Dip Tube

[S2K Kev]

Ok, I am just getting into traditional archery...sort of.  (I hunted with a recurve a couple weekends several years ago, achieved my goal had to put it down do to stress in the limbs.  Anyways, that is another story for another time.)

I have a longbow on order right now and I got to thinkin 'If I am going to be a bear, might as well be a grizzly bear'. So I did some research and spent way too much at 3Rivers on wooden shafts (pre spined and tapered), taper tool, paints, etc.  Long story short, I didn't buy enough laquer to fill the dip tube I bought.  I read on the label were it said not to use PVC.  What are some other materals I could make a dip tube out of?

If only the dip tube I bought was half the diameter it would be great.  I really don't see the need to have a 1 1/4" diameter tube to dip an 11/32" arrow....or am I wrong?

[Mo. Huntin]

What about copper pipe?  I don't really know bud.

[Benjy]

When my tube gets low, I put an old 2413 shaft in the tube to take up some space.

[Fletcher]

A golf club tube and a couple of rubber plugs will work.  When you are done with the doz, toss the tube and clean the plugs for the next time.  If you are gonna be making more arrows, the big dipper is a worthwhile investment.

[huntindad]

Go to hardware store and buy 1 inch aluminum tubing and a couple corks.Bill

[Bowspirit]

Okay, I'll prove my ignorance: Why not PVC. I've been using 1/2" PVC for a year or two now for sealing wood shafts...

[huntindad]

Fletch-lac and other lacquers contain MEK a solvent that they use in PVC glues and it will dissolve the PVC slowly and might degrade the lacquer.Probably not a big deal though as long as you don't store it in the pipe. BILL

[sweet old bill]

I used one inch PVC in the cheap cold water type. found some corks in the hardware and used black plastic tape to make sure of no leaks.

and yes do it outside, I found one time I had a leak in the cork area, so now I put a plastic baggie on the end and secure with black plastic tape. so it is double sealed.

[Roy Steele]

I hav'nt a clue to the no use PVC.I have a freind thats had his for over 20 years. It's used for water pipe is'nt it.

[Smallwood]

use the dip tubes like 3 rivers sells  http://www.3riversarchery.com/product.asp?i=5110X

when your done using it, just screw the cap on and you can store your dipping laquer right in the tube.
they even make short ones for doing crown dips.
I think they are made out of polyethylene.

[WESTBROOK]

Made mine out of 1" white pvc and adapted it up to 2" at the top.

Eric

[S2K Kev]

Thanks for all the replys.  I may just go ahead and use PVC if it is not that big of a deal.  Especially since I already bought all the materials to build a PVC dip tube before I read the 'Do not use PVC for dip tube on the fletch - laq'

[dino]

I've used fletch lac blue clear in a pvc tube before.  Before I was done dipping a doz. arrows there were chuncks of pvc floating in the blue clear.  That stuff eats the pvc, thus why it is not recommended.  Use a golf tube with a couple of corks...cheap and won't ruin the batch of sealer with floaties. dino

[Aeronut]

I use Minwax Polycrylic for sealing shafts and PVC tubes.  Here is a photo of the tubes I use.  I have some more made up for various paint dipping and have started using adapters with external threads.  Easier to remove the caps without paint in the threads.
 
 

Sorry for the small picture, don't really know what happened there.

Dennis

[Teacher_of_the_Arcane]

Hey!!!  Cool stuff!!  I've got four dozen arrows for me, and another four dozen for my wife to do!!

[dino]

Dennis,
I like that drip tray draining back into the reseviour.  Awsome idea!!!  Never seen that one before. dino