first 8 set of arrows

[b44mag]

when i got my bow the guy gave me some NOS POC shafts but they were to short for my bow and draw
so i put them in a tube out of the way. i figured why not try to put a finish on them for a test set . my 23/64th POC shafts are in the mail on the way here . so i used sunshine orange rit dye and 91%alcohol and gloss poly wipe for sealer . i thought the orange would be bright but it came out like a fall leaf brownish orange color which i like.  i had a broke cajun ceder fluflu and i used it as test shaft. now it was a lighter ceder than the POC so its a bit more orange but still not bright orange like i thought . i put 6 coats dye on them sanding between each with 1200 wet dry  no one had 0000 steel wool yesterday. so today i made a 2x4 drying block worked great. i got polywipe and 000 steel wool put 2 coats poly on today scuffing with 000 [no one had 0000 ] in between . im going to let them dry till tomorrow night and put final coat poly wipe on. i got the gloss cause from what i read it seals better than the satin and i can steel wool to tone done the shine some . i think they look good so far not perfect but nether am i. ill post pics tomorrow. the guy bought my barrel today so im waiting on the MO so i can buy the northwinds gem longbow. man im pumped for sure hope it all works out.

[b44mag]

this is what i got so far im thinking one more poly coat and  a scuff
they came out pretty good so far. im happy with the color
im thinking of doing a white or yellow wrap with pink fluflu feathers

[b44mag]

i called the local sign shop the lady was pretty cool. she ask me what i was using it for i told her. she gave me a plastic shopping bag full of vinyl scrap rolls for 5 bucks bunch of colors cool lady.
then the other shop i called called me back and i told him what i was doing with the scraps and he said he will call me back in a few weeks. he should have a bag full of scraps for me.
i just got done cutting mine out of the white i got. i will post pics later of how they came out 

[AtlLaw]

Well how cool is that!?     I love doing things myself also.   
are the shafts stright or will you have to true them up?

Has the wind died down yet?   

[b44mag]

atlaw how is my style coming along.   
they are not perfect but i think i can hand bump them. but i bought some what i call tomato stake fluflu's. made from poplar spiral fletched and they are far from straight they fly pretty good,  i think the big feathers correct the flight. im looking at making a roller straight out of a 3/8th pully maybe brass ifin i can find one.
i cut the vinyl at 1 1/8 wide 7 5/8th long . came out with about 1/32 to 1/16 over lap.
the first 2 i did got a bubble or 2 but not bad at all 1 squeegeed them out pretty much i can live with it
the other 6 good so this is what i got going on so far.  not perfect but will work im going to have to put acrylic white on after the nocks just a tiny space between the wrap and nock but i can live with that also.
i like it nice but perfect im not 

[b44mag]

man i need a better camera this one just does not do them justice they look great to me. i put them next to my trad only 3rivers carbon 500's  with white wraps and they look just as good to me. i think ill use this rit dye mix and poly wipe  on the POC 11/32th shafts. they should be here tomorrow or Thursday .  these came out purdy good  .  i think you can see the 2 that got a bubble or 2 but all in all not to bad for first try and cutting them with a razor knife and a see through plastic ruler. im happy so far with them . now to get tips i have yellow nocks and pink full length feathers. i have to read up on how to tell which way to put them on with the grain this is my first rodeo on making arrows so im reading as much as i can to do it right the first time. no hurry these are to short for me any how.  might work with a lil hunch and a bent elbow these are just a test sety before i do the shafts i got coming. they guy i got these from told me they were 50/55. they are 28 3/4 now. maybe i wont draw so far with the northwinds gem longbow im trying to get. after tip taper they should be around 28ish bop. might work for stumping for it  if not oh well they will look nice hanging in a old quiver on the wall  

[cwlongshot]

Looks great!!

 Its been a while for me, but I always enjoyed making my own arrows too!

CW

[b44mag]

figured out the rift and grain of the shafts last night put the nocks on the right way .
they have a lil space between the nock and shaft about a 1/16th i can live with it .
next set ill put nocks on first then wraps my mistake . ill post pics later looking pretty good so far. i hope i dont blow it when i go to fletch not sure how im doing them but im sure at least half will be fluflu's. sending out a wing and a few lose feathers to have them ground thin for spiral's.
so far this is going better than i thought with help from you guys and the guys on tradgang

[cwlongshot]

I'm just reviewing osme old posts and see you didnt post up pics of the finsihed product!!
 
I am beginning to get the traditional urges again...
 
I would very much like to see how they came out for you!
 
I am refreshing 8 arrows I fletched over 30 years ago as we speak!
 
CW

[scout4]

Hey B44 mag, you got a good job on those cedar arrow shafts so far! Let us know how the fletching goes. scout4<><

[b44mag]

well i got 4 of them fletched and did not know that i had to fix my chopper so the feathers are not perfect but seem to fly nice ill get a pic up in a few thanks for asking scout thought you ment the 23/64 arrows on the other thred these old poc came out really nice but the feathers are just not perfect the 23/64th should be easy to find with the reflective wraps after i get a new clamp ill fletch them up chopped what was left from the pink full length feathers after tighting up the chopper they came out nice think im going to make 4" pope n young feathers out of them theres not enough of a quill left to use them at 5" not sure what im doing but im doing it    having fun

[b44mag]

not too bad but just not perfect oh well who wants to be perfect right 

[b44mag]

heres the redone bear arrows after the vanes lil sanding a 5 1/2in. yellow wrap and 4in. feathers boy they fly nice out of the gem longbow

[cwlongshot]

Looks really good!!!
 
I have mine stained and two coats of poly, just need to get the feathers this weekend.... the cresting looks good, contimplating that too...
 
 
CW

[b44mag]

the reason for the wrap idea on the old arrows is that taking the old vanes off messed up the finish and i like quick set glue 
fletchtite and gorilla glue w/rubber holds real good on the sign material but not so good on the poly. seems to be holding up great i did try to take one off by pealing it and it was stuck pretty good. you can see them when i missed my first shot at a squirrel i saw the arrow the whole flight as it bounced around the woods. watched the squirrel hop a bit looked back at the spot i last saw the arrow and there it was. so wraps it is for me. some day ill try paint cresting but for now its wraps all the way

[cwlongshot]

I tried the wraps in the past, didn't care for them... Cresting all the way! I use a propane grill rotisserie to turn the shaft.
 
I have discovered a problem.. I have two Bitzenburger jigs...cant fine EITHER ONE!!!  GRR
 
CW

[b44mag]

cw
that is a problem 2x blitz and cant find them 
oh and dont forget to heat dry them on the rotisserie
good idea and i just threw one out while closing camp this year bummer would have tried it for cresting for sure