posted
Ever needed to clean up an old gue-on head?
I've just been pondering this very situation, whilst building some wooden arrows (Something I haven't done for ages!)
All my broadheads have inserts glued into them for carbon arrows & I not wanting to have to buy new heads (cheapskate that I am) I figured I'd just remove the inserts & glue them directly onto the wooden shafts.
Unfortunately, over the years, I have used a multitude of adhesives to fix heads to inserts & not all of them clean up very well. The usual procedure for removing inserts is to heat the insert (NOT THE BROADHEAD) & pull it free once the glue releases. Generally that leaves you with a head that looks like this inside.....
The left over residue is hard & makes it impossible to re-glue the broadhead to another shaft or insert & get it to spin perfectly straight.
I racked my brains trying to figure out how to remove it. I tried small files, knifeblades & screwrdivers, but none of them did the job to my satisfaction. Then I hit on an idea.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Broadhead Pillar drill (or electric drill & a vice) .30 cal (.30-06, .308, .32, .357 or .38) bronze bore brush Gloves/Vice grips
Chuck the brush in your drill.....
Turn the drill to a low speed (500rpm ish) & grab a tight hold of your broadhead with your vice grips (or grab it in your vice) Whilst the brush is spinning in your drill, lift the broadhead onto the brush (slowly to start with, it could grab & spin so hold on tight!).....
Angle your broadhead so that the brush is contacting all around the open end of the taper.....
You'll only need to keep this going for a few seconds (probably around 20 seconds per head) to get all the gunk out of there. Once the taper looks clean, turn the had over & tap it on a hard surface so that any residue falls out.
You should now be left with a lovely, clean, grease-free taper that you can happily re-glue to a new shaft or insert & get spinning right.....
-------------------- "I came into this world, kicking, screaming & covered in someone else's blood. I have no problem going out the same way"
PBS & TBT Member
>>---TGMM, Family of the Bow---> Posts: 4802 | From: Tullahoma, TN | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
Great idea. I have used a torch and given quick blasts into the broadhead (not enough to get the blades hot), but enough to soften the glue, then gone in with brush. Thought about squirting some goo gone, or denatured alcohol in first and letting sit to soften the glue.
-------------------- "Our outdoor heritage owes more to the countless Lords who questioned and explored than to Lord Ripon, who simply chose to shoot and tally." E.D.Thomas Jr. Posts: 3142 | From: Waldoboro, Maine | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Good idea. I think I'd grip that head in a sandwich of leather or parallel-jaw pliers, though. I've had bits "catch" drilling small stock held in the fingers and it hurts.
-------------------- Charlie P. ~~ _/)~~ A.B.C.C.
Bear Kodiak & Kodiak Hunter, Dick Palmer Hunter (L/B), Ben Pearson Hunter, Wing Presentation II & 3 Red Wing Hunters (LH & 2 RH), Browning Explorer & Cobra II, Martin/Howatt Dream Catcher (wood arrows for all) Posts: 2817 | From: Upstate NY | Registered: May 2003
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posted
Uncle Robbie..... that there, "Pillar Drill", as you call it is commonly refered to as a Drill Press here in the USA. Just bustin your chops bud, haha !!!
Agree with Stumpkiller about not free hand holding the head but rather using pliers and leather. You scare me to death sometimes bud !!! Coming from a machining background I have seen what rotating cutters of many sorts can do to flesh and it ain't pretty ! Great tip though for cleaning out tapers, thanks.
Posts: 2488 | From: TN | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Rob, I've done the same thing in the past to clean out Broadheads. However, I didn't hold them with my fingers! Being a knife maker I know you realize this is not being entirely safety conscious so I'll leave it at that.
The only thing I'll add is this: In the 80's I would use JB Weld to mount my glue on heads to inserts which could then be screwed on to Aluminum shafts. Being a cheapskate myself I didn't want to discard the heads just because they could no longer glue on to wood shafts. My solution was this..... cut the insert off at base of broadhead, insert BH into vise, drill starter hole into BH to begin cleaning out welded adapter. I would then use a diamond glass or ceramic bit to finish removal of adapter. Since the bit is shaped like a countersink bit, (tapered like the BH ferrule) it would do a nice job of removing the remaining insert and JB Weld. Then a quick brushing as you've done and your ready to go!
posted
I think there are a higher than average percentage of people on this site with common sense, but I have generally found common sense to be a rare commodity in the general population.
-------------------- "Our outdoor heritage owes more to the countless Lords who questioned and explored than to Lord Ripon, who simply chose to shoot and tally." E.D.Thomas Jr. Posts: 3142 | From: Waldoboro, Maine | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Fantastic idea, Rob! Thank you so much! Now I best pop-out and buy one of those itty-bitty little .30 brushes and start cleaning the collection.
-------------------- TGMM - Family of the Bow Posts: 5758 | From: Northern Territory, Australia | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
A man with that much metal in his head ain't skeered of a little ol' broadhead!!!
God Bless, Nathan
-------------------- But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. Psalms 3:3 Posts: 1917 | From: Crow Mnt., Arkansas | Registered: Nov 2009
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