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Aluminum arrows

Wlog

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2016
Messages
552
Location
Chesapeake City, MD
Anyone have a lot of aluminum arrow experience?

My questions:

How are you cutting them? Tubing cutters or saw?

Do I need to use a torch for gluing inserts? Lighter doesn’t seem to work too well, the glue hardens back up quick or I heat it too long and it drips all over and makes a mess.

Do you find them more forgiving than carbon?

I’m looking for easier tuning not harder. Hoping aluminum helps with that.
The high FOC on a light carbon arrow is driving me crazy.
 
Anyone have a lot of aluminum arrow experience?

My questions:

How are you cutting them? Tubing cutters or saw?

Do I need to use a torch for gluing inserts? Lighter doesn’t seem to work too well, the glue hardens back up quick or I heat it too long and it drips all over and makes a mess.

Do you find them more forgiving than carbon?

I’m looking for easier tuning not harder. Hoping aluminum helps with that.
The high FOC on a light carbon arrow is driving me crazy.

I use a tubing cutter. Go slow so you don’t put a bur on the inside of the arrow. If you do, some quick cleanup with a file takes care of it.

I’ve always used a torch for carbon and aluminum both.

I do think they are a little more forgiving than carbon, especially if you are trying build a heavier arrow.

With that said I went back to carbons this year. I bought the new Safari Tuff Taipan arrows and they seem to be a lot more forgiving than any other carbon I’ve shot.
 
^^^^^^^^this^^^^^^^^^

Tube cutter, torch, hot melt glue, feathers, no seam so no nock tuning required, heavier GPI (generally), cheaper. I’m sure there is more, but I agree with @GCTerpfan

And, aluminum’s are just cool! But, they aren’t as durable as carbons. Ironically, I was building some aluminums today.

Enjoy the build and have fun!
 
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I thought all aluminum arrows had been recalled by the Smithsonian Museum. ;)

I started out shooting wood, then fiberglass, then aluminum for many years and finally carbon.
When carbon first came out, the offerings were in such a broad range of draw weights, it was very difficult to find an arrow that worked for most bow setups. These days, there are better offerings in spines, shaft diameters and variable weights in inserts. :) Carbon is far more durable than aluminum and holds its' straightness better and longer. For those reasons carbon is a better value. :cool:

There are spine charts for the applicable Draw Weight of the bow, proper shaft length being used and a wide range of tip weights too.
Getting the bow being used in tune, is the most important part of getting the arrows to fly properly from that bow. After that, it's just a matter of brand choice.

I'm shooting a 60" length recurve, at 45# and a 27" Draw Length. I'm shooting a Gold Tip Hunter XT 500 spine at 29" with a 50 gr. insert and a 150 gr. field tip. This arrow has a 445 TAW (Total Arrow Weight) and a 19% FOC (Front Of Center). The bare shaft flies perfect at 20 yards, which means that a broadhead will fly perfect at the same distance. :)

*** It' just as simple as knowing your DL, then add 1" or more if you don't feel comfortable with the broadhead being that close to your hand. Again, there are arrow charts for the length of arrow being used with the tip weight being used, to get a good starting point.
*** The BH Brace Height, Tiller Adjustment and Nocking Point Height are very important tuning issues to get a good end result. (This applies no matter what type of arrow shafting is being used.)
 
I shot them for years. I still have a few dozen laying around.
I always used a tubing cutter and regular hot melt. That was in the days before the blue cool melt was made so I can't comment on how well cool melt works with aluminum. Blue works great with carbon.
Torch works fine but I often just used the kitchen stove (gas).
Screw a field point into the insert, then grab the point with pliers and heat up the insert until hot enough that the glue melts on it when touched to it. Then heat up the tip of the shaft while still keeping a little heat on the insert/glue...just enough heat to keep the glue from setting up.
Then just slip it it the shaft while turning it. Easy.
Fletching didn't always stick well to the old aluminum shafts. Not sure if the new ones are any different.
2 methods for prepping for fletching...wraps or dip in laquor (sp?).
Wraps are easier.
This thread makes me want to get out some of those old shafts.
 
I thought all aluminum arrows had been recalled by the Smithsonian Museum. ;)

I started out shooting wood, then fiberglass, then aluminum for many years and finally carbon.
When carbon first came out, the offerings were in such a broad range of draw weights, it was very difficult to find an arrow that worked for most bow setups. These days, there are better offerings in spines, shaft diameters and variable weights in inserts. :) Carbon is far more durable than aluminum and holds its' straightness better and longer. For those reasons carbon is a better value. :cool:

There are spine charts for the applicable Draw Weight of the bow, proper shaft length being used and a wide range of tip weights too.
Getting the bow being used in tune, is the most important part of getting the arrows to fly properly from that bow. After that, it's just a matter of brand choice.

I'm shooting a 60" length recurve, at 45# and a 27" Draw Length. I'm shooting a Gold Tip Hunter XT 500 spine at 29" with a 50 gr. insert and a 150 gr. field tip. This arrow has a 445 TAW (Total Arrow Weight) and a 19% FOC (Front Of Center). The bare shaft flies perfect at 20 yards, which means that a broadhead will fly perfect at the same distance. :)

*** It' just as simple as knowing your DL, then add 1" or more if you don't feel comfortable with the broadhead being that close to your hand. Again, there are arrow charts for the length of arrow being used with the tip weight being used, to get a good starting point.
*** The BH Brace Height, Tiller Adjustment and Nocking Point Height are very important tuning issues to get a good end result. (This applies no matter what type of arrow shafting is being used.)
My current setup is real close to yours. 60” Galaxy ember, 45# @ 28”. I’ve got a 27” draw so I’m pulling 42.5#. Shooting a 29”, 500 spine, black eagle vintage with 75 grain insert and a 125 grain point.

Arrow flies well when I do what I’m supposed to out to 15 yards. Past 15 it really starts to nosedive. My nocking point is at 3/4” which is where it seemed best when I bareshaft tuned but thinking maybe I just got false nock high bareshaft with it set at 1/2”-5/8” because of being a little closer to the target than I should’ve been.

Maybe that is causing the low hits and poor trajectory. Could it be that 3/4 is too high and I need to lower my nocking point some?
 
I love aluminum arrows. Recommend hot melt. Try a heat gun. I’ve anlways used a propane torch but I’m going to use a heat gun from now on. Acetone on the inside of the cut shaft and let it evaporate which is rapid.
 
Arrow flies well when I do what I’m supposed to out to 15 yards. Past 15 it really starts to nosedive. My nocking point is at 3/4” which is where it seemed best when I bareshaft tuned but thinking maybe I just got false nock high bareshaft with it set at 1/2”-5/8” because of being a little closer to the target than I should’ve been.

Maybe that is causing the low hits and poor trajectory. Could it be that 3/4 is too high and I need to lower my nocking point some?
@Wlog
I'm inclined to agree with you about 3/4" being too high. It would be easy enough to lower it and check the flight again. :)
I had an ILF longbow that liked a 1/2" nocking point. However, I'm shooting 3 fingers under and a 5/8" nocking point is fairly common for me.
 
I love aluminum arrows. Recommend hot melt. Try a heat gun. I’ve anlways used a propane torch but I’m going to use a heat gun from now on. Acetone on the inside of the cut shaft and let it evaporate which is rapid.
I like the heat gun idea. Think I’ll give that a shot.
 
I’m actually going back to aluminum on one of my longbows and a recurve being that trying to tune carbons is proving to be a pain. I’m right between spines on both bows but dead in the middle of the spine range on both aluminum shafts I tuned. So a win for shooting pop cans!

I like a kimsha hot melt stick and either the kitchen stove burner or a torch though I use my arrow saw to cut to length.
 
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Question on the alum fletching. Thinking I'm gonna fletch some of the old 2117 I have sitting around. What kinda prep does aluminum need? My carbons get a wrap, and fletchtight. No complaints. Should I still get wraps? Or stick em on?
I recall my first aluminum arrows my dad made me we hung them all up, and dipped the fletching ends in something. Let it dry over night and fletched the next day.
 
Question on the alum fletching. Thinking I'm gonna fletch some of the old 2117 I have sitting around. What kinda prep does aluminum need? My carbons get a wrap, and fletchtight. No complaints. Should I still get wraps? Or stick em on?
I recall my first aluminum arrows my dad made me we hung them all up, and dipped the fletching ends in something. Let it dry over night and fletched the next day.
I clean my arrows with Acetone and fletch with Fletch-Tite.
 
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