arrow cost 20 a arrow what the heck
 

Went to gander to day to spend some money. They had my sight i wanted for the same a cabelas and the other places i looked and mounted if for free. The glendale full rut was the same aswell so bought it. The rangefinder also the same price. heres my issue They wanted 80 bucks for a 6 pack of the carbon express maxima hunters cabelas is 139 for 12. I bought 12 or was planning on it. he asked if i had a arrow with me i did in my case. I told him to take the blazer vanes off and replace them with the quikspin st speed hunters. God there little vanes. He told me it would cost 20 for the vanes which i knew. then when i got ready to leave i asked if he wanted me to pay for the arrows now or when i pick them up. he told me just to wait. Then he says it will be a week. Which made me mad he started at two weeks then after i set it up and then go to pay for the sight and target he says a week because he got more work in after me. :sad0064:
Then he tells me 1.00 to cut and glue in the insert. Which i could take. Then he tells me a price of 3.00 a piece to fleatch them. :hit:
Does it really cost 36 dollars to have 12 arrows fleatched. That 160 for the arrows 20 to high. 36 for fleatching 20 for the quikspins and 12 for the cutting and inserts. Thats 20.10 dollars a arrow. :kt::kt::kt:
I am sure the fleatch price is high seems it cost me 40 bucks to have 10 done last year with the quikspins. and the guy charged me to much for the vanes cause they where loose and not a package as i did not need enough for 2 dozen arrows.

Hmmm I dont think I would go back to your Gander ;)

And you don't even have a broadhead on em yet.... ouch!

Now, you know why I cut my own arrows, put on my own wraps, and fletch my own arrows.

Sorry.

Make the investment and buy a saw and fletching jig. They will serve you well.

I have the broadheads but still my proplem is the 3.00 a arrow to fleatch them. If i remeber they where 1.50 a piece last year at the local shop in sullivan. The arrows are already 20 high i found them for 119 on ebay. I think first thing in the morning i will call the local shop get a price from him and go from there.

I agree no need to be sorry i almost bought the jig just not confident i want to do it a week before season i will be buying one. I have everything i need for shooting buit the saw and jig. Might just do it my self

Hell, I'd just stick with the blazers. Why do you want to strip them and put on the ST's? Just curious.

I have the maxima hunters 250 with blazers and i love them.

I was in the same boat as you last year.....so I thought about it for a few days and came up with a plan and here's what I did.

I invested in a fletching jig ($35.00) and some fletching glue then I got a G5 ASD arrow squaring device ($30.00) You can square the carbon arrow on both ends and then square the insert once you have it installed. I also went to Harbor Frieght and bought the mini circular saw ($30.00) and built an arrow saw it wasn't hard at all I used was 2 1"x6" boards and a yard stick.. then I made an arrow tester which didn't cost me anything cause I had the material here at home just used 4 big washers some 1/4x20 nuts and bolts and some metal which bent in my vice once you have that tool you can square everything up and then put your broad heads on and then spin them to make sure everything is good if not you can fix it. I can provide detailed info on the spinner if needed. I also bought a couple packages of inserts and some glue for the inserts. After that I went to a sign shop and got some vinyle they had in there junk pile which cost me $5.00 and I was able to get 9 different colors and measured and cut out over 200 arrow wraps all together. All total I have about $140.00 including tax into everything and besides the inserts,vanes, wraps, and glues it's a one time investment. I would go that route it will save you in the long run then you can go to Gander Mountain and pic the arrows you want and you don't have to deal with those guys :bash: Again it may cost you more up front but it's fun to do it yourself and usually it's better quality as well.

Here's a couple pics of stuff I have in my bow shop the fletching Jig was bought but everything was made by me.

#1. A 6 pack of arrows always costs more than a 12 pack of arrows.

#2. Instead of buying pre fletched arrows, only to scrape off the vanes, save yourself $10 per dozen and buy raw shafts.

#3. Quick Spin St are $19.99 for a 36 pack. Which you said that you knew.

#4. Depending on how many arrows they have to fletch before yours a week turnaround isn't all that bad. Remember that archery season is fast approaching and to be honest you should have had your arrows ready long ago.

#5. We charge $2.50 per arrow to scrape and fletch arrows but we cut that in half if you purchase the new shafts from us. $3.00 seems a little on the high side of average.

#6. If you are buying the arrows from them then cutting and gluing in the inserts should come with the cost of the arrows.


What this would have cost you from us.....
Shafts - $139
Vanes - #19.99
Cut and insert - Free
Labor - $15 per dozen with new shaft discount

Total - $174 + tax ($14.50 per arrow)

Skool !!!

Hard to read with these run ons, grammatical issues, etc...

BUT I feel your pain with archery costs!

It isn't cheap by all means. I roughly figure about $10 an rrow, $10 a broadhead, so why not put a $10 lighted nock on it as well. Call it insurance on the other $20. With out that lighted nock I would have never found an arrow last year. So basically I am shooting $30 worth of equipment....

so, you wanted custom arrows, peeled, sanded and wiped AND refletched during the busiest time of year , and you wanted it all done IMMEDIATELY, if not sooner..... then you complain about the price, which isn't HARDLY far off..........hmmmmm OK

Get yourself the Arizona Ez-fletcher for carbon arrows and do your own, in the long run it will save you time and money. Plus, how do you know if they are tipping each vane with glue to make sure they stay on??? Just something to think about. I feel more better knowing I did the work and its to my standards.

I seem to be agreeing bith bigbulls alot these days. There is no busier time that right now for fletching arrows for guys just like you. Played with themselves all year, but now its crunch time and you don't have a thing done, and its the shop's fault they are busy and can't get your arrows done in 2 seconds. I've fletched 1000's of arrows at the shop I go to in the last couple years, and this time of year, there will literally be 100 dozen arrows to fletch at any given time, so a week turnaround is not unreasonable.

I hear what you're saying, but if he had a decent pro-shop, he really would be better off. I'll gladly pay $1.50 per arrow to have my arrows fletched up at my shop, and not have to worry about how long glue will keep, etc., but in his situation, he may be very much so better off.

As Arjuna said above, you're probably better off to just go buy your own fletching jig. But you're also hitting the shop at what is very likely their busiest time of year. That makes a difference as well, I'm sure.

As for the PRICE, to each his own I guess, but I don't think I have over $75 in any 12 arrow I own, including TAX and SHIPPING, and I'm perfectly happy with their performance. :confused:

Cutting, wrapping, and fletching your own arrows is the only way to go!! Unless of course you just don't have the time, but if you can make time to go out and practice you should be able to take thirty minutes to do a few here and there like I do.....plus if your like most out there that have been shooting for years and plan to for as long as the Lord above will allow, its a big savings in the end no matter which way you look at it. Plus like the Outdoors man said, I feel better knowing I did them myself!!!

Maybe some have played with them selfs but not me. I did not hve the money for the arrows and the rest of my hunting stuff till yesterday as it is when i got my student loan. I had not planned on new arrows this year but if i buy a sight i will need to re sight everything. Why not buy the arrows to and resight once and be done with it. It went from two days to week in 10 minutes. When i got there they where standing around doing nothing. I bought the sight had them install it. I bought a 300 rangefinder a 250 dollar glendale full rut. In the 30 minutes they spent trying to find the target or figure out if they had one they got a guys wanting new strings and 2 guys wanting other stuff done. Seems since i was in line first and had my order in first i would be first to get done. How in 20 minutes did it go from 2 days to a dam week.

You can get great deals on ebay for just about any customized arrow and save quite a bit of money even with having to pay shipping. Check it out. I get all of my arrows off ebay. I just bought 1/2 dozen Easton Full Metal Jackets customized ready for the broadheads shipped for $72

well i talked with the manager at gander he was a rude a**. He told me he could not match cabelas because they where online. He told me they have had the same price since the time the doors opened. He would not even talk about matching anyone on the labor cost. Which i can kind of understand. He told me if it was a local archary shop he would do something. I told him ok and I then called the local shop. The guy is at 170.00 out the door tax quikspins and everything. I called gander back and the guy at the archery desk was even worst. HE gave me the bunch of crap about how they had alot of stuff to do and that they got 20 repair yesterday afternoon. I was there everyone was after me. He tried to say it was so high for labor because i brought the stuff in. Which i told him well if i brought it in i guess i do not need to pay you the 160 for the arrows right. Then he found the order with there arrows and there vanes. He came down about 40 off the local shop i guess because i bought everything with them. He did not care i dropped a 1000 dollars in there yesterday did not care if a came back. This is the last trip i will make to gander mountain. They matched cabelas on my bradely smoker. Knocked 100 bucks off it.

I hear ya on the labor, but really ????? Mine went for tuition and books.

DUH,,,,,it's a big retail store they could care less if you spend $5000 a day at the store it's a drop in the bucket in the big scheme of things for them.....to top it off it's the busiest time of year for them so if you don't get it done there's a lazy guy right behind you that will get the same thing done and pay the money.........really you shouldn't depend on others to do the work for you. You should learn how to do it yourself and save yourself the headache and now your equipment from top to bottom.

Yeah no doubt I was raiding mine and my parents freezer to keep my girl friend in law school from starving to death until her check came... and Obama cut it by $1000 for no reason at all....



I am in agreeance with Big bulls here as normal.... he and I both do the same thing for a living... and we see it all the time.

As to the dude in Gander.... I'm not sticking up for his bad attitude... but he is stressed and overworked... it is no excuse at all to treat someone with contempt or malace.... especially when they spent their money (all of it) with you.

When someone buys all their stuff at the 'Pro Bass' and then carries it to me and complains about having to pay labor... not only are you going to pay full fare.... but I'm going to make fun of you publicly while you are paying me full fare. Dinner and a show..... how bout them apples..... 99% of the folks in this catagory are great sports about it too.... and we usually have a customer for life.

I don't work for free... and I do not like being acosted by customers about labor charges... and I don't care what they do at the Pro Bass because if their level of work was anything even close to what mine is... then you wouldn't be in my shop with your Redhead bow now would you????? :violin:

My labor charges are fair... competitive... and the same for just about everyone across the board.... if you bought the bow from me.... and even the parts or new string and cable... I'll take it easy on you...and give you a discount on the parts..... but don't buy a bunch of stuff in a box and carry it to me to assemble and complain when I charge you $75 for my time. Rant Off.




Our shop charges $3.50 to strip, clean and refletch arrows with any vane except feathers or quickspins... I think feathers are running about $5.50/arrow now and quickspins are $4.50/arrow.. but we do so few I don't even know. Fletching arrows well is a real art... and while I can do it... our shop's arrow fletcher is my boss' sister in law... who is also a teacher and does some of our office work... she is flat out great at it.... I mean I can make them stick... but you'll see glue runovers and what not.... her's look better than factory... and I mean that....

No charge for cutting and gluing inserts on arrows bought with us... when we sell and arrow... we sell the whole thing.... and we make sure its the right one at the right length... duh.....

If you wanted new shafts with a custom fletch... we wouldn't do that in house..... its faster and less expensive for us and the customer to order them from our distributor already done that way.... (those $20,000 commercial spray glue hydraulic fletching machines really cut the overhead of labor down to nothing)... quickspins and feathers are a $10 upcharge from the normal price (which is a hell of a deal really).

So basically Tim, in your situation.... the maxmia hunters with Speed hunters would have run your $150 a dozen, plus $10 upcharge and tax (5% in VA).... thats $168 out the door.

Lol i knew someone would hit me for it. I spent all my hunting money months ago on books welding equipment a new laptop because the ones at the school sucked. Then the living expenses for the last three months the loan was to pay for. I figured i had a right to take out my hunting money i spend. 1100 out of a 5300 refund ant much. By the time i pay off my truck buy a furance and pay a few bills i will be broke.

Had to bust your chops a little for that - I'll get your package sent out soon.

Did you really need 12 arrows if money is tight? Or the $300 deer target? Rangefinder?

I have ran my own buisness and helped run another. You are right. I am not one of the guys who run off buy a bunch of stuff from bass pro and ask a local store to do all the work. I would expect someone to want a bunch of money for it. I told the local guy i ordered my arrows from today that i now felt guilty having to ask gander to match him. Plus i feel guilty i doubt 800 dollars worth of stuff at gander and my arrows from him. He had no proplem with it. He told me normaly he gets his customers from gander when it comes to buying the arrows and they see the cost and quality of work. I am loyal if i find a good shop i will stick with them. I do not like the local shop in sullivan because i was in there one day and was telling the guy how i got a box of 45 hallow points for 30 bucks. He said why in the heck did you buy them from f*ckmart and not me. He did not have them and his price was 50 bucks. He is also a a**hole think you should pay him double the price for everything.
I do not mind paying more if it is for a reason. Like paying you for a perfect fleatch or to tune my bow.

Also tell your girlfriend i said good luck with school. It is alot of work going to law school. I am real lucky i get paid to go then my loan and everything. Sucks they cut here loan i know a guy who was getting 3800 and it went down to 2800. Come to find out his math teacher dropped him because he had not turned anything in and the work was not even due yet. All my hunting money went out months ago for school stuff. SO i felt i had the right to take it out of my loan. Kind of like repaying my self. Plus not like it is free money i will be repaying it anyway

lol. I had money set aside for my hunting stuff months ago i spent it on school. So i took the money back out of my loan. As for needing 12 arrows why not. 6 for target shooting 6 to have for hunting. I need a target and a rangfinder. Why buy the cheap crap.

School loans are just that, loans. You have to pay them back, so be careful what you spend on. (Just to add to what others said)

I see you said it was money you had and stuff.. just saying though

Yeah none of that was directed at you Tim.... I was on a rant haha. :rant:

Products are products... and most people could care less where they come from. You are pretty much right that he is crazy to expect people to pay 60% more for the same product. Bullets are kind of a bad example though in 2009... especially handgun ammo. The market has been so volitile that people will pay just about any price to have it.... I think we've had 7 boxes of .380 ammo come through the store since January. The market will dictate the price.

That shop, much like ours I suspect, gets loyalty out of their service and their sheer amount of knowledge. If a high school kid as Pro Bass does a bad job on a bow... he probably won't know about it.... and probably doesn't overwhelmingly care... he wants his pay check and his discount. If somebody comes in and a peep I tied in has rotated from the string settling.... I want to know about it! I take it extremely personally that everything I do to a customers bow is exactly as I would have it done myself. Thats what keeps customers coming back.

The good thing about having higher than normal prices on products (from a retailer's standpoint) is that you can dang near always give someone a discount without losing your shirt or being undersold... infact we pretty much figure that into our pricing... makes people feel good.... and they get the same product at the same price anyway... you can always go down after all..... and again.... it makes it more personal. Lots of people could care less... because they know we need to keep the lights on... and if they don't buy the product then the service won't be there in the long run.... it is very give and take.

Katie is in her second year of law school now. She hates it. Thats kinda the idea anyway. Apparently law school is kinda like navy seal training. She did intern work over the summer and loved it.... its what she's always wanted to do.... she'll make a great attorney.

I know i did not know i was going to be getting anything till a week ago. Some things changed and freed up the cash. It will be ready or i will not hunt. My plan is to hopefully have them late tomorrow but properly friday afternoon. Then be shooting to set my field of view, 20, and 30, yard pins then hopefully monday or tuesday afternoon set my 40, 50, and 60, properly keep it under 40 unless i am getting great groups at 60 though i never plain to shoot one that far i want to be ready and able to

Find a Local Pro Shop NOT GANDER OR CABELAS
 

What you need is to find a local pro shop one that is owned and operated by the same guy who you talk to at the counter. I know they are becoming hard to find but these guys are AMAZING, not to mention they aren't out to price gouge you. The problem with Gander and Cabelas is that they hire people who bow hunt or can answer some basic questions whereas the local pro shops have been doing it for 20 or 30 years.

You guys are right....I used to have my arrows re-fletched every year by the local sport shop and got sick of getting hit hard with the prices...Last year i bought my own fletching jig and it works great [Although I can only fletch 1 arrow at a time] it was well worth it...It is alot easier than you might think...you can pick your color and length, as well as work on them in the evenings...Just buy your vanes in bulk such as a 50-100 pack of one color and another pack of another color and you are set for years...If you have carbon arrows you must use a special glue for carbon arrows, or they will not stick for long...also, you should use hot glue for your inserts or they will come out...like they said...buy raw shafts, a few packages of fletching, hot glue, a fletching jig, some nocks and inserts, and you will save big bucks for years to come and enjoy doing it on your own...It's pretty easy after you try it...Don't always follow all that hype about the newest big thing that year [you need nothing more than average carbon shafts, quality fletching, and good broadheads to kill a deer.....period.