Arrow life

[Vroomvroom]

I fletched three spiral wounds. After gluing I dyed some dental floss. It’s all I had. I just heard the fletching was hard to keep on those. So I wrapped dental floss on both ends

[Pat B]

Dental floss is just medical grade artificial sinew. I keep it in my archery tool box all the time.
 I make arrows for myself so don't have any idea about the value of spined self nocks.
 Many things can be used for the self nock spines from hardwood to bone, piano ivory, and rawhide like in my last pic. I got the idea of using rawhide from Glenn St. Charles in his book, "Billets to Bows".

[Terry Lightle]

Just like people,some get old while some do not

[Vroomvroom]

Yeah well 5 years ago, I decided, I’m not going to get any older.  But lately it’s not working at all.   

[Trenton G.]

Every hunting season requires a dozen new arrows. I don't make the rules, I just follow them!

[Vroomvroom]

I’m sorry to every bow hunter, that they have to follow these rules. To forcefully have to make a new dozen arrows, I can only say I’m sorry.   No person should have to be subjected to such archery abuse

[Maclean]

Unless of course one loves the process of making arrows like myself. 

[Pat B]

Arrow making, or assembling as it were in many cases, is one of the components of our archery experience that most archers can do themselves. It really isn't rocket science or Swiss watch making but a pretty simple process with a little thought. I learned years ago that arrow building helped me appreciate and understand this love of archery we all have.
 

[Vroomvroom]

Yes. No doubt. I’d like to fletch a few dozen with different fletching combinations.  But just can’t afford to.   But if your someone that breaks quite a few you’d have to I suppose.  But overall the carbons I have seem pretty tough. Other than tearing fletching off there wouldn’t be much excuse to refletch any.

[dnovo]

My arrows are either lost or broken.  My biggest problem is I don't use enough of them up.  I like making arrows!
I don't get enough shots at deer to use as my arrows as I would like. I only shoot wood now but do have some aluminum arrows here that are 30-40 years old but have wood arrows the same. If I break the point off of one it becomes a squirrel arrow and I need to take more shots!

[Vroomvroom]

Would it fly the same being shortened?

[Kirkll]

Id say it all depends on how much 3D and stump shooting you do regardless of arrow material. If you are worried about busting up arrows and being careful, they could last a long time....

Me?   I go through a lot of arrows sometimes.   I'm way to bold and love taking those impossible shots through the trees or threading the needle just to see if i can pull it off.....

But i've pretty much given up on stump shooting unless i'm shooting at a squirrel or a Grouse.... That stump shooting eats WAY too many arrows....

Best longevity on wood arrows i've ever had was a set of bamboo shafts i built years ago. I still have almost a full set of those.     Kirk

[Vroomvroom]

Has anyone tried those ballistic collars?    I’d like to see one. Only issue is the change in diameter.   But the hex heads etc are larger again, so for stumping I’d imagine they’d be nice.  Couple that with those nock collars I didn’t know existed you’d have a tough arrow. Too tough.  You’d hardly fletch arrows again. Lol.    I installed weight tubes in my four fletch fluflus as they were about 8gpp.   I guess I just wanted piece of mind the bow was alright.  Anyway, I hit a hard object and lost one of my nocks   Heard it’s common with the tubes.   I built a set of arrows recently almost 10gpp.    If I had time back I might of tried the collars when trying to bareshaft

[Kirkll]

We used to see a lot of carbon shafts that were footed with aluminum shafts behind the point several inches to make stump shooting less expensive, and some guys liked that extra weight up front. 

I remember building a batch of those and it failed miserably the first time.... those arrows snapped off right behind the footing...

The next batch i footed like that, i used a brass insert first, then cut those aluminum footings about a 1/4" short of where the end of the brass insert was.... These arrows were a lot tougher on impact related arrow abuse.... I shot several into the steel bear targets to test them, and literally flattened the feild point with no arrow damage.... So they worked good on rocks too...

[Vroomvroom]

No kidding.   I also thought if the ballistic collars fit my gold tip traditional 400’s, I could add the 15 gr item, and maybe change the heads down from 125 to 100 grains.   Then I’d only be 10 different from what I am now.   I doubt I’d notice as there’s days I can’t hit the barn.

[Vroomvroom]

I have another question.   I recently took a slomo video of the arrow I made.  From a distance of 35-40 yards.   I noticed it was still ocillating left to right still. Flexing.   It seems to fly straight.    Just oscillates even out at that distance. Is this something any of you see with your set ups, the arrows are pretty long, 400s, trad gold tips with 125 heads and 50 gr inserts

[Red Beastmaster]

One year I decided to keep count of how many arrows I lost or completely destroyed beyond repair. I shot a lot of arrows that year at 3D's, stumping, hunting groundhogs and small game, etc.

I went through 174 arrows that year. It was a good year.

Since then it's nowhere near that number. I built a feed bag course that is way more arrow friendly than stumps. And the groundhog population isn't what it used to be due to coyotes. I probably go through around 3 dozen per year now.

[Vroomvroom]

Ha. That’s 15 dozen or so.  You were steady making them.   Which shafts?  Even three dozen is quite a few. But I suppose, if you’re stumping a lot I could see lots of re-fletching and repairs. 

[Kirkll]

I have another question.   I recently took a slomo video of the arrow I made.  From a distance of 35-40 yards.   I noticed it was still ocillating left to right still. Flexing.   It seems to fly straight.    Just oscillates even out at that distance. Is this something any of you see with your set ups, the arrows are pretty long, 400s, trad gold tips with 125 heads and 50 gr inserts

Sounds like the arrow spine might be too weak…. What’s your draw weight and draw length on that bow? A 400 should take a 30” draw arrow up to 55-57 pounds.

Can you post the video.

[Vroomvroom]

I should measure it again since I’ve been shooting again. Maybe it increased.  But initially several weeks ago, I measured only 26.5”.    I’m 5’9” at 195lbs.   I hear everyone talk about their 30” draw etc.   I’m a normal stature at 5’9” so not sure how it’s being measured.  I got gf to mark the arrow on the back of the shelf as I drew back.   I may be longer where muscles are getting use to shooting again.  Maybe better at back tension etc.  I did align my feet more parallel with arrow path.   I’ll be home again in 3 weeks I’ll check again.   So, 26.5”-27 let’s say. It’s 55lb at 28”.  I think I’m pulling 53 on a scale few years back.   The arrow, is a gold tip traditionals.   I honestly forget the length, but I cut very little, maybe 1.25-1.5” off full length.  125 gr points, 50 grain inserts.   Three 4” feathers. Parabolic with 6” wraps I think. 12 grain nocks.  Wish I could confirm arrow length and draw but I’m away for a few weeks.  I believe it’s either 30.5 or 31.5” length.  Those gt inserts are long.  Not sure if they would make that portion stiffer, causing the overall arrow to remain longer to fly right. 

I am tempted as I get use to shooting again, to stri three feathers off one and bareshaft it again.  Maybe my draw changed etc. to see what the arrow is doing.  It seems to fly where I’m aiming at 40 yards.  I can hit 18”x18” block fairly consistent.