Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
|
Post by Greg on May 24, 2011 6:53:46 GMT
Hehehehe HAHAHAHAA I can already see your faces now. It's the "What the hell did Greg do this time" face. So, lemme explain. I want to fletch my own arrows. But paying some dude $5 an arrow head just didn't roll well with me. It's not that I don't think that the time and skill involved is worth $5. The reason I didn't want to buy some arrow heads straight away is because my brain instantly kicked in to "How can I do that with what I currently have." So I went down to the hardware store and bought a 3/8" diameter rod and then a metal tube that would fit over it. Cost me around 6 bucks for both 3 foot lengths. I took it home, sharpened up the point on the rod, put the collar over it and cut the whole thing. Then I tapped the rod through the collar, drilled a hole for a rivet, and bingo bango I got this... It weighs 21 grams, and the coins and razor were added to show scale. I took some fletchings and a nock from a broken arrow I have and I'll be making the whole arrow tomorrow. Don't worry, I'll film the very first shot I do with this. I know nothing about weights and fletchings and all that jazz, so it won't surprise me if the thing blows up in my face. I'll be shooting hay first, then maybe my throwing target just to see how deep it will penetrate wood. It will likely just make it up to the collar and stop. I've been thinking about beveling down the collar some more... we'll see after the test shot.
|
|
|
Post by BlakeT on May 24, 2011 18:15:31 GMT
How long have you been into traditional archery man!?
|
|
Talon
Member
Senior Forumite
Posts: 2,554
|
Post by Talon on May 24, 2011 18:33:18 GMT
:lol: mc gyver strikes again,i think its brilliant that you would rather make something than just take the easy route and buy something ready made should be an interesting video,correct arrow tuning is a very involved practice,simmilar in many ways to target shooters who tweak theyre cartridge reloads i stick to the very basic rule of 6 to 8 grains of arrow weight to every poundage in the bow so for my 55lb recurve i try and aim for around 440 grains, and thats about as scientific as i like to get,i shoot 25 yards and under,and as long as i can hit a chest sized target im happy (no bow hunting allowed in the uk)
|
|
Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
|
Post by Greg on May 24, 2011 19:32:45 GMT
Blake: Well, I suppose it was about a month after you left is when I got my bow. It's a 40 lb hickory english longbow. I love it! I'm trying my hand at making them as well. My first one broke because I left a hinge in the design. I'm working on #2 right now. It should be done by the week's end. Talon: If I went around and just bought everything, I would find myself incredibly bored. Right now I'm at the 20 yard mark and I can hit a chest consistently. I tried 50 yards yesterday and was hitting about half of em. You really need to move to the US so that we can go out into the woods, carve a bow outta a tree, use a vine for some string and go hunting.
|
|
Talon
Member
Senior Forumite
Posts: 2,554
|
Post by Talon on May 24, 2011 20:47:32 GMT
i have actually tried a couple of times to move to the states,a lowly engineer doesn't qualify though and im a blue collar type of person ,not much chance of getting the sort of qualification's i'd need to be able to emmigrate
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 25, 2011 2:00:27 GMT
I to like the fact that you are willing to experiment and make your equipment. Not that there is anything wrong with buying, it is just much more interesting to do it yourself.
I'm also interested in archery.
I am more interested in traditional bow making and shooting so I just recently bought the 4 book set, The Traditional Boyers Bible. I've been reading them and found them very informative.
bender
|
|
Hairu
Member
Posts: 1,294
|
Post by Hairu on May 25, 2011 2:56:22 GMT
I like ur style a lot greg I might just do something similar for my arrows that are missing heads
|
|
Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
|
Post by Greg on May 25, 2011 4:12:02 GMT
There is a bible for bow making!!? I don't know why I'm surprised, but I've been kinda making bows by the seat of my pants. I will look into this bible you speak of. Oh, and for making replacement heads, there are easier ways. You could probably save a ton of weight if you use a soda can instead of the thick metal collar like I have. Soda can and a nail with an ample application of epoxy for target tips. Just make sure you shorten the nail... or not, that could be interesting. This is just another step in my battle against dementia.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 25, 2011 4:50:38 GMT
I bought the set on Amazon.com.
bender
|
|
|
Post by Ceebs on May 25, 2011 6:33:21 GMT
Now that's using the ol' noggin Greg!
|
|
|
Post by BlakeT on May 25, 2011 19:27:57 GMT
Sweet. I'll bring my bow with me when I get around to making that fabled trip out east! lol. I've got a '74-'78 Fred Bear Grizzly 50lb recurve. I love it! I haven't shot in a LONG time, but last time I was consistently hitting a soda can from 15-20 yards and making soccer ball sized groupings at about 25-30. It's in great shape for being over 30 years old. Shoots better than my 50lb PSE kudu. I have my arrows made by this really nice old man who runs this tiny archery shop out of his house in the middle of no where. He's prices are some of the best I've seen and the quality is fantastic. He's a great guy and I love supporting people like him. Otherwise I'd probably experiment with making my own arrows.
I'm really interested in seeing how your bow and arrows turn out!
|
|