Buy bare shafts?

[Simba]

I have $100 gift card to spend at 3rivers. I have been using their hunters arrows in my setup the past year and are very used to them. However, I want to bareshaft tune to prepare for archery season in August. I have glued my own points and nocks before but I have no experience glueing/removing fletchings. I do own a fletching jig and duco. Am I better off buying the fully built hunters arrows and removing fletchings from a few of them to bare shaft tune. Or, should I buy the pre-finished 3rivers shafts (same as used in their hunters arrows) and all the other components and put arrows together except the ones I keep bareshaft to tune with? Does it make a difference? Should I just go with whichever is cheaper? Can you screw up a lot when glueing feathers on?

[Flatshooter]

If you already have a fletching jig buy the bare shafts and some right or left wing feathers (whichever you prefer). Just be sure your fletching jig matches whatever feathers you choose(Right wing/left wing). You can easily remove feathers with a knife or tool designed to do the same job. 3 Rivers sells that tool. Use the fletching tape which is much easier and far less messy than glue. Not rocket science at all. Best of luck!

[SELFBOW19953]

I assume your talking wood arrows.  Fletching that has been glued on isn't easy to remove from wood.  Fletching removal after using fletch tape is much easier.  Bare shafting wood can lead to broken arrows, lots of them if you aren't close to proper spine.

[Rock 'N Bow]

Originally posted by SELFBOW19953:
Bare shafting wood can lead to broken arrows, lots of them if you aren't close to proper spine.

X2. Paper tuning would be a better method.

[Michael Arnette]

I wouldn't recommend 3rivers hunter arrows...much better wood arrows out there

[COMPOUNDLESS IN CONCRETE]

The way I bare shaft tune is to fletch all the arrows, then cut the feathers off 3 of them leaving the quills attached to the arrow.  This gives the bare shaft roughly the same weight on the rear of the arrow as the fletched shafts.  I know that probably seems like overkill but it works well for me.

[slowbowjoe]

I'd suggest, from my experience, getting some premium Doug Fir, or Sitka Spruce if you need to keep the arrow weight lower.
Surewood shafts are my first preference, for service in addition to quality.
And I'm a huge fan of Boning fletching tape, and another vote for NOT bare shafting the woodies.

[hitman]

X2 with Michael Arnette.

[rraming]

I think if you are going to shoot wood shafts you need to dive right in and buy what you need to make them

[Zradix]

I don't like bare shaft testing wood arrows.
Paper tune instead.

[Simba]

Thanks for all the input. Any other wood arrow/shaft recommendations?

[Simba]

Ok, I will not bareshaft test the woodies. I also have another $100 birthday money now from the in-laws. So, $200, with $100 of it having to be spent at 3rivers. Are there other wood arrows from three rivers that are good? Or should I use the cash to get arrows/fletching elsewhere and get other accessories at 3rivers? Sorry, I'm relatively new to this (been shooting 1.5 years) and want to hunt deer in august. I have 125gr eskimos and 125gr field tips. I am shooting within a paper plate at 20 yds over 70% of the time with the few 3rivers hunters I have left, tipped with eskimos. Trying to up my arrow number without changing the setup I'm used to too much. That setup is a 40# at 28" (my draw is 29") recurve, 60" AMO. Also trying to make sure I have the best arrows I can afford with my modest budget to be ready to practice all summer for the fast approaching season.

[Zradix]

Here's my 2¢ (only worth 1 though)
Your set up sounds just fine for deer BTW.

There are better weight and spine matched arrows out there than what 3R's sells...but they really aren't bad or anything.

You're trying to up your ammo count..I get that.
I think you'd be better off just buying more of the same arrows you have.
It's nice to have somewhat matching arrows when learning the sport...and 3R's Hunters are just that...somewhat matching.

You throw in a dozen better quality arrows from somewhere else and you'll have a dozen better quality arrows and some 3R's hunters....not a bunch of the same.

Maybe someday get some higher quality shafts or pre-made arrows later when you feel like it.

I would look up paper testing and test/tune each and every arrow individually.
I do this with the highest quality shafts too..not just a 3R thing.
That way all your arrows will be a closely tuned as possible.
There will be some longer ones and some shorter ones after tuning, but they will most likely all be within 1/2" of each other.

At that point, there may well be a bit of weight difference between shafts..but I doubt you'll notice it.

The big thing is having them all shooting straight..which you do with the paper tuning.

Also make sure the shafts are pretty dog gone straight.

[Zradix]

to be honest....I have a hard time not recommending carbons for beginners.

They are so consistent it lets you concentrate on shooting form w/o having to worry about if you have a wonky arrow in the mix.

Woodies are great!...just gotta spend a little more time getting to know em.

[Zradix]

and hey! 3r's has a sale on a Doz right now!

[Simba]

Originally posted by Zradix:
Here's my 2¢ (only worth 1 though)
Your set up sounds just fine for deer BTW.

There are better weight and spine matched arrows out there than what 3R's sells...but they really aren't bad or anything.

You're trying to up your ammo count..I get that.
I think you'd be better off just buying more of the same arrows you have.
It's nice to have somewhat matching arrows when learning the sport...and 3R's Hunters are just that...somewhat matching.

You throw in a dozen better quality arrows from somewhere else and you'll have a dozen better quality arrows and some 3R's hunters....not a bunch of the same.

Maybe someday get some higher quality shafts or pre-made arrows later when you feel like it.

I would look up paper testing and test/tune each and every arrow individually.
I do this with the highest quality shafts too..not just a 3R thing.
That way all your arrows will be a closely tuned as possible.
There will be some longer ones and some shorter ones after tuning, but they will most likely all be within 1/2" of each other.

At that point, there may well be a bit of weight difference between shafts..but I doubt you'll notice it.

Also make sure the shafts are pretty dog gone straight.

Thanks for the thorough response! I was just looking at surewood's website and their list of arrow makers who use their shafts. If I were to get different shafts I would set the 3R's aside regarding hunting and just practice with the new ones all summer, paper tuning included. I just want to give a deer my best shot (pun intended). I've experienced and heard that 3R's hunter shafted are really hard to straighten and often don't come straight. I have a hand roll'r'straight and can't get em straight. I've heard fir and cedar shafts are much easier to straighten. So, part of your advice actually makes me want to get better arrows now, but I also hear your warning about changing my setup at this point and screwing with my consistency. So, I'm till kinda torn... any further advice to add now, or you still say stick with 3R's for consistency at least through this season?

[Simba]

Originally posted by Zradix:
and hey! 3r's has a sale on a Doz right now!

A dozen carbons? I'd need to buy screw-in heads too then...

[58WINTERS]

Call Steve or Bob @ Surewood Shafts.They can set you up with Doug Fir of the best quality. Surewood is a sponsor here.
58

[Zradix]

The 3r's are supposed to be PO Cedar.

Try using a smooth round screw driver shaft instead of a roller to straighten.

If you can't ever get em straight use em stumping and never buy em again I'd say.

I've given about all the advice I can.
It's decision time for ya Bud....lol

[Zradix]

Originally posted by Simba:
 

Originally posted by Zradix:
and hey! 3r's has a sale on a Doz right now!

A dozen carbons? I'd need to buy screw-in heads too then... [/b]

nah..not the carbons..not trying to get you to do that.

They have a doz wood hunters for $72 right now.