Author Topic: Footed Shafts (Read 1091 times)

Evil Dog · « **on:** May 03, 2004, 03:51:56 PM »

Other than just looking pretty, is there a purpose? It just seems to me like this is a heck of a lot of trouble to go to making up an arrow that more than likely you will either lose or break in relatively short order. I will have to admit that I am very intregued with the prospect though.

TheBowhunter · « **Reply #1 on:** May 04, 2004, 12:50:55 PM »

Well Evil Dog One thing I do know tis more of traditional type of nock with harder wood. and your right it is beter than the newer style plastic nock.

Dutch/AL · « **Reply #2 on:** May 04, 2004, 01:02:05 PM »

Evil Dog, the way I understand it the footing can serve two purposes. First of all it can make your shaft a LOT more durable, because in most arrow footings hardwoods are used. By the same token, the more durable hardwood is additionally heavier which some bowhunters like for hunting purposes and the increased penetration. Another purpose could also be cosmetic, since footed shafts are a lot prettier than non footed ones. I guess the color contrast and V-splice is what makes them so eyecatching.

I can tell you that I have talked with a lot of experienced fletchers, bowhunters, and members of SCA, and they all say that it can be one of the most advanced techniques to arrow building.

You can buy raw shafts already footed from Ted Fry at Raptor, but that option alone will cost an extra $50. I thought I might try some, but I was afraid I might really like them :roll: , and if so I would be looking at spending $80 to build a dozen arrows instead of the $30 it cost me now. Hopefully I will one day be able to build me a jig to cut and splice my own footings and do it a lot cheaper. With a jig, you can foolproof the process so you can do it exactly the same every time. Without consistency, I don't think I would end up satisified with the finished product.

Evil Dog · « **Reply #3 on:** May 06, 2004, 01:38:04 PM »

Hmm...... this whole project could become very interesting. I did find 2 different jigs, $90 at 3 Rivers Archery and $50 on eBay. Both are designed for 23/64" shafts but could probably be used with 11/32" shafts by wrapping a paper shim around the shaft. The $90 version cuts 4 wings where the assembled shaft would have 4 points 90 degrees apart. It is designed to use a chamfering bit in a drill press to cut the points. Talking with 3 Rivers about it, the main problem is that it seems to work best at around 35,000 rpm... don't know about you, but my drill press goes nowhere near that speed. Since the jig is also aluminum, one slip with that spinning cutter could pretty much ruin the jig. Survey says.... I don't think so.

The $50 version on eBay is also aluminum and is designed to make only a single V shaped cutout along the axis of the arrow shaft. The description says that it can be used with a bandsaw, but personally I think I would be a lot more inclined to use a very fine tooth coping saw... wouldn't be gouging up the aluminum nearly as badly that way.

Went ahead and bought the $50 one, it should be here in a couple days.

Now for the fun stuff. Common hardware store 3/8 dowel could be used for the footing but any contrasting staining would be pretty much lost when it is sanded down to match the 23/64" or 11/32" shaft. I have found a few web sites offering 3/8" dowel in cherry or walnut... purple heart and cocobolo are probably also available, I just haven't found it yet. Using a contrasting wood for the footing should pretty much solve that little problem.

Another thought that came to mind is that traditionally the nose end of the arrow is where the contrasting foot it. Don't see much reason why it couldn't be the nock end though.... or what the heck, how about both ends !!! Not sure what it might do to the flight dymanics, but should be fun trying.

Whatcha think?

Dutch/AL · « **Reply #4 on:** May 06, 2004, 05:56:09 PM »

Good luck on the jig, I hope it works for ya. If it doesn't, maybe you can learn enough about what you need to go to a machine shop and have them make you something solid.

As for the footings being used on the nock end of the shaft, I guess you could. As you probably already know, adding weight to the front makes the shaft weaker, and adding weight to the rear makes it stiffer. If you were to add equal amounts to the front and back, you might end up being dead even on paradox from where you started......I don't know though.

I do know that using even Cedar, I bet those would end up being some heavy shafts.

One reason that I have not pursued footing is because I was just afraid I couldn't make my finished shafts match as easily not only within a specific dozen, but actually dozen to dozen. I just felt that it was adding an extra variable.

I shoot 3-D tournaments though, and that makes me less flexible on stuff like that. If it were just for hunting or stump shooting, I probably would never know the difference from one batch to the next.

I'm heading to South Alabama to the hunting club for the first bush hogging of the year as we are about to plant and put out mineral supplements. I'll be back to check in in 3 or 4 days. Take care Evil.....

handirifle · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2004, 08:41:26 AM »

I think footed shafts are much stronger, but with all the work involved one has to do it as a lobor of love. I'd personally just make a complete set of hardwood shafts and be done with it.

Tuffcity · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2004, 07:11:58 PM »

Evil Dog,

Using hardwood for the nock works just fine, and makes a very durable self nock.

I used bubinga for these. The middle one took a bit of fiddling with to make but the other two are easy. No jigs used, just standard hand tools. I used bubinga for the foot as well, but just did a 2 winged foot-main tool was a plane. Don't have a pic of the bubinga footed ones but in the 2nd pic you can see a yew foot on a douglas fir shaft (on the 'curve). The longbow has a yellow cedar shaft on it.

I've currently got some doug fir/rosewood shafts roughed out but too little time... :grin:

RC

handirifle · « **Reply #7 on:** November 25, 2004, 06:56:12 PM »

Footed shafts have been around for a loonng time. They were developed to strengthen an arrow at its weakest point, right behind the arrowhead. When an arrow strikes something hard enough to break the arrow, it usually breaks just behind the head. So the use of a much harder wood there helps prevent that.

In addition, they didn't have to make the whole shaft hardwood since most hardwoods are harder to get and keep straight than the cedars.

That, plus the fact that it was used as a repair/improvement to an already broken arrow, since arrows were a bit harder to make then.