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Heavy arrow build thread

In the process of building some adult arrows as well. I have Gold Tip Hunter Pro in 300 spine and Gold Tip Hunter XT in 250 spine cut to 30"and will be using 100gr Ethics SS inserts along with Magnus Stinger Buzzcuts and Magnus Black Hornet Ser-Razors 125gr cut on contact broadheads and 2" Blazers with luminocks on the back end. Finished arrow weights will be in the 550 - 600gr range.
 
Kurt said:
Here's what the front end looks like. As soon as I bare shaft I'll decide on the vanes vs feathers.
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These are almost exactly what I was thinking of using, victory vaps, the ss outserts, etc. I just got the RF test pack to start test which spine works best. Do you mind if I ask what your bow is and if you know what arrow speed is?
 
Sziggy2.0 said:
These are almost exactly what I was thinking of using, victory vaps, the ss outserts, etc. I just got the RF test pack to start test which spine works best. Do you mind if I ask what your bow is and if you know what arrow speed is?
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I shoot a Bowtech Reign 6 @ 28 " draw @ 70#. I don't know how fast it is.
 
swampsnyper said:
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I watched this. The guy it splitting grain weights...... but why not? It doesn't cost anything and it makes a person more aware of the precision/care we should all be taking when thinking about, and building a projectile that we are going to be launching at a live animal. An animal we should be respecting as we pursue them. I know cost can be a factor for some. The cost difference between pro components and the "stuff" they sell to us common folks can be considerable. It makes sense to take the extra time, save some money and BUILD A BETTER ARROW. Just because humans have been hurling semi straight sticks(with success) since the beginning of time, doesn't mean we have to continue to do it that way. It's called evolution. Dr. Ashby gives us the recipe to do what we love to do better. Folks like the Ranch Fairy and his partner in crime Big Mike are taking that recipe and showing us that the science behind doing it better doesn't have to be mundane or boring, or expensive, or COMPLICATED. I'm having an absolute blast on this journey, I'm learning a ton, and when I take the fruits into the woods next year the animals I shoot will be the unwilling benefactors of of my efforts.
 
Just one more thought while I'm on the subject. Hand in hand with heavy comes more solid. It does cost a little more to buy better components, and I just don't see a way around that, but It doesn't need to break the bank. Also I like the information the RF is putting out about pushing the arrow forward more than we're used to. I know for me I'm intending to push my aim point further forward next year. I have been aiming at or just behind the crease on broadside shots. Straight up the leg will be the target next year on broadside shots. I've always targeted the offside shoulder on quartering and for slight quartering I think that is still the aim point. For harder quartering though it moves the wound channel to far back and I think I have to think about forward of the offside leg to move the wound channel forward through the chest. For all the studly old timers nothing new here, but for the new bow hunters who may just be learning about shot placement, google up the Ranch Fairy, and the videos about "perfect shot placement", (the guy with his deer model with all the holes in it). They both bring knowledge / awareness that the real target is inside only the aimpoint is on the surface of the animal.
 
Kurt said:
I watched this. The guy it splitting grain weights...... but why not? It doesn't cost anything and it makes a person more aware of the precision/care we should all be taking when thinking about, and building a projectile that we are going to be launching at a live animal. An animal we should be respecting as we pursue them. I know cost can be a factor for some. The cost difference between pro components and the "stuff" they sell to us common folks can be considerable. It makes sense to take the extra time, save some money and BUILD A BETTER ARROW. Just because humans have been hurling semi straight sticks(with success) since the beginning of time, doesn't mean we have to continue to do it that way. It's called evolution. Dr. Ashby gives us the recipe to do what we love to do better. Folks like the Ranch Fairy and his partner in crime Big Mike are taking that recipe and showing us that the science behind doing it better doesn't have to be mundane or boring, or expensive, or COMPLICATED. I'm having an absolute blast on this journey, I'm learning a ton, and when I take the fruits into the woods next year the animals I shoot will be the unwilling benefactors of of my efforts.
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When I started looking into building a better arrow, cost quickly became a factor. But just like you said, it almost feels like my responsibility as a hunter to get everything right. So cost quickly becomes a non factor.
 
Kurt said:
I watched this. The guy it splitting grain weights...... but why not? It doesn't cost anything and it makes a person more aware of the precision/care we should all be taking when thinking about, and building a projectile that we are going to be launching at a live animal. An animal we should be respecting as we pursue them. I know cost can be a factor for some. The cost difference between pro components and the "stuff" they sell to us common folks can be considerable. It makes sense to take the extra time, save some money and BUILD A BETTER ARROW. Just because humans have been hurling semi straight sticks(with success) since the beginning of time, doesn't mean we have to continue to do it that way. It's called evolution. Dr. Ashby gives us the recipe to do what we love to do better. Folks like the Ranch Fairy and his partner in crime Big Mike are taking that recipe and showing us that the science behind doing it better doesn't have to be mundane or boring, or expensive, or COMPLICATED. I'm having an absolute blast on this journey, I'm learning a ton, and when I take the fruits into the woods next year the animals I shoot will be the unwilling benefactors of of my efforts.
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Yes its a bit tedious. I'm not a good enough shot to tell the difference in some of the steps. What I did like and started doing was spinning the arrow to see which side had the most wobble. Great way to make cheaper arrows with lower straightness tolerance have tolerances like the more expensive arrows. Once again, Slight differences that I probably won't notice shooting a tradbow with fingers anyway. I just like to tinker.
 
Kurt said:
Just one more thought while I'm on the subject. Hand in hand with heavy comes more solid. It does cost a little more to buy better components, and I just don't see a way around that, but It doesn't need to break the bank. Also I like the information the RF is putting out about pushing the arrow forward more than we're used to. I know for me I'm intending to push my aim point further forward next year. I have been aiming at or just behind the crease on broadside shots. Straight up the leg will be the target next year on broadside shots. I've always targeted the offside shoulder on quartering and for slight quartering I think that is still the aim point. For harder quartering though it moves the wound channel to far back and I think I have to think about forward of the offside leg to move the wound channel forward through the chest. For all the studly old timers nothing new here, but for the new bow hunters who may just be learning about shot placement, google up the Ranch Fairy, and the videos about "perfect shot placement", (the guy with his deer model with all the holes in it). They both bring knowledge / awareness that the real target is inside only the aimpoint is on the surface of the animal.
Click to expand...

I shot this deer walking so it was a little further back than I intended but it probably worked better than any other shot placement. Hit lungs and liver. Didn't break a rib. Not hitting bone isn't just good for penetration but also not alerting the game. In my experience, a deer that doesn't know it has been shot won't go as far. Hitting bone they seem to go on a death run. Run as far and as fast as possible until life support gives out. Thats another plus for 2 blades in my opinion. Slipping between ribs on the entrance and exit not only gives you 2 holes and an arrow stuck in the ground to study, it also doesn't alert the deer that it has been shot. Acorns and limbs fall on deers backs all the time. They may jump but usually stop and look back. Thats exactly what this deer did. Then it felt sick, laid down and went to sleep. Quick and easy. If I would have broke a rib, I think it would have ran further. I would have had less of a chance of not breaking bone using a 3 blade. I will be aiming a little back from the crease next year. Double lung shots seem to work better for me than chancing hitting bone, trying to hit heart. There is a larger vital target area from the crease back and its wide open unprotected from bone.
 
Kurt said:
I watched this. The guy it splitting grain weights...... but why not? It doesn't cost anything and it makes a person more aware of the precision/care we should all be taking when thinking about, and building a projectile that we are going to be launching at a live animal. An animal we should be respecting as we pursue them. I know cost can be a factor for some. The cost difference between pro components and the "stuff" they sell to us common folks can be considerable. It makes sense to take the extra time, save some money and BUILD A BETTER ARROW. Just because humans have been hurling semi straight sticks(with success) since the beginning of time, doesn't mean we have to continue to do it that way. It's called evolution. Dr. Ashby gives us the recipe to do what we love to do better. Folks like the Ranch Fairy and his partner in crime Big Mike are taking that recipe and showing us that the science behind doing it better doesn't have to be mundane or boring, or expensive, or COMPLICATED. I'm having an absolute blast on this journey, I'm learning a ton, and when I take the fruits into the woods next year the animals I shoot will be the unwilling benefactors of of my efforts.
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Useful video, for sure. I make my own arrows largely to save money, and I use most of the techniques he discusses, to maximize consistency and accuracy. I have a few additional suggestions.

When you spin your arrows to determine which end to cut, place sheets of graph paper or lined notebook paper on the table top, under each arrow end, to help you detect any wobble. My glass stove top has a fine-scale mesh embedded in it (not sure if that's just graphics or if it adds strength or has some other function). I use the light from the overhead microwave and it makes a great work space for spinning arrows.

He used a twisted rag and acetone to clean out the carbon dust after cutting the shafts. I prefer to use a Q-tip cotton swab. For smaller-diameter shafts I pull some of the cotton of the swab so it will fit into the shaft, but for 0.234"/6.2mm ID shafts, a regular cotton swab works well. I also use isopropyl alcohol instead of acetone, because I think it is less likely to damage plastic components.

After cutting there is often one end that is still a little more crooked than the other. I put the nock on that end so that the vanes can more effectively correct any flight disturbances that the crookedness might introduce.

Before installing the nock (or nock insert) I always use a headlamp to inspect inside the end of the shaft as I rotate it slowly to find the seam, where the carbon fiber fabric is bonded. Most arrow tubes are made by wrapping a sheet of fabric around a rod, and bonding the overlapping edges with heat and pressure. This gives the shaft a stiffer spine along the axis of the seam. I mark the location of the seam with a sharpie (silver works well) or liquid paper correction fluid. When I install the nocks, I align the index nub of the nock with the seam. I don't know for sure, but I suspect that this is how Victory does their "spine alignment", and I do strongly believe that it helps improve your arrows a lot.

Using the visible internal seam for lining up your nock (and vanes) consistently goes a long way toward nock alignment that you can then adjust with bare shaft paper tuning, as explained in other videos.

Lately I have done the bare shaft nock alignment paper tuning before fletching my arrows, but I'm not sure that it gains me much over just aligning my nocks with the visible seam, then putting my cock feather on that seam. .
 
Anyone know of a chart that let's you compare arrow weight in GPI across all manufacturers, models and spines?

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Already made a few tweaks to my set up this week. Added 50 grains up front with the addition of Iron Will broadheads and footers.

28” Easton Axis .260
225 grains up front (BH, footer, insert)
580 grains ~17% FOC

The wide cut iron will flies awesome at 40 yards, haven’t tested any further.

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deertrout said:
Anyone know of a chart that let's you compare arrow weight in GPI across all manufacturers, models and spines?

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I dont know of a chart that compares mfgr to mfgr, but the Grizzlystik site does have charts for their own shafts.

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Do you all think it is worth it to get the better arrow straightness? like is the difference from .006 to .003 worth the extra $30 a dozen?
 
If you had a tech (some you assume knows what they're doing) tune u up and you're shooting bullet holes thru paper... then you screws on heavy head and you gotta tune for good arrow flight. Does mean your bow was wonky before and the heavies are bringing out quirks?
 
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