Cutting Carbons

[Alexander Traditional]

I had rigged up a jig where I clamped my dremmel to a hinge and then put the carbon arrow on my spin tester. It worked pretty good,but the hinge had a lot of play in it. I would clean them up on my arrow tool. I thought about my tube cutter for aluminum arrows and gave it a try and it worked real good.  I'm sure I'm not the only one doing this,but I hadn't seen it before.

[straigharrow]

I used to cut them real slow on a chop saw, then ordered one of the mini chop saws from Harbor Freight that alot of guys use but also had movement and often not a straight cut. Last winter after cutting a couple aluminum arrows for the kids I tried it on an old carbon arrow. The tubing cutter was new and sharp and I adjusted tention slowly. It worked good so I did a couple more test cuts and now it is all I use, always makes a straight cut. Once again proving there is always a cheap, redneck way of getting the job done.

[Alexander Traditional]

That's exactly what I found Greg. I had a perfect cut,but ran it around on my tool that trues them up anyway just to see how true it actually was.

[reddogge]

I mark mine and cut them with a dremel slightly long and dress them down on a sanding wheel with a right angle fence on it. Always a perfect job.

[Alexander Traditional]

Interesting Richard that's basically what I used to do,but with the little tool I had to true them up it took forever. I'll give this a try if I decide to use my dremel again.

[Shawn Leonard]

Harbour Freight high speed cut of saw, looks like a mini grider wheel its $20 and works like a charm, perfect everytime! Shawn

[JRY309]

The secret I find to get a square cut with my Harbor Freight mini chop saw is to be able to rotate the shaft as you cut.That is how the more expensive arrow saws work.They only have a small portion of the blade exposed.You rotate the arrow shaft as you cut.I made an adjustable stop block for my mini chop saw jig.I drilled a taper in the stop block with a chamfer bit.It keeps the nock end centered and allows you to rotate the arrow shaft.I put the shaft in my jig and just bring the saw into the shaft and then rotate it as I cut it.It gives you a squarer cut.

[RecurveRookie]

I cut carbons with my dremel too, and I put my shop vac right there to pick up the dust as I cut.

[30coupe]

I cheat. I chuck the shaft in my metal lathe then do the cut with a dremel tool while the shaft is spinning. Works like a charm!    :D  

I know it would be kind of an expensive arrow making tool, but since I've had the lathe for about 40 years, I figure I might as well use it.

[stagetek]

I use the Harbor Freight mini chop saw. I wrap masking tape around the area to be cut, and cut slow. I've had good results.

[onewhohasfun]

I do like reddogge, cut mine on an air powered cut -off tool. True em up on a disk sander. The air grinder was $12 at Harbor Freight.

[BOWMARKS]

Originally posted by Shawn Leonard:
Harbour Freight high speed cut of saw, looks like a mini grider wheel its $20 and works like a charm, perfect everytime! Shawn

X2      

[Blue Falcon]

What blade are you guys using on the harbor freight chop saw?

[Izzy]

Maybe not using tape is my problem. My carbons fray at the end of the cut. Ive only cut CX with the HF saw and have had most of them fray.  

[riverrat 2]

I use 1 arrow to tune. When I find the length I need,I bunch them all together,tape the cutting end,mark the length on the tape,buzz the 11 remaining arrows all at once on a high speed fiber blade chop saw.  Tape tight,go slow,no problems. rat'

[damascusdave]

Just something to think about when cutting carbons...about twenty years ago I was cutting carbon arrows in a shop when a military air frame tech walked in and saw what I was doing...he gave me quite a lecture about how those carbon fibers, once in my lungs, would be there until the day I died...so however you choose to cut your carbon arrows just make absolutely sure that none of the dust ends up in your body

DDave

[straigharrow]

I forgot to mention that in my first post. When using a tubing cutter you no longer have to worry about the dust a saw makes. I used to go outside(wearing a dust mask) and cut them on the saws but now I do it at the work bench in the basement.

[Alexander Traditional]

I hear ya. I think it's all I'm going to do from now on. It was neat hearing all the other ideas though.

[tracker12]

What tools are you all using to square off the ends.  G5??

[Rob DiStefano]

i use a dremel with a carbide wheel.  mark the arrow at the length to be cut, freehand cut before the line, leaving it about 3/32"-1/8" proud, square up and grind to the marked line with a sanding station disc wheel and 120 grit.  inserts are glued in using slow set epoxy (waterproof, as opposed to 5 minute epoxy which is only water resistant).  the epoxy saturates the "end grain" of the carbon fiber tube and seals it tight ... i make sure a thin film of epoxy goes up the shaft end, about 1/4" from the insert, for added bond protection.  never ever had a carbon insert shaft failure due to normal usage.