woodies 101

[Clay Hayes]

#5243

Here’s part one of a three part series on wood arrows. The next two are up as well on youtube. There’s also a vid I posted on here earlier that shows how to make the fletchings from turkey feathers.

[Steve Sr.]

#38951

Clay, you ol’ woodpecker! It’s a happy man I am to see more “woody” info coming out for anyone interested.

While not the champions in the EFOC world, my arra-flingin’ escapades would not be quite as enjoyable (to me) without wood arrows.

While we have many discussions on “go to” bows, Wood arrows are my “go to” arrow today, and have been since a time when that was all there was available to me.

When fortunate enough to be able to grab a vintage Bear bow from the 50s, it doesn’t ever occur to me that I could shoot something else out of them.

As has been the case all my life, there is more available for me in our sport than what can be found in a calculator.

Fun to run the numbers, play with “the best flying / penetrating arrow I am capable of making” with the other arrow shafts and all that, but when cool fall breezes once again cascade a rainbow of colored leaves about me in the woods………there I will be with my hand wrapped around the leather grip of one of Fred’s finest and a wood arrow on the string and they will be in my quiver when I kneel the last day of season, as I walk out, once again giving Thanks that I was blessed with yet one more of them to participate in.

Thank you for “paying it forward” to others.

God Bless

Steve Sr.

[wahoo]

#39190

luv your videos luv the wood. Thanks very much. Tried carbons last year and theres just no soul gone back to woodies.

[James Harvey]

#39608

Good videos mate. Well done 😀

Jim

[wahoo]

#39971

Clay been to your sight . Again great videos – great site love the BHA plug – thanks

[David Petersen]

#40808

Hey Clay —

Good videos, thanks for posting. I watched all three but you weren’t quite finished with the arrows. For instance you didn’t show wrapping the self nocks. I’ve made self nocks on several batches of arrows but the only ones I was totally happy with were compressed oak, which is so darned hard I didn’t have to wrap ’em at all. Otherwise I use fake sinew and dip it when done. But it’s nearly impossible to not get a little bump where it’s tied off, and I worry the wrap will not pass over a shelf as smoothly as a plastic nock. But then some plastic nocks for glue-on are big gat things that would be worse. Anyhow I’d like to see how you do it. Is a part 4 forthcoming?

Question: What sort of saw is that you use to cut the nock notch? It’s clearly a round cable type blade maybe in a coping saw frame? I either use a hacksaw or the band saw then widen it with a thin file. Your way looks faster and cleaner.

Last question: The fletching glue you’re using has a creamy color like wood glue rather than being clear like all fletching cements. What’s the deal there?

Thanks again, Dave

[Clay Hayes]

#40857

I’m not sure why you didn’t see the portion of part 3 when I wrapped the nock end with sinew. It’s there. check it out again.. maybe it skipped on your connection.

I use real sinew. when it dries, you can barely see it. It’d lay much flatter than the fake stuff.

I’m not sure about where to get another saw blade like the one I used. I’ve had it for a while. Just found it lying around and started using it. I just had it in a hacksaw frame. I used a bandsaw for a long time until I broke the blade and never got another. For some reason, Home Depot doesn’t carry replacement blades for the saws they sale. Go figgure.. I’d widen the nock with sandpaper after the first cut.

The glue I’m using is locktite. It dries clear. I’ve been using it for the past few years. I’ve never had a fletch come off.

ch

[Michael Scott]

#40863

Howdy guys…Clay, Steve…how are you guys doin? Hangin in there, I see…or perhaps here, rather than there? 😀 Anyway, you may not remember me under this call name, as I had to change it thanks to a memory that didn’t want to remember a password…my old name was MontanaFord. Anyway, good to see you guys. Clay, thanks for the video. I want to give woodies a shot. Just haven’t had the time, room or money for such a project. LOL! Hope all is well with you guys. Glad to see you’re still around.

[gigglemonk]

#40912

Great videos Clay!

I have a question: Ive been stripping turkey feathers (no quill) and tying down with sinew. About half of the arrowsI do this way end up having a fletch tear after a dozen or so shots.

I like this method because its so quick but I burning through lots of feathers, any tips?

[Clay Hayes]

#40929

I strip featers for use on primitive arrows. I wouldn’t think you’d have trouble tearing them if you had a good glue between the fletch and shaft. Are you gluing the length, or just wraping the ends with sinew?

[gigglemonk]

#40934

I do both glue and simply wrap. Ill check and see which ones are tearing. Im guessing its the no glue ones.

Thanks for the quick reply.

[David Petersen]

#41118

Clay — You nailed it. I lost your vid after the feather burning and assumed it was just a really short seg. Second time through I got it all, thanks.

Do you, or anyone else here, having any experience in harvesting and using elk back sinew … is it any different than deer? You are a bad influence, making me think primitive thoughts. 😆

[David Coulter]

#41175

Clay,

I’ll be checking these out. I’m building ceremonial arrows for my Webelos. I’ve collected some turkey feathers and obsidian heads. I’ve enjoyed your videos and look forward to these. thanks, dwc

[gigglemonk]

#41397

Dave

Elk sinew is nice and long. I dont see any difference in performance though. Deer, elk, cow, bear, all does the same job.

[Stephen Graf]

#41597

Dave – the saw is called a wire saw. They are usually impregnated with carbide or diamond dust, and run about 40 bucks.

I saw a real nice self nock that was made by first drilling an eight inch (or so) hole at the back of the nock, and then cutting to it with a bandsaw or hacksaw or whatever. What this did was give a round bottom to the hole, and that lovely “click” and stay which makes plastic nocks hard to beat.

Just have to make sure the throat of the nock is narrower than the hole at the base…

[Clay Hayes]

#42383

gigglemonk wrote: Dave

Elk sinew is nice and long. I dont see any difference in performance though. Deer, elk, cow, bear, all does the same job.

Yep. I’ll try’n do a short vid on preping sinew this fall, for use adn storage. i just lay the backstrap sinew side down on a board and filet it off just like a big fish. Then, if there’s any meat left I’ll scrape it off with a spoon. Then just let it dry and It’ll keep forever.

[Ptaylor]

#16738

Clay, nice videos.

I noticed you only use one coat of polyurethane…? I’ve always just oiled my wooden bows and arrows with boiled linseed oil. I usually apply a couple of liberal coats, and one bow I then brushed on polyurethane. I thought the wood needed to be oiled first before sealing it with something like poly, so that it wasn’t just a dried wood inside the seal…?

But I’m wondering if that is a good sealer/finish? What are your guys thoughts about sealing/finishing wood arrows and bows.

Here, in the bottom of the pacific northwest, the beginning of the season is hot and very dry. Then when it starts raining, my equipment will get soaking wet. So I’m trying to figure out how to oil the arrows/bows so they do not dry out, but also keep them totally waterproofed.

preston

[Clay Hayes]

#17367

I usually dip the safts a few times. Good point. I should have mentioned that. I’ve never used linseed oil so I can’t offer much on that.

I do alot of stump shooting/shooting into the dirt which will wear the finish off the front third of the shaft after a while. At that point, I just do a little sanding then dip the arrow again. Or whatever length needs it.

The humidity can swing widely here as well. dry during bow season, but pretty humid later on. I’ve never had any trouble with my arrows getting too dry when sealed with poly only.

ch

[David Petersen]

#18121

Clay — I just watched all three segs again and have three questions:

1. It appears when you wrap the sinew on the glue-smeared wood, you don’t try to tie it off at the end but just depend on the glue to dry and hold it down? Did I see that correctly, and if so do you have any problem with the sinew wearing when shooting and eventually the threads trying to come off? I would be inclined to use Tite Bond3 rather than Elmer’s since TB is waterproof. Any problem there?

2. What brand taper took is that? Is adjustable for different shaft diameters?

3. Where can we get those great Woodsmanship long-sleeved T’s? I tried your website but nothing I could find there.

Thanks, Dave

[Ptaylor]

#18327

Thanks for the info Clay.

[Clay Hayes]

#18444

you’re right Dave, I don’t tie the ends of my sinew down. The sinew lays really flat and I don’t have any trouble with it unraveling. One thing I failed to show on the video is that you need to roughen up the area where the sinew will go. Otherwise the glue doesn’t stick to the poly very well. TB3 works well and I use it on occasion. But even with elmers, or hide glue for that matter, i don’t have much problem with moisture loosening the sinew. It could be a problem if you spent much time in really wet conditions though. I’ve been out in rain with no problems.

If you do a lot of shooting like me, the sinew will wear a little. It’s mostly where my glove contacts the shaft. When fibers start to lift, just take a little glue and wipe over the nock to settle them down.

I think the taper tool is a true center. There’s no markings on it. I bought mine used for 15 bucks.

I haven’t figured out the whole online store thing yet for the shirts, so they’re not on the website. You can see the graphics I’ve designed by visiting the facebook page (accessible through the website.

ch

[David Petersen]

#19063

Thanks Clay … now more questions:

In the video you dip the shafts before cutting the nocks. Then you cut the nocks and wrap. You say you dye the sinew different colors, but that leaves the wood behind the wrap, the wings of the nock, unfinished??? When I’ve made self nocks before I always do them first, so that the wrap is on bare wood. Then after I dip the shafts and they are try, I dip the nock ends before applying fletching, so that both the wrap and the wood wings are protected (I currently use gasket liquor). As the nock-end dip is drying I simply wipe the insides of the slot lightly with a piece of cloth held tight between both hands. I don’t recall ever having any problem with this but curious if and how you finish the exposed wood of your nocks. Also, some folks use a triangle file to widen the end of the nock to facilitate nocking an arrow. Do you see any advantage or disadvantage to doing this? Opinions from others with self-nock experience are also most welcome, as I’m gearing up two make two dozen and want them to be perfecto. Thanks, Dave

[Ptaylor]

#19151

Dave, I wrap sinew and do self nocks on bare wood (I have self nocks filed by Bill at AMAW when prepping shafts, I’m not too good at filing straight). Then I finish the arrow so the oil (and now poly, after the stain) coats the sinew, inside of nock, and wings. I’ve only been shooting wood arrows for a year, so not that long of experience, but that’s what I do. And it will probably evolve in the future as I learn more.

Clay- How do you finish your wood selfbows? Do you oil them, or just polyurethane like your arrows?

[Clay Hayes]

#19475

Dave, I’ve never really thought about the nock not having a seal. I don’t think it would matter much though. The constant shooting would likely wear any coating off the insides of the nocks anyway. You could wrap the sinew first then dip as you say if it worries you.

I’ve never used a triangle file like you describe. Mainly because I’ve just never thought of it. It should work well, and may help keep everything even better than just folded over sand paper like I use.

I sometimes use poly on my bows, but mostly use tung oil. Both work well.

[Greg Ragan]

#19981

Good stuff,

I like to put one halfhitch in the end of my sinew and snug it up before drying. Just a little more insurance with the glue.

I am not a dipper, but I use un-thinned wipe on poly directly from the can with a small wide brush. I find I can get a thicker coat and still will have a nice even no bubble finish.

I use a clothesline and wooden clothespins instead of the drying board also.

I have been training myself to not look back at my arrows in the backquiver so I file the indexer off/lower on my broadhead arrows and I can find them without looking. You can do this with the sinew also by making a small bump in the wraps.

I also use 2 hacksaw blades taped together for the selfnock.

…just some other ideas. Enjoyed the videos!

[Leo Carrisalez]

#20152

This thread came out at the right time for me. Im just now starting down the path of making my own wood arrows. I have lots of questions and find them all answered right here. Thanks Clay

[David Petersen]

#27932

Clay — I just re-watched your bow-building videos. You are still a young man. How in the world did you acquire such detailed knowledge in building selfbows? Did you have a teacher? Very impressive, amigo.

[Clay Hayes]

#29374

David Petersen wrote: Clay — I just re-watched your bow-building videos. You are still a young man. How in the world did you acquire such detailed knowledge in building selfbows? Did you have a teacher? Very impressive, amigo.

Well thanks Dave, on all counts. I’ve built my first “real” bow while I was still in high school, nearly 15 years ago. I’d always been interested in it, and tried but failed many times until finding the Traditional Bowyers Bible – Vol1. After that, I just kept on making. Sold my wheeled contraption and never looked back. Aside from that, I’ve always been artsie and mechanicaly inclined, which doesn’t hurt.

BTW, the bow you have isn’t the one from the video series. We did a still photo build along on this forum way back when it first started. That’s your bow…

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