a bit of sanding as well, but that's minor when you chuck them up in a drill. After you watch it, you can see other similar setups in the related videos on the side bar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwDjedeJCZ0
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I think he was asking about this one, and it is no longer made or available. And the retail on this one was right around $800.00 dollars. It is called the Shaft Shooter
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/002-8.jpg)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/001-8.jpg)
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I saw a great one recently some place. Two hole drilled to meet in a block of wood. One the diamater matching the size of the square stock the other the final size. Then the hole was cut, or the block was and a chissen was clamped at a slight angle... like the pencil sharpener method. So the hole is not split at the center. It looked awesome, simple and cheap.
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I stumbled across this video a while ago on youtube. I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like a pretty ingenious idea. He made a dowel cutter from nothing more than a block of wood with a hole drilled in it, and part of a saw blade. I imagine they would need a bit of sanding as well, but that's minor when you chuck them up in a drill. After you watch it, you can see other similar setups in the related videos on the side bar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwDjedeJCZ0
i made one of these, works real good, just use a fine cut blade, or you can clamp a file to it, Bub
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You can also use a tablesaw instead of a router.
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we are using the two piece Varita and a 1/2" socket. No problems. Just drill the square stock through the Varita slow and be as consistant as you can.
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I have the 3/8 Veritas. I wasn't so stoked on it, but I've been fooling around with the depth of the cutter (thanks Kevinator) and it's getting better. I also switched wood. I just did a bunch of hickory shafts and they turned out really really great - quick sand and done. I don't think I'll bother with any other wood with the veritas, though I think that once i make my money back I'll get a router setup so i can try lighter wood.
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I have the 3/8 Veritas. I wasn't so stoked on it, but I've been fooling around with the depth of the cutter (thanks Kevinator) and it's getting better. I also switched wood. I just did a bunch of hickory shafts and they turned out really really great - quick sand and done. I don't think I'll bother with any other wood with the veritas, though I think that once i make my money back I'll get a router setup so i can try lighter wood.
Yeah I was ready to throw the thing away until I got the depth right. I've been using poplar. It works great and the arrows are pretty durable.
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Ever try birch?
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Ever try birch?
I haven't but mainly because poplar is easily available at Lowes/Home Depot fairly cheap. I just pick through to find good straight grains. I like the bamboo shafts for costs but prefer the hardwoods. Lots of birch here growing so I may have to try that. We use that a lot for firewood so just have to cut some longer pieces.
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I had about two thousand feet of 1x5/8" hickory given to me (made 150 bows and arrows for summer camp out of it). The guy was throwing away about the same amount of birch but I couldn't take it at the time. If it is good for arrows I was thinking of going back to see if it is still there...
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Not sure if anyone is still interested, but this is the set up I am going for next: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vtLKQZ_CtU
Looks cheap and fast and smooth (Not primitive though).
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I posted that router/dowel making jig on line about 10 years ago or so and have always wondered if I was the first one to come out with it. They got really poplular a couple of years later.
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Alright! Any improvements?
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John Strunk makes and sells a really nice arrow shaft jig. I've seen him use it, it's really slick. I recommend picking one of those up. I intend to get one at some point. I think he sold them for around $70.