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Your setup

The little blue twist sharpener types will work to start and are cheap. The tru center tool is good and you can resharpen the blades or buy replacements. If you have a belt sander you can make or buy a sanding jig to do tapers on the round disk on the side also.

The finish I am using is a called a modified Massey finish. It's a mixture of epoxy and acetone that is wiped on. Got it off an old tradgang thread. I have used spray poly and wipe on both and they work but are no where as durable.
 
Went to the chiropractor today. I'm beating up my right elbow. I had issues with the left one a few years ago. Pretty sure it's from switching to the Kodiak recurve from the longbow.....seems a little harsher to draw but dang I shoot it well.
Might drop weight to be safe.
Stumbled onto a new, never shot Glendel buck yesterday for cheap.


And the big news......I got a spot in Laredo TX in February for hogs and javies. 5 day, all trad camp with night hog hunting.

Stoked
 
These are my hunting arrows this year. 70-75# lpp shafts, yellow stained cap, mahogany fore shaft, left the mid section unstained. True North water based poly over True North water based creating paint. 4 5" shields with a Centaur single bevel Battleaxe broadhead. They weigh north of 700 so they pack a punch.
 
62” Centaur Glass with xlt lam. 50#@28”. Cocobola riser with Juniper limbs. GT Trads with 190gr Simmons Treesharks upfront. Light quite fast and awesome.
 
BTaylor said:
The little blue twist sharpener types will work to start and are cheap. The tru center tool is good and you can resharpen the blades or buy replacements. If you have a belt sander you can make or buy a sanding jig to do tapers on the round disk on the side also.

The finish I am using is a called a modified Massey finish. It's a mixture of epoxy and acetone that is wiped on. Got it off an old tradgang thread. I have used spray poly and wipe on both and they work but are no where as durable.
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Do you use the disc sander?
 
JSEXTON23 said:
Do you use the disc sander?
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The disc sander works much better on harder grained woods like Doug fir, ash, lpp. I grind all my tapers on a cheap table saw and a 10 inch self adhesive sanding disc. I don't have cedar or spruce shafts which the pencil sharpener type taper tool works best on.
 
JSEXTON23 said:
Do you use the disc sander?
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I am using a tru taper because I lost or mistakenly threw out my jig for using a sander or table saw like @Phopkins uses. Cant find it anywhere. I havent had any real issues with the twist type or the tru taper on DF but the blades have to be sharp sharp. They have worked fine for me if you work slowly not trying to force it. The little twist types you can get a dozen or 2 shafts done before needing to replace. With the tru you can re-sharpen the blades as needed or replace them. If you have a sander or table saw, I would say order a jig. It gives the fastest and cleanest tapers imo.
 
BTaylor said:
I am using a tru taper because I lost or mistakenly threw out my jig for using a sander or table saw like @Phopkins uses. Cant find it anywhere. I havent had any real issues with the twist type or the tru taper on DF but the blades have to be sharp sharp. They have worked fine for me if you work slowly not trying to force it. The little twist types you can get a dozen or 2 shafts done before needing to replace. With the tru you can re-sharpen the blades as needed or replace them. If you have a sander or table saw, I would say order a jig. It gives the fastest and cleanest tapers imo.
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I watched a video of a guy using a hand drill attachment taper tool and it seemed to work fine. I’m thinking minimal investments if I decide to try out wood arrows.
 
10essee said:
62” Centaur Glass with xlt lam. 50#@28”. Cocobola riser with Juniper limbs. GT Trads with 190gr Simmons Treesharks upfront. Light quite fast and awesome.
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This sounds a lot like Chris Spikes set up. If you haven't watched his Youtube channel, check it out sometime. He puts those Simmons broadheads to work. I think he uses a Centaur bow, if memory serves me.
 
NMSbowhunter said:
This sounds a lot like Chris Spikes set up. If you haven't watched his Youtube channel, check it out sometime. He puts those Simmons broadheads to work. I think he uses a Centaur bow, if memory serves me.
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He does and I have watched a ton of his videos. He piles them up around that persimmon tree
 
JSEXTON23 said:
What finish poly do you use?

What taper tool and other tools would a guy need to just get started?
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I bought the Bitzenburger jig, Tru Center taper tool, and Eco Dipper. I’m going to use fletching tape and not even stain the first set of arrows. I’m going to use 3Rivers gasket lacquer with the Eco dipper. I’m trying to keep it simple starting out.
 
Sounds like you are off to a good start. Have fun with it. Making your own wood arrows is a blast.
 
TheBlindCat said:
I bought the Bitzenburger jig, Tru Center taper tool, and Eco Dipper. I’m going to use fletching tape and not even stain the first set of arrows. I’m going to use 3Rivers gasket lacquer with the Eco dipper. I’m trying to keep it simple starting out.
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I tried nitrocellulose lacquer (gasket lacquer) years ago. It is a beautiful finish, no doubt but it is allows moisture through so the wood can take on that water and swell slightly. Dip one, let dry and expose it to a moist environment. After some time you may see vertical cracks in the finish. That is from the wood swelling.
I've used everything but gasket lacquer since and it has never happened since.
I remember losing an arrow once and finding it a month later and the gasket lacquer came off in pieces.
 
Phopkins said:
I tried nitrocellulose lacquer (gasket lacquer) years ago. It is a beautiful finish, no doubt but it is allows moisture through so the wood can take on that water and swell slightly. Dip one, let dry and expose it to a moist environment. After some time you may see vertical cracks in the finish. That is from the wood swelling.
I've used everything but gasket lacquer since and it has never happened since.
I remember losing an arrow once and finding it a month later and the gasket lacquer came off in pieces.
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Good to know, if it doesn’t work I’ll go to True North’s stuff and build a dip station.
 
I’ve got two recurves I bought from Craigslist for under $50 each. A Ben Pearson Cougar - 50# @ 28” and a Martin. Both bows are about as old as me and both still shoot great. I can beat the heck out of them and not worry about it. Neither are very fast, both consistent and accurate. I also have a few self bows that I’ve made. My tillering skills are still developing and so I’ve yet to have one last for A long time, but that’s ok.
 
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I guess I'm going to shoot some more VPA's. The Texas trip has them sending us sizes from 160 to 250, both glue on and screw on and in different widths. First time being being part of "test" crew.
 
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