Woodies For Hunting - Questions!

[ThePushArchery]

Hey all,

I've made about 3 dozen cedar arrows so far over the last couple years, but have yet to make the leap to hunting with them. Well tonight I finally decided to go for it for this gun season and late muzzleloader season. (nothing like smoking a deer in a gun season with woodies!)

I bought some 145 gr Snuffers. I guess my only concern here is the sharpening, glueing process, and any other tricks you guys have picked up over the years.

More so the glueing. I have a TruTaper tool, and I'm worried about getting my heads mounted correctly, in the event I don't have a perfect taper. Any suggestions here with the tool I have?

Also, how big of a deal is it if your broadhead isn't "perfect" when doing a quick spin test? I used magnus 2 blades with my aluminums and never spin-tested any of them, and I know all of them couldn't be perfect and I've had great arrow flight and success on killing whitetails...

So all you Woodie and 3 blade Glue-On experts out there... Any Info Appreciated!

[m midd]

i use hot melt and a spin tester when mounting broadheads. you can adjust them as needed while there warm. i shoot 2 blades now but i have used woodsmans,I aligned the blades with the feathers and made sure they didnt wobble when spun. Be sure to shoot all of them to verify good flite and sharpen with a file. I had a little more trouble sharpening 3 blades, thats why i shoot 2 blades now

[Bjorn]

Woodies are my fav for everything. The nock and point tapers are important. Rather than wrestle with the various hand held taper tools that simply are inadequate if you are making lots of arrows, consider upgrading to a woodchuck-you won't regret it.

[Jeremy]

Originally posted by Bjorn:
consider upgrading to a woodchuck-you won't regret it.

I've never been satisfied with any of the handheld models either.  As an alternative to the woodchuck, I put a sanding disk in my table saw to do the tapers.  If you can't find a disk (available at my local Sears right now) you can do what I did and use the stick on paper on a regular sawblade.  legal disclaimer Install the blade backwards so you won't cut yourself if you inadvertently touch the spinning blade!!!

[Aeronut]

I do all my tapers with a jig on a disk sander.  The consistancy is best that way.

I prep my broadheads and points by cleaning the inside of the ferrule with acetone or alcohol and then running a tap into it to score the metal.  I seldom have any trouble with the point debonding.

Dennis

[Jon Stewart]

I use the cheap tapering tools, nip about an 1/8th inch off the end.  Use Ferr-L-Tite to hot glue the points on and then stand the arrow with the point down and spin it to see if there is any kind of wobble.  Use heat to warm head and bend to get the wobble out of the head on the arrow.  Worked for me for the last 40 years.

[Tom Leemans]

I'm like Jon, except I often use epoxy for the heads. Use the longer setting stuff and you'll have plenty of time to get them right. Next year is all cane arrows though. Should be fun!

[Pat B]

I use a disc sander to taper my wood shafts...cane and hardwood shoot shafts too. I also spin every arrow after mounting a point, no matter if it is 2, 3 blade, trade point or stone points. If they don't spin well and I can't make them spin well, they become nutters. The spin test not only tells you if your point is on straight but also if your arrow is straight and the point taper is straight; all of which is important.  For fun, I like to make "crooked" arrows. I would never hunt with one but you can make them fly well and it is fun to see the faces at the target butt when you shoot an obviously crooked arrow and can still hit the bulls eye. Even though these arrows snake from nock to point they still spin well if made properly.
  I use Ferr-l-Tite hot melt for store bought points and pitch glue and sinew or thread wrap for trade or stone points. I haven't used any other shafting material(alum or carbon) since I put down the wheels almost 25 years ago.

[bushytail]

I shot my 1st deer with a woodie and a Magnus 4 blade(made the arrows myself)when i first started traditional.I keep going back and forth from carbon to wood.Now i`m playing around with wood shafts and i used the hand tapering tools.If i plan on doing a lot of woodies in the future,I`ll get the woodchuck.I also use ferr-l-tite for glue.Woodies also have a nice smell to them when they brake.

[frank bullitt]

I've used both methods and never had a problem with either. Point and nock tapers, I still have my old Blackhawk tool with schick blades. Done alot of wood with them!

The trick with hand held tool is to stop as you go, remove shaft and start at a different posiion to get a more even taper. And go slow and easy.

I did my cane arrows with a Tru-taper and they flew great. The doe didn't seem to notice!
 
As you do more you can do the high speed way, if wanted. Then when you really get a building woodies, you'll want a spine tester, more jigs and on and on.

One more thing, make sure you clean the oils out, and rough up the inside of the taper on your heads, so you don't loose any in the target!


Have fun building and good shootin!

[crookedwoody]

I USE REG TAPER TOOL,CUT 1/8" OFF TIP.USE 2 PART EPOXY I THINK IT IS 1500 LB 15 MIN.WHEN I GLUE TIPS ON [3 BLADE] LINE 2 EDGES UP WITH 2 HEN FEATHERS ON FLAT SURFACE,THEN SPIN BALANCE  ON TABLE TOP.IF IT WOBBLES I MOVE BROAD HEAD 1/3 TURN AND TRY AGAIN.MOST TIMES IT WILL SPIN GOOD.LET DRY OVERNIGHT.WENSEL WOODSMANS WORK GOOD FOR ME.THEY SHOULD FLY GOOD...CHRIS