Arrow building, first steps

[Mole trapper]

So today I received my delivery of bare shafts, fletchings, jig etc etc,  my first attempts at this,  hopefully I shall have something worth posting up after the weekend.  Would love to see what you guys have produced.
Thanks for looking.

[durp]

Take ur time and...think things out ... most of all have fun with what can become an addiction 

[dnovo]

Just wait til you get started on wood arrows! You be in deep then. Good luck with your first set there.

[Mole trapper]

Thanks gents , coincidentally I've just added 2 dozen port Orford 5/16ths into my next basket 

[M60gunner]

You’re off to a good start. A couple things, one, you never ever have enough arrows, arrows are expendable ammo, break one, lose one, buy another dozen. Never leave the house to go hunting without a least a dozen arrows especially if it’s a small game hunt. Whenever you get a new bow you should make a dozen carbons, a dozen aluminums, and a dozen woods to match your new bow. I just finished up these to match my new Black Widw red/black camo PMAV.

[Wudstix]

I've found about 12 dozen tapered and tapered/footed shafts that I need to get working on.  I have several dozen arrows made up, so the motivation is not great.
 

[Mole trapper]

M60gunner, those are some pretty arrows!

[Deno]

Good  Luck Jamie.  Nothing like building your own ammo and gear. 

 

Deno

[Mole trapper]

Thank you Deno, I was hoping to make a start today,  but she who must be obeyed has plans for me putting sheep fencing around our polytunneel.

[LookMomNoSights]

 small pointers that could help you out.....
Even with carbons,  it is helpful to role them first on something like a piece of glass,  old mirror or anything nice and flat and preferably wide enough to let the full length of the shaft contact that surface while rolling.   Even with carbon (you'd assume would be perfectly round and straight) you could be surprised.   If you have a spine tester,  you might want to also spine them and maybe group them - separate what you think might be the best from others you think might not be so.  Good shafting will show little to no variation that is of any consequence.
You typically pay more for carbon that is marked straighter (.003 vs .006)   Role your carbons on that surface.   A .006 marked shaft might role better (straighter)  after cutting a 1/4 off the NOCK end while in a bare shaft state before fletching.  I have read, been told, and have experimented and experienced myself,  that carbon shafting can have run out on the ends, could or does happen while in production,  depending on the shafting (model, brand). You are going to cut the point end when you get ready to install inserts.  Trim the nock end a touch first,  then go for your build to total length from there.   This is my experience and the way I build carbons- just my 2 cents.

[NY Yankee]

Make sure, when you finish gluing the last hen feather of an arrow, you rotate the indexer on the jig to the cock feather before you add another shaft. Otherwise, you will glue a hen where the cock feather goes. Of course, this is for 3 fletch. Just sayin. Guess how I know this.

[Kirkll]

small pointers that could help you out.....
Even with carbons,  it is helpful to role them first on something like a piece of glass,  old mirror or anything nice and flat and preferably wide enough to let the full length of the shaft contact that surface while rolling.   Even with carbon (you'd assume would be perfectly round and straight) you could be surprised.   If you have a spine tester,  you might want to also spine them and maybe group them - separate what you think might be the best from others you think might not be so.  Good shafting will show little to no variation that is of any consequence.
You typically pay more for carbon that is marked straighter (.003 vs .006)   Role your carbons on that surface.   A .006 marked shaft might role better (straighter)  after cutting a 1/4 off the NOCK end while in a bare shaft state before fletching.  I have read, been told, and have experimented and experienced myself,  that carbon shafting can have run out on the ends, could or does happen while in production,  depending on the shafting (model, brand). You are going to cut the point end when you get ready to install inserts.  Trim the nock end a touch first,  then go for your build to total length from there.   This is my experience and the way I build carbons- just my 2 cents.

This is more than .02 cents worth here on this post. The more consistent your arrows are built the better consistency you’ll have shooting…. I know very few guys that have actually spine tested their carbon shafts. Everyone just assumes the spine matches.

Here is my .02 cents worth…..

You will be flat out amazed how much difference the deflection is on each carbon shaft when rotating it 90 degrees at a time and testing it on a spine tester. On economy  carbon shafts, or blems…These are worse than woodies. That spine is all over the place, and getting a closely matched dozen is impossible….

The difference between .003 vs .006 thousandths in straightness isn’t a huge factor as long as you match up the spine closely….choose your carbon shafts wisely, and that is your first step you should take building accurate shafts. 

[Deno]

As time goes on, it would  be wise to acquire a few extra fletching jigs.  Three will really speed up the process.     

Deno

[Mole trapper]

I have given up buying cheap carbons, they split at the nock,  they are usually very low gpi .
I've bought some traditional classic xt,s again as I seem to get good results with them,  and some penthalon heavy hunters which also seem quite good.
Did my first bit of fletching at the weekend,  for my first attempt it went ok,  one shafts got a bit too much superglue though.  However I have now ordered some fletching tape to see how I get on with that.

[JD Page]

Its always better doing it yourself instead of paying someone to do a half hearted attempt. I bought arrows last season and had them fletched, long story short glue must be real expensive in the South because everyone of the feathers fell off of those new arrows... It was a lesson learned and it brought me back to doing it myself, now I know its done right and I enjoy doing it.. Have fun with your project!

[Mole trapper]

I have had serious bout of man flu for a week so have literally done nothing,  thankfully this morning I think that I am finally turning a corner. This is great as yesterday I took delivery of my custom wraps from the Netherlands,  and 2 days ago some sweet fletchings,  so hopefully by Saturday I will have made up the heavy hunters.