Nock Taper ? on Tapered Shafts

[San Juan Slim]

I bought some tapered cedar shafts from the classifieds here on Trad Gang.  I think they are quite a few years old.  They don't have a very good nock taper--nocks don't fit tightly.  So I pulled out my Tru-Center Taper tool and installed the 5/16 adaptor.  The taper on the shaft would not allow the nock end to reach the blades in the tool.  On the other hand, the 11/32 adaptor was a bit loose, although I used it anyway.  I guess that is why tapered shafts come with the nock end already tapered.  Is that true?  Any other ideas on nock tapering a tapered shaft?

Mike

[jacobsladder]

did you check and see if the point was a little too long on the taper... sometimes if you shave a peice of the very point of the taper off..it allows your nocks to sit down on the shaft tighter... it doesnt take much..but i wouldnt be surprised if the very point of the taper is hitting the top of the inside of the nock and not allowing the nock to seat properly...steve

[jacobsladder]

another thing to watch for is if they are already prefinished and sealed ..the bottom of the nock might not be sitting down on the finish just right...just some ideas..hope everything works out for ya....

[San Juan Slim]

No, these were raw wood and had very shallow nock tapers.  I really couldn't tell if they were supposed to be finished nock tapers or not.  They were a funny looking nock taper.  I think these shafts came to me at least third hand and like I say, I think they may be several years old as well.  They seem like very good shafts though and are fairly heavy for cedar.

Mike

[jacobsladder]

if they are full length...you could just cut the taper off and retaper.... that probably wouldnt hurt anything.... good luck bud.

[aromakr]

Mike:
The only way you are going to do nock and point tapers on a tapered shaft is with a disc sander type tool. When the shaft guide is a "V" it will taper any size tapered or not.
Bob

[San Juan Slim]

Thanks Bob,

I just bought a horizon tool from the classifieds here.  It hasn't arrived yet, but I assume it may not do nock tapers on tapered shafts either because it has bushings for the different size shafts.  I got my first two dozen from Kustom King because he was the only place I could find some reasonably priced 95-100# shafts for a heavy bow I acquired.  They had good nock tapers.  Then I bought the two dozen I mentioned above for my lighter weight bows and the nock tapers on them are not good.  I think the 1/2 dozen I tapered with my Tru-Center tool came out fine.

Mike

[aromakr]

Mike:
Your correct about the Horizon, however it can be altered. Just remove the guide system and add either a "V" guide or a channel shaped guide "U" make the angles adjustable so you can fine tune the angles. Go to Home Depot or Lowe's and look for their Aluminum stock, there is a 1/4" aluminum channel that can be used. Set up a wooden block the correct height and screw the channel to the block.
Bob