crafting excellent woodies the easy and cheap way

[wooddamon1]

Nice.Thanks,Rob!

[Stumpkiller]

Very nice!  

I really like the looks of that green crest.

[Walt Francis]

Rob great tutorial.    

One question, what have you found is the best method for shaping the ribbon on the feather burner.

[Ben Maher]

I have spent years building woodies for myself, friends and customers and there is a bunch of stuff in this thread that would have made my life much easier !
Good stuff Rob...really good stuff.

Gonna try that fletch tape too!

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Walt Francis:
... One question, what have you found is the best method for shaping the ribbon on the feather burner.

i used to use 1/8" plywood bending templates, but these dayze i just shape the ribbon by eye and hand, and careful bending with the fingers.  i always do a test run using a test shaft of the same diameter as the shafts i'll be fletching for real.  if the wire needs tweaking, i just strip off the feathers, clean with naphtha, refletch, try again.

[R.V.T.B.]

What did you use for staning the back portion of that one set red? Is that a wood stain as well or are you using Rit or something else?

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by R.V.T.B.:
What did you use for staning the back portion of that one set red? Is that a wood stain as well or are you using Rit or something else?

all the stains i use are aniline dye powder mixed with water.  in this case, red.

[Acoupstick]

Forgive a newbie question, but what is the difference between chopping feathers to size and burning them?  Why would you do one over the other?

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Acoupstick:
Forgive a newbie question, but what is the difference between chopping feathers to size and burning them?  Why would you do one over the other?

chopping feathers into fletches requires a feather chopper that typically costs $20.  you can't vary the fletch shape, but you can slightly tweak it shorter for both length and height.  feathers are chopped into fletches before they are added to the shaft.  there is a sharp noise factor from whacking the blade block of the chopper!

burning feathers into fletches requires a feather burner that typically costs $120.  the fletch shape can be pretty much whatever you can dream up by shaping the burning wire.  feathers are first added to the shaft, then burnt to shape afterwards.  there is a huge stink factor with burning fletches ... HUGE stink!

neither method of creating fletches is better or worse, they're just different.

[SuperK]

One other BIG difference between chopping and burning feathers...SMELL!!!!  Burning turkey feathers gives off a smell that one WILL NOT soon forget.   :eek:   Great job Mr.D.!  

[Rob DiStefano]

oh yeah, gotta add in the olfactory acoustic factors!

[Balding Kansan]

Rob, can you help me figure out what spine i'd need?

Osage selfbow (not cut to center)
60 lbs @ 29"

You may need more information than this...let me know! Thanks, I look forward to getting started.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Balding Kansan:
Rob, can you help me figure out what spine i'd need?

Osage selfbow (not cut to center)
60 lbs @ 29"

You may need more information than this...let me know! Thanks, I look forward to getting started.

imo, woods are more critical of spine than carbons.  

i'd suggest getting a 4 or 6 spine range doug fir test pak from  www.surewoodshafts.com,  make up one bare shaft and one full fletched arrow for each spine, each using the feathers and points yer gonna shoot, and see what works best for ya.  also try different point weights out.  bracket yer bow's holding weight at least one range below and above, two would be best.  

this is the most positive way to match up a bow to a woodie ... and to you and yer shooting form.

[Larry m]

Great Rob, Enjoyed this Alot!!!!
I hope you plan on placing this in the How To Resources. Good info to fall back on time and time again.....

[stickbowhntr]

WOW-There are LOTS of GOOD threads on this site but THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST EVER...is there a Archive section???  EXCELLENT POST

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Larry m:
Great thread Rob
I hope you plan on placing this in the How To Resources. Good info to fall back on time and time again.....

yessir, will archive this thread.

in the long run, a video would be best.  i'll eventually try to do one for woodies, and a much better one for endless string spinning.

[Papa]

I ordered my test kit today!  Thanks Rob for all the time and effort that went into putting together such a great tutorial!!

[howdydoit]

beautiful arrows, and  great tutorial.

Thank you for your time.