Van's arrow repairs Pic

[Eric Krewson]

I have been repairing broken arrows using Van's method every time I have a little left over urac from my bow making.

I have done some with cedar, chundo, and lately 3/8th ramin hardwood dowels. Nice to have a hardwood foot on a softer wood shaft.

 I cut the tapers on my point taper jig, over lap the shaft surfaces, put 6 clothespins on the  splice to give me a level surface to put 3 spring clamps on and let the glue cure.

When I remove the clamps I file off the excess glue, heat straighten the spliced area, chuck the shaft up in my drill and run it through the Trad Gang taper jig( look at the Trad Gang "How to" section if you are not familiar with the jig) to round everything off and reduce the 3/8th dowel to 11/32. A little finish and I bring what was once a great shooting arrow back from the dead. Pretty slick! Here is a couple I did today, one ash and one chundo both with a ramin dowel repair.

 

You do have to flex the splice vigorously before you shoot it to make sure you have a good glue bond. I have had one come apart but the rest have been tough as nails. My experience with urac over the years has convinced me it has few equals in the wood bonding area and I wouldn't use anything else for this type of repair.

[SCATTERSHOT]

Lookin' good, Eric. What is Urac? Is it an epoxy, or a wood glue?

[Eric Krewson]

Two part epoxy from the Nelson Paint Company.

[Montauks]

Nice repair Eric! I'll have to try that with Titebond ll on a few busted wood arras I have lying around.

Gene

[Eric Krewson]

One thing you need to do is really inspect your broken shafts before you attempt a repair. When I stained the chundo shaft I found a crack an inch or so above the splice. Had I seen this crack I wouldn't have tied to repair it.

[42WLA]

I did the same thing last weekend. I set up my table saw with a sanding disk and did long tapers. I used good yellow carpenter's glue and clamped them with elastic cord until dry. I resurrected a dozen arrows that way. I've shot my first two test shafts several times and they seem pretty strong.

[Patience]

Eric,

Where on the shaft is the splice? Have you made that type of splice mid-shaft? If so, have you had any issues. I have a few broken arrows and I was thinking of splicing the same as you did to reach a full length arrow, but wasn't sure how strong that splice would be at mid-shaft (takes all the bent).

[Eric Krewson]

I have only spliced arrows several inches shorter than normal. I don't thing this is a good fix for mid shaft breaks. My ramin dowels spine out at 90-100 lb and on a tip splice they only change the spine a couple of pounds. In the middle they would make my 50# shafts 65 or 70# shafts.

Mid shaft would also have to go through paradox when the arrow is shot when the tip doesn't do a lot of work.

[42WLA]

I did a couple at mid shaft. I'll shoot them and report back. I might be a mistake but, being cheap has it's hazards. I've got eye protection and a nice MAL armguard.

[Bjorn]

After reading all this I am even happier with 'reparrow' just haven't got the skills y'all have!

[Littlefeather]

Humm? Now that is just cool as a velvet Elvis painting.   :D   Wonder if it would work on carbons?  

[Patience]

Eric, that's why I asked.

42WLA, let us know how the mid-shaft holds up?

[dj]

I broke my first poc shaft about 2" above the point trying to straighten a small bend.  I'm going to try to foot that shaft with the method used on the following site

 http://sjaqua.tripod.com/footed.htm

I wonder if the double taper, although harder to construct,  might be stronger than your single taper?

[Van/TX]

Cool Eric     I use plain old Elmers Carpender glue.  Haven't had a failure yet  :D  ...Van

 

[DarkeGreen]

That's one heck of a blunt you have going there Van. It would probably fly better if you even it up and glue another pin to the side that only has two.  

Just thought I'd post that 'cause I'm sure I'm going to glue the clothes pins to the shaft when I try it.  

[Van/TX]

DG, the clothes pins won't stick to the shaft.  After the glue has dried then you do the point taper and attach the point.   ...Van

[42WLA]

I got to shoot a little at lunch time today. I was shooting from 35 yards with one of the mid shaft splices and shot just over the target. The arrow pierced an old wet pine log 4 inches in diameter It hit just off center and punched though sticking out about two inches. I was able to cut it back out and it is good as new. The mid shaft splice was fine. I think they are pretty tough. I have to go back and check for spine, though. They are obviously more stiff.

[Van/TX]

Never tried the mid shaft splice but don't know why it wouldn't work.  I'll try it and check the spine.  You might be right.  It probably would increase spine.  I'll check it out        ...Van

[Ranger58]

I've got lots of questions on his method and can't seem to find his post with his method described.  Can anyone forward the link or let me know how the splices are cut and the dimensions of the splices?  Thanks in advance!

[Eric Krewson]

I cut the angles for my splice on my belt sander. I have a point/nock taper jig on the disc and run the shaft into the disc on the point taper angle until I have about a 3" flat side at a 5 degree angle.

 

Since reparrows came out I don't go to the trouble to do this type of repair very often.

I did add some hickory front ends to some arrows the other day to try to get their weight over 700gr. I had a lot of trouble getting the foot to align with the arrow shaft and the end result wasn't satisfactory, dog leg splices.