Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

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dhaverstick
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Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 3:51 pm

Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

#1 Post by dhaverstick »

I finally finished my arrows with only a month to spare! They took a while to complete but I am quite happy with how they turned out.
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I normally shoot hardwood shafts but decided to try some Surewoods this year to keep my weight down. After cutting them to length and putting on the tapers, I flame crested the shafts.
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Using aniline dyes, I dyed them to match some cool fletching colors that Ozark Feathers has available.
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Then I turned them over to my wife and she hand painted each shaft.
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After six trips to the dipping tube, I pronounced them sealed and put the nocks on.
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I was originally going to try some Grizzly broadheads this year but wasn't impressed with their QC. I bought 185 grain heads and the closest they came was 178. So I went back to 190 grain Meatheads. The finished arrow weight is around 640 grains. I sure hope I get to put some of these to good use!
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Darren

Carpdaddy
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Re: Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

#2 Post by Carpdaddy »

Home run again Darren! You got me looking forward to seeing your new arrows every year! But what do you do with the unused ones after season? You got to have a display somewhere? Love to see a picture of several years arrows together!
Thanks for sharing.

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dhaverstick
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Re: Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

#3 Post by dhaverstick »

Tony, I have a closet full of arrows from seasons past. If I never make another arrow again, I think I have enough to get me through until I can no longer sling them. But I look forward to the labor of love each year because it reinforces the feeling that the season is just around the corner. And now that my wife has gotten in on the act, it's something that we can do together.

Darren

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Greg Felty
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Re: Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

#4 Post by Greg Felty »

Awesome arrows Darren, what broadheads are those?
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

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dhaverstick
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Re: Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

#5 Post by dhaverstick »

Greg Felty wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 2:42 pm Awesome arrows Darren, what broadheads are those?
Thanks, Greg! Those are 190 grain Meatheads. Easy to sharpen and they stay sharp.

Darren

Captainkirk
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Re: Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

#6 Post by Captainkirk »

Darren, every year you blow me away with your craftsmanship and attention to detail! I gotta get busy myself and brew up a batch!
Aim small, miss small!

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White Falcon
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Re: Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

#7 Post by White Falcon »

I love the color combo.

Jamesh76
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Re: Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

#8 Post by Jamesh76 »

looks great, what is your procedure for flame crest etc?

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dhaverstick
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Re: Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

#9 Post by dhaverstick »

Jamesh76 wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 8:05 am looks great, what is your procedure for flame crest etc?
A feller named Jerry Shriver used to make these brass templates and sell them under the name "Flame Crester". There are three to a package and they are shaped to fit around your arrow shaft. Each template has shapes cut into it and you burn those shapes onto your shaft using a butane torch. Unfortunately, he has quit making the product so they are hard to come by now. I really wish someone would start making them again!

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Using the templates takes some practice as it is very easy to scorch your shaft where you didn't want to. Once I get all the designs burned onto my shafts, I dye them with aniline dyes. Then I turn them over to my wife and she paints them. I used to do the painting and then a few years ago she asked if she could help. I now let her do it all because she really enjoys it and it's one less thing I have to do.

After all the shafts are decorated, I straighten them and then start the sealing process. I use a dip tube full of satin finish polyurethane but I have learned that some paints and markers will run when first dipped so I put a couple coats of spray-on poly on the shafts before dipping them. That seems to prevent the colors from running. I will usually dip the shafts 6 or 7 times and sand with 0000 steel wool between each coat. Once the shafts are dry from the last dip, I glue the nocks on with Duco Cement and then put the fletching on with Duco as well. Lastly, I glue the points on with holt melt glue.

Darren

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White Falcon
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Re: Finished my arrows for the upcoming season

#10 Post by White Falcon »

Great idea. Should be easy to make them now with water jets or laser cut.

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