Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: DC on November 04, 2015, 07:45:10 pm
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I started with this, the split one, Western Hemlock old growth about 35 RPI
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And got these. 30" long. 125 gr points. The spine is 34,35 and 36#. The weight is 434,439 and 436 gr. Balance point is from the front 11.5,11.5 and 12 inches. Did a quick test, 4 rounds, and shot the best groups of my life. I'm pumped.
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^^ giggity.
that's a clean looking set.
what's the arrow length and point weight; and bow specs?
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length is 30". Point weight is 125 gr. The bow is 38#
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Hmm, I've got tons of Canadian hemlock here -- would that work as well?
They do look great! What did you attach the feathers with?
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are the shafts tapered any?
the last photo may be tricking my eyes with the lens distortion.
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Hmm, I've got tons of Canadian hemlock here -- would that work as well?
They do look great! What did you attach the feathers with?
Thank you! Don't know about Can Hem. I use thick CA to glue the fletch
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are the shafts tapered any?
the last photo may be tricking my eyes with the lens distortion.
The tips are recycled and were a bit smaller than the shaft so I tapered the arrow slightly to match.
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Sorry to ask so many questions DC but your arrows seem just right for what I need to make, including the material. What is the untapered diameter of your arrows? And the dark bands near the nock and head -- is that a thread wrap there to keep the wood from splitting? And how did you round your shafts? Thanks!
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are the shafts tapered any?
the last photo may be tricking my eyes with the lens distortion.
The tips are recycled and were a bit smaller than the shaft so I tapered the arrow slightly to match.
my apologies for not being specific, i meant are they tapered from thick (point area) to thin (towards the fletch area); or just straight shafts?
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very fine looking arrows DC, well done!
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are the shafts tapered any?
the last photo may be tricking my eyes with the lens distortion.
The tips are recycled and were a bit smaller than the shaft so I tapered the arrow slightly to match.
my apologies for not being specific, i meant are they tapered from thick (point area) to thin (towards the fletch area); or just straight shafts?
Pretty much straight. not deliberately tapered anyway.
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Sorry to ask so many questions DC but your arrows seem just right for what I need to make, including the material. What is the untapered diameter of your arrows? And the dark bands near the nock and head -- is that a thread wrap there to keep the wood from splitting? And how did you round your shafts? Thanks!
I didn't know what the diameter was. Had to measure them. It's about .33" so just under 11/32". I hand planed the shafts to close to 3/8" and then chucked them up in a drill and ran them back and forth on the belt sander while spinning the drill. Makes them quite round. The reason I didn't know the diameter is that I would sand them a bit and then spine them so I was making them by spine weight rather than diameter. Yes that is thread to keep it from splitting. I use Kevlar fly tying thread. The tips are duplex nails. I have a metal lathe so I can drill the shafts to take the nail tips. It's the one thing I'm a little concerned about. I'm afraid the shaft might be a bit weak where the hole ends. I'll try them and see.
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Ah ha, a metal lathe! I was feeling guilty when thinking about using mine to drill for the point nails on a primitive arrow. I built mine from scratch, so I maybe could use that as an excuse. ::) Actually I was kinda thinking about turning up some field points from rod instead of nails, too >:D
Thank you kindly DC for all the info! I finally got some feathers, and happen to have sawn up some Can. hemlock into boards a month ago. ....feels like this thread was just what I needed at just the right time.
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My lathe is 35 years old so it's kind of primitive. Actually in lathe years it's kind of new.
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Very nice Dc, those are really good looking arrows. Yeah, if you have a metal lathe, you could make all kinds of nifty keen, type field points, and even make some points to accept some blades. Make a long taper field point, and then groove slots in two or three positions, and insert blades, and silver solder, or braze the blades in. Thanks for showing those. Again, very nice.
Wayne
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nice arrows. very well made.Tony
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DC, just a follow up on my question about Eastern (Canadian) hemlock vs. Western hemlock.
I found in the wood database that Eastern wouldn't be a good substitution for Western. Looks like western is pretty darn close to Port Orford cedar in strength and stiffness! Vry nice stuff you have there. :)
Eastern hemlock is very slightly lighter but only about 2/3 as strong or stiff.
I could go up a little in diameter to say 3/8" to make them as strong, and stiff, but would probably add 40-50 grains to the weight. Wouldn't be as good as yours, I guess. This is also for a 38# bow.
Anyway just thought I'd update people on trying to substitute these woods.
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I think that being old growth helps the stability of the wood. No proof of that just a gut feeling. I was rather surprised to compare W Hem with Sitka spruce. I expected the Spruce to be better but the Hem has bigger numbers. Spruce is marginally lighter. I think spruce may be stronger in tensile strength but the Wood Database doesn't seem to list that. I believe that high Elastic Modulus is what we want for arrows. Could be wrong
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I think that being old growth helps the stability of the wood. No proof of that just a gut feeling. I was rather surprised to compare W Hem with Sitka spruce. I expected the Spruce to be better but the Hem has bigger numbers. Spruce is marginally lighter. I think spruce may be stronger in tensile strength but the Wood Database doesn't seem to list that. I believe that high Elastic Modulus is what we want for arrows. Could be wrong
Nice arrows DC.
I worked a lot with Old growth Douglas fir. Its much stronger, are they any better than course grain, don't know :-\. I'm going to try a 145GR. that may help my shooting. Picked up another half dozen Yellow cedar shafts the other day.
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Doug Fir is a bit stronger in stiffness but it's quite a bit heavier. I was after lightness and Jackcrafty recommended Hemlock.