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Any Archers in the House?
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councilof10Free Member
Finished the Easton Legacies, who fancies a bit of arrow porn?
And here’s a pic of the cracked limb on my Ragim Black Bear… 🙁
flibroseFree Member@councilof10. Your arrows look great. Am considering getting a jig and having a go at fletching my own arrows. Always thought it was a bit of a dark art but YouTube tells a different story. Shame about the bow. I’m sure your new one will be a whole lot better
councilof10Free MemberCheers flibrose, making arrows is an absolute doddle and quite satisfying! I have a basic Cartel jig that I’ve had since I was a kid and it works fine – I was thinking of getting a helical clamp for it, but I can’t see it making a huge difference.
It’s a nice job to do whilst watching TV… I use Fletch-tite Platinum glue which only requires 5 mins clamping time and 48hrs to fully cure – the only way you can really cock it up is if you remove the clamp too soon and things get a bit messy.
Compared to the cost of ready builts – and having to replace full arrows when you lose a fletching, it’s a no-brainer!
Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition
Latest Singletrack VideosFresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...StonerFree Memberfletching your own is a pleasure much like doing a batch of inner tubes in front of the fire with Ed Reardon on the iPlayer app. 🙂
I also use fletch-tite. Works fine, but keep a snot rag handy.
5min clamping time? blimey, that’d take 3hrs to do a set of arrows! I do less than 30s, but then stand the arrow in a vase so the vanes arent touching anything while they set.flibrose, I have a nearly new one of these going spare if you’re interested:
http://www.merlinarchery.co.uk/cartel-fletching-jig.html
Will probably cost a fiver to post unless you are anywhere near Malvern. So if you ping me a fiver and put another fiver in the air ambulance tin, it’s yours.
I ended up with one of these in the bag of kit I bought last year so use it now as it’s got “pro” in the name and I’m just that ace!
https://www.clickersarchery.co.uk/products/1117/longshot-pro-fletching-jig/flibroseFree MemberStoner that is very gracious of you. I will email you to get details if that’s ok?
councilof10Free MemberMine is the same as Stoner’s first pic. You don’t need owt fancy – it just does the job. And if you fancy trying helical fletching, the twisted clamp costs about a tenner I think.
You don’t need to worry about clamp times when using plastic vanes or short feathers, but 4/5 inch feathers have a pronounced curve so you need to let them set a bit, otherwise the ends try to return to their original curve.
CougarFull MemberI can’t remember what I used last time I made arrows. Polystyrene cement probably. (-: And a glue gun stick melted on a gas burner for the piles (hush now).
I’m looking forward to spending the evening setting up my nocking point and button and brining the group in.
How are you setting it, incidentally? Sheet of paper / trial and error bow tuning, or some sort of maths? I half remember the advice given as a kid about it being a sixteenth above / below the arrow shelf or some such but I’m buggered if I can remember now, it was half a lifetime ago.
Logic would suggest that it should be above the shelf by whatever the difference is between the bottom of the nock and the bottom of the spine (ie, it’s perfectly perpendicular) but I’ve no idea whether that’s the case in practice or not.
StonerFree Memberbut 4/5 inch feathers
well if you will shoot with half a dead chicken on the back end….
top of the bottom nock should be 1/8″ above the line of the arrow rest apparently.
The button I set to put the tip of the pile just to the left of the bow string (RH), and the button pressure adjust until the shot is centred, having set the centre shot with the sight in line with the bow/string centre line.
flibrose, feel free to pm at my email.
redthunderFree MemberMy Recipe
• POC Shafts at desired spine and cut to length.
• Sanded with 1200grain sand/glass paper.
• 3 coats of Danish oil
• Boning index nocks glued on with Fletchtite
• Pile, brass or steel 100grain screw ons.
• 4 inch left wing sheild or parabolic feathers with a Tollgate jig.Leave each feather on for 15min. Dont forget to line up correctly with the rift of the arrow.
• Crested with lego machine 😉Go to the woods and break ;-)..not very often.
councilof10Free MemberWhat’s the thinking behind left-wing feathers Red? I’ve used right wing on those Legacies, simply because I’m using threaded inserts/piles and I’d prefer them not to come lose when hitting the target…
redthunderFree MemberI’ve been told. There is no diffrenece, as long as you dont mix.
redthunderFree MemberLego Arrow Cresting Machine 🙂
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TaUsd7]P1260422[/url] by SGMTB, on Flickr
I’ve got a video somewhere and I’ll try post later.
daftvaderFree MemberAll this archery talk has me itching to get back in the field, unfortunately my wrist won’t cope. However I may start making some custom leatherwork for the discerning archer…. hmmmmmmmm
CougarFull MemberLego Arrow Cresting Machine
Oh that’s ace. Looking forward to the video.
All this archery talk has me itching to get back in the field, unfortunately my wrist won’t cope.
Would swapping hands help?
flibroseFree Member@daftvadar a nice back quiver like the ones on http://www.northmen.com would be very appealing
daftvaderFree MemberSo I’ve been having a thinking, as some of you may know I make a few pieces of fossil branded outdoorsy stuff, adding archery gear to the range seems like a good idea…. as a market research type of thing what would people be willing to pay for items similar to those in the link above? (Hand made and custom Bracers, back quivers and the like)
councilof10Free MemberDon’t think I’d be willing to pay anything like those sort of prices!!
TBH, my experience of archers in the UK – particularly field/trad archers – is that they’re happy to spend silly money on bows but they’ll use home-made stuff elsewhere.
I don’t think they’ll sell many of those quiver/belt/pouch combos for almost 500 quid in the UK!
There’s probably more of a market for it in the US… Have a look at this young lady’s stuff for some inspiration – she’s NZ-based…
That Timber Creek bow looks REALLY nice! I wish I’d seen those discounted bows as Merlin before they sold out…
Tried the new arrows out last night, far too stiff! Need to try some 125gr piles to see if that softens them up… The slo-mo filming on iPhones is very useful for now tuning!
daftvaderFree MemberYeah I agree. those prices are a bit silly, I guess tho it depends on hours worked on a piece, I reckon no more than 130-150 quid for a back quiver and slightly more for a side quiver with pouch….
big_n_daftFree MemberTBH, my experience of archers in the UK – particularly field/trad archers – is that they’re happy to spend silly money on bows but they’ll use home-made stuff elsewhere.
I agree
However if you do some samples talk to the Longbow Shop i think they have more of the target audience and also bring in stuff from the small makers
big_n_daftFree MemberThat Timber Creek bow looks REALLY nice! I wish I’d seen those discounted bows as Merlin before they sold out…
I have seen a couple and they are OK, not shot one which is the real test.
I’d keep an eye on the border Facebook page as that where they do their sales, from my glance around the other day the massive over stock isn’t there yet so it’s likely to be a while for the flatbows, and if you are passing and a stock bow fits it is always worth trying to negotiate, I timed it right and have two very nice bargains including a Hawk Hunter GL for less than a cottonmouth
daftvaderFree MemberNot a bad idea bigndaft… problem really is that there are loads of people doing this kind of stuff on etsy… needs a usp really…
councilof10Free MemberI’d keep an eye on the border Facebook page as that where they do their sales, from my glance around the other day the massive over stock isn’t there yet so it’s likely to be a while for the flatbows, and if you are passing and a stock bow fits it is always worth trying to negotiate, I timed it right and have two very nice bargains including a Hawk Hunter GL for less than a cottonmouth
I might just do that, thanks for the tip!
Target archers aren’t into leather – they prefer colour-coordinated or branded kit. I very much doubt it’s a market that you’d make anything out of – as you say, etsy is full of people that do it for a hobby and aren’t looking to make profit.
Back to arrows, how much difference will 25gr make on my points? I’ve got those Saunders threaded combis in 100gr, would 125s soften a stiff arrow considerably?
big_n_daftFree MemberBack to arrows, how much difference will 25gr make on my points? I’ve got those Saunders threaded combis in 100gr, would 125s soften a stiff arrow considerably?
For me about i
An inch in length, ie changing the pile makes up for the stiffer shorter arrow shaft I have after a breakcouncilof10Free MemberI’m a little frustrated – I spoke to Merlin who advised on length and spine. Then they came back to me saying that Easton had changed the un-cut length to just under an inch shorter than they advised.
But they said with nock/pile fitted, they’d still be long enough for my draw (which they are)…
However, the slightly shorter arrow is too stiff for the bow – bare shaft is hitting the boss at almost 45° at 12 meters. I’ll get some 125gr when I go to the Longbow shop and hope for the best… Perhaps the Bear Paw bow might be a little faster than the Ragim too which would help.
I know, I should have bare-shafted one before I built them up, but Merlin forgot to include threaded inserts, so I soldiered on with the fletching and fitted the inserts last. 🙁
StonerFree Memberouch.
Im afraid I cant really help on tuning as I learn from my coaches, but the most important advice I get given is to go to the shop with my bowset before buying.
Wales (and I assume Merlin too) have a small shooting range, and a full selection of bare-shaft arrows to test following taking draw and poundage measurements.
Chap at Wales sucked his teeth, plucked out a bare shaft of the right spec and lo and behold, I banged it straight in at 90 degrees. Good guess. Good guess. At £150 for a set, I was loathe to splash on mail order….
redthunderFree MemberLego Cresting Movie
Found the movie on my external drive, couple more to follow.
[video]https://youtu.be/U-vPzus2NjU[/video]
My current version, I roll the arrow with my hand.
Sorry about the music (noise) it seemed fun at the time with Dance Ejay 😉
redthunderFree MemberShooting clays in slo motion.
Panasonic Lumix TZ40 200fps
[video]https://youtu.be/PIj5HihCGZo[/video]
redthunderFree MemberShooting Fimbles in Slow Mo
[video]https://youtu.be/s9dI4Jo0O6I[/video]
Panasonic Lumix TZ40 200fps
redthunderFree MemberFlu Fly Flying Far Far Away….
[video]https://youtu.be/cXbm6KWrQac[/video]
Panasonic Lumix TZ40 200fps
redthunderFree MemberMy arrows 29.5 inch. About 2.5 inch sticking out the front, 100grain piles.
Fly like magic 🙂
PS I dont look at my arrow, I look at the target 🙂
redthunderFree MemberLego Cresting Short Version
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDnEP1EK-z0[/video]redthunderFree MemberI’m a little frustrated –
I know, I should have bare-shafted one before I built them up, but Merlin forgot to include threaded inserts, so I soldiered on with the fletching and fitted the inserts last.”
Next time 🙂
Get a stock arrow shaft and nock it. Stick a leaf or a bit of card on the end dand draw back to your anchor and this will give a miniumum length. Leave a couple of inches on the shaft for future snaps at the pile end.
If you go wood next time that is. I assume your carbons have all bee cut short 🙁
4 inch feathers, 100grain pile and for 5/16 dia shaft.
The pile and nock gives you an extra inch. Dont worry about arrow sticking out the front,,,,and dont look at it when you shoot.
Use the force,,,,hunting tackle (barebow) vision that is 😉
“Aim Small, Miss Small”
StonerFree MemberMy arrows 29.5 inch. About 2.5 inch sticking out the front
Are you the anti-gibbon? 🙂
31.5″ arrows, with 1/2″ out the back of the bow.
Me sasquatch.big_n_daftFree MemberI’m a little frustrated – I spoke to Merlin who advised on length and spine. Then they came back to me saying that Easton had changed the un-cut length to just under an inch shorter than they advised.
But they said with nock/pile fitted, they’d still be long enough for my draw (which they are)…
However, the slightly shorter arrow is too stiff for the bow – bare shaft is hitting the boss at almost 45° at 12 meters. I’ll get some 125gr when I go to the Longbow shop and hope for the best… Perhaps the Bear Paw bow might be a little faster than the Ragim too which would help.
Arrow spining is a dark art and I find there is a lot of bollox out there
I shoot 70-75# spined woods full length with 100 grain piles out of my 48# border took 6 sets of arrows to get it right, if I break the end then i put a 125 pile on which compensates just about right
If the eastons are to stiff it’s ramp up the pile weight significantly? (150 or 175) or get a faster bow or sell them
Just going up 25 grains isn’t going to make enough difference IMHO
Rich_sFull MemberFinally tracked down my Portland 2000, which strangely is in better nick than I remember – riser looks brand new. Sadly though I can’t seem to find any of the gubbins for it – literally have the bare bow without even a string.
Advice please – when I bung it on eBay, should I (buy a string and) string it for the photos? And what sort of string is considered de rigeur these days? Fastflite still ok?
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