New batch of arrows on the rack
 

I'm having fun with my new house. This weekend I started working on another batch of POC arrows. Sanded 'em down and straightened on Saturday. I then Stained the main shaft with Fiebings leather dye. I mixed a bit of yellow and russet with turquoise to get an olive color (simular to the old green gamegetters, but lighter). For the crown, I used straight Fiebings black. My fade-away cap I used a mixture of red and russet to give a deep-dark red color. Looks good. Once the shafts dried to the touch, I cut to length and tapered the nock and point ends (usually done prior to staining). I hung them from the line and stained the nock tapers and let them hang over night.

Sunday, after throwing the urethane on the selfbow I inspected the shafts. Steelwool and clean-up and then a single dip in gasket lacquer. I let that hang from the line for about 6 hours. Now I used odds-n-ends and placed my primary crest color on the shaft. Red. Reds one of the tough colors to use in odds-n-ends. If you get it too thick, it'll split. Too thin and it's transparent. So, I put the red on and let harden a bit while still rotating on the jig. I then hung the shafts on the line again. Will complete cresting tonight with aluminum, green and black. Will be back tonight after this is done.

Anyone else working on arrows?

Sounds like they are looking good! I am going to try my hand at cresting on my next batch of carbons. Good luck!

Sounds like some fine arras there Tracey. You going to have them at the Chester shoot?

When I got home yesterday, after taking care of a few necessaries, I went back to the arrows. The red had set nicely. So far, they are just looking like sticks with red painted on them. That little hamster in my head starts to a'runnin on the wheel putting thoughts in motion.

I draw open my cresting paint drawer, hold my mouth a certain way and take a look. I've learned during this arrow building episode that MINERAL SPIRITS works great to keep the brush smooth and the paint thin enough to work evenly. This weekend I stopped by the local Wal-Mart and found for little tubs in the cooking ware department. Works great for holding a user's amount of mineral spirits. Just dip the tip of the Camel Hair brush in the mineral spirits, soak it out with a paper towel or mix it in with your paint (either works). You don't want the paint too thin. Well, I got the motor a'running and began the continuation of cresting.

First I laid a band of black paint down the middle of the primary crest and liked the looks of it. Well, for me, that wasn't enough so I put another smaller band up on the cap about midway between the nock taper and the crown fade. I repeated this throughout the 12 shafts and hung the arrer as I went. Looking at my watch and listening to my stomach told me that I needed to take another break. As the shafts hung, drying the black, the kids and I enjoyed a meal of Frito Pie!!!! :lol:

After eating, I took the shafts and put borders of aluminum on the primary crest and the black band of the primary crest. I then laid a line about 3 inches fore and aft of the primary crest. Hung them to set for a little while and put a generous coat of water based polyurethane to seal the crest. I'm gonna let that set for a day or so to get good and hard.

Hopefully, this time the lacquer won't bite through the urethane and damage my paint. My last two batches of arrows were rushed and I let my crest get wasted by the gasket lacquer. Shootability is what I require, looks is what I desire. They don't necessarily go hand in hand. :shock:

I'll try to post some pics before I dip. They don't look half bad.

Lost, A friend of mine who makes arrows, weighs them to get them uniform. You can get an inexpensive scale and other items from Jim Balyszak at www.traditional-archery-supply.com check him out he is a great guy!

The friend uses the lacquer coats to achieve uniform weight, sand to make lighter, urethane to make heaver...

Them are sounding to purty to shoot. You actually think about which color to use? I just reach in my little box and pull out a crayon! :) Save me some of those frito pies. That and a couple of adult beverages and I can clear a house! :shock:

The purdy'ns are the fun ones to bust. :!: :lol: :lol: :twisted:

Slayer, these are preweighed by a reliable source, a very reliable source. BUT, I do need a grain and spine scale and will check out your site. Thanks. I've been considering the ones Cabela's or 3Rivers carries.
http://www.3riversarchery.com,
http://www.clearforkarchery.com,

I get my shafts, points, and nocks from Clearfork generally and my feathers (Right Wing) from 3 Rivers. But, this last time I got the feathers off eBay and the points (145 grain) from Clearfork. I'm planning on tipping 3 with Howard Hill 160 grain broadheads and the remaining 9 with the 145 grain fieldpoints.

This is test season. I'm going to test the HH broadheads to see how they fly. Then, barring a perfect flight, I'll drop down to either 135 grain Zwickey Deltas or 130W grain Ribteks. If I drop to the zwickeys or ribteks, I'll also pull the 145 grain fieldpoints and install 125 grain fieldpoints. Just having fun mostly. :D

LH

Make it easy on this old man and show a pic of them arros. My head hurts from reading and trying to visualize all your hard work. :?

Where do you find the time Losthawg? I barely have time to shoot! Sounds like the arrows are looking good. But are they as good as Van's. :wink:

I'll show one. This is the only one you get till I'm done.

Aw heck, one more. Bad lighting, but, these are them.

I like to fade or bleed the caps. Don't know why, just do. Think it looks cool. :lol:

DANG TRACEY!!!! Them are purdy! :!:

I have not shot the Howard Hill heads but I have shot 160gr ribteks and they flew well. I never shot them at any game but just decided not to use them. I still have one pack you are welcome to. Email or pm me your snail mail addy and I'll send them to you. Lately I've been shooting the Wensel Woodsmans. I have taken two hogs with these and they did great. I would like to weight them up a bit though. Let us know how the testing goes. Remember, with the change in weight there may be a change in spine.

Those are looking great!

Note the board in the background of my second picture. Gonna have to flip it over. Thats what I test my colors on. :D It's also marked for my arrow lengths.

I took the added point weight into consideration. Trying to find the perfect flying arrow. The 135s and 130s do good, but I think I can do better. I've still got a half dozen of each broadheads; 130W ribtek, 135 zwickey, and 160 Howard Hill. I may try to find me some 145 Magnus or Ribtek and see how they do also. But, I'm well set for broadheads, more or less. Oh yeah, and I've got 4 more zwickeys mounted, 3 130W ribteks mounted and 2 more 125 Magnus Journeyman. I keep curling the tips of the Magnus though, I think I have a bad batch. Hold onto your HHs Steve, you may decide to use them later.

Thanks for the compliments. One of the benefits of shooting traditional, you have a wide range of arrow material to work with. With the wood arrows, you even have more options as to how you want your bullets to look. I have fun with it. Then I go break them. :shock: