I built my first arrows today (pic)
 

Well I joined a winter league today and decided to build my own arrows to shoot in the league.

They are gold tip 5575's cut at 29 inches with orange lock nocks. Crested white with white cock vain and 2 orange 4 inch AAE vanes. I used AAE fastset gel and a miller master jig and clamp. It took me about an hour and a half to make these. It was quite fun I wish I started this along time ago.

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RE: I built my first arrows today (pic)
 

I know what you mean. A couple years ago, I got to looking on some search engines about building a homemade cresting machine. I used a sewing machine motor bought from a local store for $5, and attached it to a long board. I can now crest my own arrows for a really cool custom-looking job for virtually nothing. I use Testors model paint, and they look pretty good. You can definitely tell they're not professionally done, but that's part of the appeal -- at least to me. If anyone ever found one of mine in the woods, they'd know it was from someone who puts a little thought into their hunting!

In a minute, I might go take some pics of what I just described. Gotta rationalize this $479, 5-megapixel camera I just bought, you know! ;)

RE: I built my first arrows today (pic)
 

[8D] Those arrows look sweet. How do you normally get your arrows crested? I've never seen any for sale like this, so I assume it's a purely astetic touch (that would also help you find a lost arrow in the brush).

RE: I built my first arrows today (pic)
 

preety.


go deep hunt hard.;)

RE: I built my first arrows today (pic)
 

Here's a pic of a couple of the arrows I did after building my extremely low-cost cresting machine. You could get as fancy as you wanted to in the design department; I just chose to stay with a pretty simple pattern as I'm 100% a bowhunter first and mostly cared about the visibility that capping the arrow would give me; I then used traditional camo patterns of brown and green (because that's what color feathers I had) for the cresting to try and tie it all together.



This is the cresting machine I built, which I have approximately $11 invested in. Like I stated above, the sewing machine motor was used, and bought at a local sewing machine shop for $5. I did order the arrow chuck from one of the archery traditionalist's stores (King Custom, or something like that. It's been too long now. It's the actual chuck Bohning uses on their $139.99 cresting kit machines, and they sell it for about $6.) I attached the sewing machine motor to a scrap piece of wood, and used quarter-round trim as a guide to slide the support block which holds the other end of the arrow.



There's pretty detailed instructions on how to build one of these things on the web; just run a search for "cresting machines" or something like that if you're interested. I think it's capable of doing as good a job as the commercial ones. It's sort of like top-of-the-line bows: They shoot better than I do. Well, this little home-made job spins the arrow better than I can lay on the paint! :)

Oh. And I can't forget to mention that A LOT of help from this project came from some of the great folks over in the Traditional forum, like ClifNDi and Lilhunter and others.

RE: I built my first arrows today (pic)
 

Sweeeeeeet! I haven't ever done that! Thought about it, but never done it, maybe a good winter project!

Good Luck!

RE: I built my first arrows today (pic)
 

MQ, very nice! If you remember where you got the chuck, please post. I looked at a couple of places and no luck. Now, if I can just get the motor out of the wifes "Singer" without her noticing, I'll be in buisness;) Thanks Cutt

RE: I built my first arrows today (pic)
 

MQ, found it! If anyone else needs the address, here it is. Cutt

http://www.bowsite.com/acb/showprod....&CATID=8&DID=6

RE: I built my first arrows today (pic)
 

It also helps the arrows show up better if you are videotaping your shots.

RE: I built my first arrows today (pic)
 

I just asked about that plan for a crestor on the trad. forum within my arrow building post. Looks like it should work great. I'll be building one soon.