Arrow shaft making

[handirifle]

#5183

Should I or shouldn’t I?
Greetings to all.

It’s been a LONG time since I posted or even visited here. I have been unable to shoot traditional for a long time due to arthritic pain in the fingers, after practice, with my old recurves.

That said, we just completed a long project of a tear down of an old termite riddled home and building a new one.

Something I saved from the old home, that wasn’t affected by the termites at all, was about 100 or so board feet of clear doug fir T&G flooring, in the form of 1×4’s, usually 10 or more foot long. I have been wondering what to do with it, when the thought of making some arrow shafts came to mind. I do plan on making a few wood “board bows” for kicks and grins, so a few homemade arrows to go along with them would be a bonus.

What I am wondering, is if anyone knows what type of equipment I’d need to turn these boards into arrows. I have a table saw for ripping, but no way of dowelling the shafts.

Thanks

[cody]

#54151

Go to http://www.leevalley.com. They have a dowel cutter especially for arrows. The part number for the insert is 05J45.22. That should be for the 11/32″ cutter. That should lead you to everything you need from there. I also read in TBM (I think) some time back that you can take a 3/8″ dowel cutter from the same place. Part number 05J60.01. That has an adjustable blade and with a small shim under the blade and be brought down to cut a 11/32″ dowel. It needs to be clamped in a vice but it is a much cheeper way to go to get the shaft. Also read that after turning the arrow that it needs to be put through a Heat Compression Block. 3 Rivers has those. But I’ve never made any arrows myself and there is people on this forum and know a lot more about it than I do but that is where you can the parts. If that doesn’t get you to the website then let me know

[handirifle]

#54177

Boy this is starting to sound like work. I will have to rethink all this.

[browny]

#12637

That sounds complicated, but mebbe I prefer the old ways?

Try this, from a site over here in the land of oz.

ozbow

[Chad Sivertsen]

#12882

I’ve made shafts using the Lee Valley Veritas Dowel Maker, the one with two cutters. Using a 1/2″ square blank it does a rough cut and then a finish cut using a drill to spin the shaft through the cutters. It has micro adjustments and does a good job. The harder woods can be a challenge. Fir is a medium wood and makes a nice shaft.

Also used a Strunk plane setup, it is much like the method on the ozbow site. It is a 2×4 with a groove in the center, a stop on one end and the cutter blade on the plane has a radius. The groove depth determines the shaft diameter. This is a inexpensive way to make shafts and very satisfying. As far as it being work I would call it pleasant work I guess.

Have fun.

[Treetopflier]

#13242

Mr. Sivertsen — thank you for posting here. Not that I know you personally but from your occasional articles in TBM and your posts here it is clear that you are a humble “non-hero” veteran of traditional and primitive archery with much to share and the generosity to do so. Thank you. –ttf

[William Warren]

#13367

I have one of the Strunk planes, nice setup, pleasant work indeed.

[handirifle]

#13510

I have seen the “plane” process before, and it sure is a more simple way. Might have to investigate a bit further on setting up the board. Simple is often more rewarding than fast.

I should know cause I’m simple:D

[living_waters]

#53439

Here is probably the best way I have found to make arrow shafts. I have modified the design to accommodate a compression block as the first block the newly cut shaft passes through, if one is careful of their feed rate shafts come out with a clean compressed finish and are ready to seal.

[link=http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/dowelmakingjig.aspx]dowl making jig[/link]

Video showing how it works
[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lF2YXLdoiY]video[/link]

[handirifle]

#54073

Waters
Wow! I am impressed in many ways. I love how simply the shaft maker works. I THINK my doug fir boards are thicker than that but will have to see.

I also looked at your site, and kudos on the site and content. I don’t have much time this AM but will give it a thorough going over in the near future.

I’ve built a dozen or so wook (board bows) in the past and a fair number of glass laminated as well, but yours are nice looking bows.

What’s your favorite bow wood? What’s given you the least string follow?

Thanks for the post. I’d love to make a arrow jig like that.

[Author]

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