Primitive Archer

Thanks fellas. Gonna have to give it a try.
Piddler

Well, here's where I pay for not keeping better records of the various arrow woods I've tried over the years; I feel like I should already know the answer to this.

I want to make some arrows for my new bow, 450-500 grain finished weight, with 150gr heads.  Spine 40-45#.  So I need shafts of that spine that will fall in the 300-350 gr range.  Of course I want something that's strong and a good value. 

I like sitka spruce, but wowee it's expensive, if you can even find it.  Douglas fir is probably my favorite shaft, but it's pretty heavy.  Is POC my best bet for hitting this weight range?

T

Quote from: Piddler on December 20, 2025, 08:21:07 pm

Like those. I have some bones in the freezer that is on my list to do. Any tips would be appreciated.
Piddler

Thanks.  I can tell you my process.  I toss the bones in a pot of water and add some dishwasher soap and then boil them for about 5 min or so.  I tried dish soap before and it worked, but once it comes to a boil its a bubbly mess.  Then I pull the bones out and let them cool just until I can pick them up.  I use a spoon to scrape the remnants of meat and such off, which should come off really easy if they boiled right.  You don't have to get them clean all the way out to the tips, that part will next get cut off.  So then I cut the ends off to where it looks right.  Then you have to clean all the stuff out of the inside of the bones, this part is a mess and the best way I've found is a coat hanger wire and keeps working it through, rinse and repeat.  Then fit them together with some sanding, and then I hot glue the pieces together, or use pitch glue, that works too.  Then these I wrapped the joints over with artificial sinew. 

Good luck on yours, let us know how they turn out.

Pretty much the same here, replacing the wire coat hanger with a pipe cleaner, and cutting the ends off FIRST so tht the soapy water can clean from the inside out, too. The marrow in the bones has a lot of fat and will yellow the bones.

Turned out awesome!

Like those. I have some bones in the freezer that is on my list to do. Any tips would be appreciated.
Piddler

Thanks.  I can tell you my process.  I toss the bones in a pot of water and add some dishwasher soap and then boil them for about 5 min or so.  I tried dish soap before and it worked, but once it comes to a boil its a bubbly mess.  Then I pull the bones out and let them cool just until I can pick them up.  I use a spoon to scrape the remnants of meat and such off, which should come off really easy if they boiled right.  You don't have to get them clean all the way out to the tips, that part will next get cut off.  So then I cut the ends off to where it looks right.  Then you have to clean all the stuff out of the inside of the bones, this part is a mess and the best way I've found is a coat hanger wire and keeps working it through, rinse and repeat.  Then fit them together with some sanding, and then I hot glue the pieces together, or use pitch glue, that works too.  Then these I wrapped the joints over with artificial sinew. 

Good luck on yours, let us know how they turn out.