Think I'm getting the hang of crafting woodies

[Friends call me Pac]

 

I've been building them for going on my 2nd month now.  Until now my arrows have been plain jane woodies but functional.  I wanted to make some sharp looking arrows and these are the results.

Now I really understand the facination with woodies for those that build them.  I'm no artist but they are all mine.

[Mudd]

I just love it when someone like you finds pleasure building arrows.

It's a darn shame I never was able to find that in it for myself.(I hate building arrows!)

Great job Pac!

God bless,Mudd

[Pepper]

You are doing great, keep up the good work.  There is a great deal of satisfaction in creating something with your own talents.

[White Falcon]

Great looking!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Looks good to me.

Careful, you will start catching yourself buying shafts just for the sake of building arrows.

[Ed Q]

Those look great!  I also started making them a few months ago and find it therapeutic and fun.  Don't have the cresting equipment, so now I'm just using cap wraps to add some contrast and flair.

[Friends call me Pac]

Ed this is my high tech cresting/spin tester combo.  I just spin the shaft with one hand and hold the paint brush with the other.

 

Can't tell from the photos of my arrows but they are two toned.  They are red oak on the cresting area and light pine on the rest of the shaft.

[eagleone]

nice work! what are those green balls?

[Friends call me Pac]

Those green balls are marbles.  You might even know them as "Laggers" if you are an old marble shooter.  

Finding marbles was a real challenge.  I went all over town and didn't find a single netting bag of them.  Guess kids don't play with them anymore, nowhere to put the batteries maybe?

I found the big green marbles at wallyworld in the toy area.  It was from a little bowling game and the marbles were the balling balls.  They work out nicely.

[dan d]

Originally posted by Friends call me Pac:
Ed this is my high tech cresting/spin tester combo.  I just spin the shaft with one hand and hold the paint brush with the other.

Can't tell from the photos of my arrows but they are two toned.  They are red oak on the cresting area and light pine on the rest of the shaft.

I was wondering why that idea wouldn't work, thanks for confirming it does work !  I don't build enough arrows to justify the crazy price of a cresting machine.
Thanks !
Dan

[Ed Q]

Wow, that's neat Pac!  Since I'm not the greatest craftsman or builder of things, would you mind taking a few more pics on how you set up those marbles - that is, if you don't mind me copying your cresting idea?  I once tried to roll the shaft across a straight table with the end sticking out past the edge and cresting with paint and brush, but it didn't turn out as well and as straight as I had hoped.  The cap wraps on mine look good and are easy to install, but I wouldn't mind making some the old fashion way with a paint and brush that actually look good.

And yeah, I can definitely tell the two tone difference on the shafts.  Looks really good.

By the way, what paints did you use?

[buckster]

Nice job PAC!!!

[Friends call me Pac]

This is how the arrow rests on the spinner if I am checking for wobble. The end board that the tip is pointing at is what I call the wobble board  If I'm cresting I put the nock end towards the end board. (Tip when checking for wobble check both ends against the wobble board)

   

The base is 24" long but if I had it to do over again I'd make it an inch or two longer than the arrows I plan to build.  That way I could seperate the supports a little more.  

   

The support closest to the check for wobble end is 6" from the wobble checker board and is 4" tall.

   

The 2nd support is 18" from the wobble checker board and is 4" tall.

This is the end piece aka wobble checker board. I made it 7" tall.

   

This is how I spin to check for wobble and or cresting.  I place the palm of my hand here and stroke it back to get the arrow shaft to spin.  Also note the square of metal on the base.  I check for wobble on the spinner and back that up by placing the tip on the plate and spinning the arrow like a top.  If it passes the wobble board and the plate it is good to go.

   

The marbles glued on top of the supports are about an inch in diameter but that's just a guess.  The space between the marbles is centered on the top of the support board.  I used hot melt to secure the marbles in place.

The paint is a waterbased paint bought from wallyworld.  Since it is waterbased I sealed over it and the entire shaft with 2 coats of polyurathane.

Items needed to build the spinner/crester are:
1"x4" board about 6' long
hot melt glue
4 marbles
nails or screws
metal plate optional (ceramic tile might even be better since it would be smoother)

[Stumpkiller]

Good for you.  I enjoy "putting up" a bunch of arrows this time of year.  

Watch out - when you finish each dozen you come up with three different ideas you want to try on the next bunches.  It grows and grows!

Next we'll get you tapering the tail ends.  ;-)

[Ed Q]

Great info, Pac!  Thanks for the pics and taking the time to explain it all.

[Mike Vines]

I like your enthusiasm about making arrows.  It is an awesome hobby to get caught up into.

[Friends call me Pac]

To me there is a deffinate diference between a store bought arrow and one I made myself.  Very satisfying to me ecspecially when I drill the orange bull's eye on my hay bale.  Of course I'm new at this and still in awe that something I made could look and fly so beautifully.

Now if I can just get a deer with one of them. I'd be pinging off the ceiling.

[Ed Q]

Originally posted by Friends call me Pac:
To me there is a deffinate diference between a store bought arrow and one I made myself.  Very satisfying to me ecspecially when I drill the orange bull's eye on my hay bale.  Of course I'm new at this and still in awe that something I made could look and fly so beautifully.

Exactly how I feel!  Well, that is except when I manage to bust one.  Breaking or losing a store bought one is bad enough, but when it's your own flesh and blood - aaarrrggghhhh!

[30pointbuck]

Great job. Im getting ready to start myself. Hope to catch the fever.  

[Stumpkiller]

Originally posted by Ed Q:
Exactly how I feel!  Well, that is except when I manage to bust one.  Breaking or losing a store bought one is bad enough, but when it's your own flesh and blood - aaarrrggghhhh!

No, no.  It's a sacrifice to the red gods and brings good luck.  And an excuse to make MORE!