Can HIT Inserts be Removed?

[WildmanSC]

I just received a dozen Beman MFX 500 arrows.  I also have a dozen 100 gr inserts headed to me.  The question I have is if I want to use the 100 gr inserts, can the HIT inserts be removed?  If so, how?

Bill

[vermonster13]

Depends on what they were glued in with.

[WildmanSC]

I guess I'll have to call the vendor tomorrow and find out!

Thanks!

Bill

[strick9]

I have used a screw in WW BH and heat to remove with mixed results if the provided epoxy was used on the MFX.Bud showed me this.Just don't overheat as this will break the carbon fiber bond and leave the but of the shaft weak if not splayed , if it is hot glue they come out no prob..Hope all is well.

[JRY309]

I have never tried removing HIT inserts,but since they are down in the shaft deeper then standard inserts they may be hard to remove.I would suggest trying to find a steel rod or drill bit that will fit inside the shaft loosely.Then put it inside the arrow shaft,grasp the arrow and whip it down so the drill bit will slide down the shaft and try to knock the insert out.It acts like a reverse slide hammer driving out the insert.But watch the shaft if it starts to get a bulge in it this won't work.If that doesn't work you might try to drill out the aluminum insert very carefully as not to damage the arrow shaft.The 100 gr brass insert is alot longer then the aluminum insert it will go further down inside the shaft to center itself in shaft.Hope this helps some.

[Onestringer]

If you use the epoxy it will be tough.  You have to really heat the end with a field tip or broad head.  With hot melt you run the risk of losing it in the target.  I say epoxy them I think you will lose fewer.

I shoot Beman MFX with epoxy and have never had one pull out.  Before I shot CX and used Hotmelt, and I was regluing an insert weekly it seemed.

[Dan Worden]

I wouldn't use an arrow tip for applying heat. By design the shoulder of the tip touches the sides of the shaft. You'll end up heating carbon.

Maybe an 8-32 threaded rod. You could heat it and the heat transfer would be only to the HIT insert not the shaft walls and the HIT.

It is still gonna be tough.

[bjk]

Short time epoxy or hot melt, sure...anything 24hr or crazy glue, no.  You can try the slow heat, or the gun cleaning ramrod or similar, but you'll quickly be on the phone ordering more for lack of hair.  

You'd have to drill some, but you can try flipping it...if I ever hunt elephants, that is how I plan to weight the arrow to test out how it might work.  
I've had luck drilling, but is time consuming.  Wasn't worth the $80 to me.

[wvboy]

I've used the drill bit method several times to remove epoxied HIT inserts.  It might take a few swings of the arrow to get the feel of it, but once you get the bit slamming the back of the insert you'll soon have success.  It usually takes me a dozen or so swings to get one out. I leave a field point screwed in while doing this so I can tell when the insert starts moving (you'll be able to screw the field point in a little each time the insert moves).  Be sure to remove the field point for the last swing or two!  Good luck!

[SL]

Just turn the arrow arround- Cut to length and add a new insert. The old insert would then be closest to your nock end.
SL

[Pat B.]

SL,
       Such a simple solution and one I haven't seen mentioned... Or I didn't recall it anyway!!!

                         PB

[WildmanSC]

Originally posted by SL:
Just turn the arrow arround- Cut to length and add a new insert. The old insert would then be closest to your nock end.
SL

The arrows are already cut to length and have feathers installed at present.  I could do the turnaround bit and strip the old feathers and have new ones installed and move the nock to the other end.  

I shot the bow some today without the 100 gr inserts that I'm contemplating installing.  I have to weigh the arrows, but I think they weigh around 10 gr/pdf as they are.  If I add the 100 gr I'll get up to 12 gr/pdf, or maybe a tad bit higher.

Bill

[Pat B.]

If you happen to have a lathe you could easily drill out the old inserts with a drill bit about .005-.010 under the ID of the shaft.. Still do the turn around method SL advised but with the drilling you loose most of the weight of the old insert. If they're aluminum, I wouldn't bother.

[BamBooBender]

The slide hammer effect(as mentioned by wvboy above), done by placing an appropriately sized drill bit(or other heavy metal rod) in the nock end and swinging it so the bit hammers on the insert, should pop them out if your persistent enough. Or you could try steel bh adapters and glue on heads to get the weight you're looking for.

[sweet old bill]

Wilman I use the mthod that has been suggested on several sets of arrows and the key is if you try to remove the old point you must insure you do not toutch the carbon shaft with a open flame. I half screw out athe point, then put the pointo into my burner and keep turning it around and after a few minutes I try to pull out. If it comes find if not I go back to the point into the flame and keep turing. If the point inserts or hit was installed with the new glue or epoxy it will take time, but all seem to break down..good luck..

[WildmanSC]

SOB (sweet old Bill),

Thanks!  I'll try it Saturday, IF I decide to add the weight.  Right now I'm shooting a hair over 9.5 gr/pdf with my MFXs with the HIT inserts and a 125 gr point.  If I pull the existing inserts and switch to the 100 gr insert I'm guessing I'll gain 75 gr, or approximately 1.7 gr/pdf.  That would take me to an 11.2 gr/pdf arrow.  It would make for a quieter bow, I'm sure.

Bill

[vermonster13]

But will it weaken the spine to much for you Bill? Are you getting good flight now? You might want to try a 250 fieldpoint first and see what you get for flight.

[WildmanSC]

David,

Yes, I'm getting good flight at present.  If I make the change I'll only do it on one or two arrows to see what effect it has.  I should probably also note that I'm also going to foot the arrows with a 1 to 1-1/2" piece of 1916 aluminum arrow to reinforce the portion of the shaft that is exposed to the perimeter of the point.

Bill

[matt matney]

Can u add weights on the back of the points like GTS?

[wvboy]

Using heat to remove epoxied inserts in carbon arrows is not a good idea.  A carbon arrow is basically composite material (carbon fibers) which is held together with a type of epoxy.  If you get the point hot enough to soften the insert epoxy you risk permanently damaging the arrow.