Gonna try River cane arra's!

[Killdeer]

I smell success!

I have used pine pitch to seat obsidian points, but as a shortcut, have found Elmer's carpenter glue to work as well. It being basically a hide glue, I don't feel too guilty.     I like having a "pad" behind the point, it is less likely to shatter that way.

I pretty much have the mindset that the arrow will only be shot once, and that will be at game. Its first flight must be perfect!
Some folks shoot them at bales, however, with no harm done except perhaps dulling.

I have had moderate success waterproofing the sinew lashings with a mixture of pine pitch and deer fat (which I tried out of the bone marrow in a cast iron skillet. Split the bones or prize it out of the tubes with a stick or wire.). The tricky part is getting the right ratio of fat to pitch, and applying it neatly. Not enough fat and the pitch cracks off the wraps, especially in cold weather. Too much and it rubs off.

Sometimes I think maybe a good shot of polyurethane would be nice!   :eek:  

Killdeer

[Splinter]

Mickey, I'll try to get some pics and get them up today.
Killdeer reminded me of something. With the pine pitch, never mix all your ingredients at once. That way, if you get too much tallow or grease or beeswax to your mixture, you can add more pitch until you get it right.
I have also had success using Knox to set points.
A smidgin or two of poly would probably help and the game will expire just as quickly as without it.  

[Matt E]

Good tip on using pine pitch. Also do not put much grease on wax in to start, it takes very little proportionally to make a strong glue. I like to strain my glue also.This will get the small bits of trash out of the resin and improve the quality of your glue. You can add a bit of ashes to it for color if you so desire. Make sure you grind it into a real fine powder.It will look like black epoxy if done properly. After you make a few batches you just do it without thinking but the first batch you will probably wind up throwing it away. L.O.L.
 Take care all.

[Madpigslayer]

this is getting more interesting! would one or two of ya'll post yer recipe and instructions on the pine pitch? I would like to start working on some of that at some point.

[Matt E]

Calvin, Darrin started this So maybe he should give you his directions. I don't have a recipe writen down I just add a little grease to the pine resin that I have been heating on low heat. If you burn it! it is over. You might be wise on your first try to use a double boiler, like your wife uses to melt chocolate. Darrin will give you the correct way to go.  
 Take care all.

[Splinter]

Calvin,
I just use a pop can with the top cut open almost all the way, leaving the top as a makeshift handle. Next, I melt, not boil, the pitch over low heat. I used about 3/8" melted pitch in the bottom of the can. Next I added maybe a teaspoon, probably less of powdered charcoal. After this, I barely touched the Crisco with my finger and added it to the mixture. You will have to reheat often while mixing. Sal gave me a good idea that I have yet to try, adding some shredded grass for support. Kind of like the concrete you get now with fibers in it. You'll just have to experiment really, but that's half the fun.
Sorry I haven't gotten around to the pics of the foreshafts. It seems a brown recluse decided to keep my bed warm while I was at MoJam. I have been restricted to the couch and the PC. Give me a week or two and I'll put together a little tutorial.

[ky_longbow]

splinter, sorry about the brown recluse........where did he get 'ya???? i got it once on top of the forearm, like to never healed up.........NASTY!!

[Madpigslayer]

brown recluse  

[Flatstick]

Calvin,

I'm gonna try some of these cane arrows. I picked up some river cane and some bamboo shoots at Mojam, too bad you weren't there   :p  . Would have been nice to meet ya. I probably should have asked more question when I was there with the Gurus.

My question is, how "straight" is straight when your talking about cane or bamboo shafting? Do you or anyone out there have pics, looking down the length of the shafting? I have started the initial straighting but how straight can I expect to get them?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Madpigslayer]

Flatstick. always nice to hear from ya. What is this whole "MoJam" thing to which you refer? I have never heard of that before.    and I would also be interested in the straightness of staight...ie, as long as it spins true, is a little wobble in the center oK? the first shaft we made turned out awesome, flies like a carbon (no, really!) hits hard. the second one has a little wobble when you spin it but only in the center, and it doesnt seem to effect the flight. so ya, what flatstick said?

[Murray]

Calvin,
You got a grain scale?  What are your Cane arrows weighing?
Take care, Murray

[Madpigslayer]

grain scale...I have a "Good Doctor" home rolled balance scale...and one other one to try, I been meaning to get out and buy a nice one, havent yet. I will try it on Mark's grain scale, and see where it comes out at. I was 'fraid someone would find me out on that.

[the Ferret]

Flatstick, if you care to put in the time on them and you have an eye for straighness, you can get them as straight as any shaft material out there (maybe not .003 TOR) but durn close. A well made set of cane arrows gives up nothing as first class hunting arrows.

Madpig as far as straightness goes you'd be suprised how straight a really crooked arrow will shoot. A little wobble is ok as long as the tip and nock are in alignment.

[Splinter]

For some reason, the cane seems to be less critical of straightness. Maybe it's the tapering factor with the weight forward.
Murray, I have three cane self arrows. They are 29" long with a 125 gr. field tip. One is about an inch shorter, but bigger diameter. They all hit around 540 grs. I can't wait to shoot these babies at a deer.
Kentucky, I got it on the foot, walking has been a pain in the... leg.

[Madpigslayer]

ok, this is kind of interesting...near as I can figure...this arrow is around 400 grains. divide by 59=6.7 g/lb. that cant be.


I need to verify my findings.


thing went like a carbon...but 6.7 gr/lb? I think not.

[Madpigslayer]

now I am choked. I need a grain scale. the box scale I have here claims 0.03 of a kilo...30 grams, or 463 grains...7.8 gr/lb. I still think it has a large margin of error, its built to weight heavy things?

a grain scale just went to the top of the list.

[Madpigslayer]

I am going to forget weight for a second here, and ask another question. How do you guys make your 1" slots for stone points/trade points straight? just by eye? the first one I cut for the glass point, is only slightly off...I cant get the point to spin true. would you suggest a jig of some sort? or will I just get better at it?

ideas are welcome here! they used a cedar block I think in the TBB (3?) to act as a straight guide.

[the Ferret]

Calvin are you swing your slot by hand or with some kind of power saw? I do mine on a scroll saw usually with a block of wood clamped on the table for a guide, but this will only get you started. There's a lot of hand work to fitting a stone head. Some people use a wide throated short V cut. It depends a lot of the individual head. Much easier to mount a tanged trade point ha ha

A tip for getting the tip mounted straight so that it will spin ....look down the shaft as if straightening and line up the tip of the point with the centerline of the shaft, turn it so that you are looking at the other side of the head and verify that it's straight. If the tip is in alignment with the centerline of the shaft on both sides it should spin like a top.

[Madpigslayer]

ferret, I was doing it by hand. I guess I could have ran to the shop and used the bandsaw...I never thought of that. (!)