dscott

As I was going through the stack of arrows looking for the right spine for my new bow. I found a group of arrows I made years ago. Some of them were re-crowned and crested 3 or 4 times. I don't even know how many times they have been re-fletched. Some have various marks and gouges, (one too deep to be used any more), up and down the arrow as a testament to how rough they have been treated. I still had 6 that were still good arrows. Although one of them was way too heavy for the others. (An experiment in compressing) This weekend I sanded the paint down, and re-crowned and crested them. They shoot great out of my CM.

What are they made out of?

3/8" dowel rods from the lumber yard. (Ramin)

It takes a lot of work and sorting to come up with a set of 12 good arrows from dowel rods. But the final product is as good as any arrow I have ever had. What I would like to know is --

Are there any other closet dowel rod users out there, and what are your techniques for making arrows?

Lilhunter

yup, a partner of mine is doing it for his kids. Also I used to hit the hardware stores for grousin/stumpin arras. as an single E-4 living in the barracks money was tight! Dowels worked great and last about as long as my 30 shaftes were!!!

Also after going to ash awhile back I loved it! You can bend them suckers dang near as hard as you can a alum and it wouldnt break (my first deer did this). Have shot rocks to prove to a couple folks up here that the ash is one helluva arra wood. As long as it hit it straight it didnt bust!

Grey Taylor

A buddy of mine swears by 5/16 ramin dowels. He found a source for pre-sorted dowels, I think he's paying $40 for 100ea. I really like the 1/4 ramin for kid arrows. If I get the 48" length I can get two arrows per dowel, good value.

Wistiwasi

My arrows cost me nothing but a bit of hard work. Some Black Ash a small hand plane and a bit of sandpaper is all I need. I can make a dozen shafts in an hour and they are tough straight shooting arrows.

lamb1647

Dan,

Where do you get your ash arrows. If you would prefer to respond via e-mail, mine is hidden for reasons I do not know. Send it to:
[email protected]

Thanks!

Bill

dscott

I tried using the 5/16" but I rarely found dowels that were spined heavy enough. I use the 3/8" dowels. First I check all shafts for grain run off. Pick only shafts that run true. You might have to stand at the dowel bin for sometime and endure looks from other customers. Also look for shafts that are straighter with only slight, or sweeping bends. The ones with radical bends have never worked out for me. Then I straighten them with heat and a hook.

I sand them down, with a drill, until they spine correctly. That usually leaves them about 11/32's. After they are spined I fire harden the first 6 or 7 inches, and them seal them.

The finished arrows look good and stay straight. Most of the time I finish them off with a Massey finish. Hard arrows and a hard finish.

Lilhunter

got them from Mike at Silent Pond Shafts. Made the switch to POC about the same time I switched to Lb. Probably will stay shooting cedars with my longbows but if/whenever I go back to curves I am headed back to ash!

Edited by - Lilhunter on 01/08/2002 09:53:09

pat daily

I have read that hickory is absolutely bomb proof. Do any of you have any input on shooting, making, straightening, durability, likes and dislikes about them?