Here are the 20 steps in order for your convenience. I hope this helps! - Josh 00:00 Intro 1- 00:15 Check for straightness 2- 01:48 Remove nocks 3- 03:00 Make first cut on wobbly end 4- 04:10 Replace nocks 5- 05:23 Cut other end of the shaft 6- 06:39 Square ends of arrow 7- 07:25 Remove labels 8- 08:35 Clean arrow shafts 9- 09:13 Double check straightness and move nocks 10 -09:55 Number each shaft 11- 10:50 Least amount of standard deviation by sorting inserts 12- 12:36 Least amount of standard deviation by sorting points 13- 12:52 Installing inserts with Easton epoxy 14- 15:17 Installing inserts with hotmelt 15- 18:21 Determining which way your arrows are clocking 16- 21:46 Check bareshaft tune 17- 23:27 Install arrow wraps 18- 23:50 Weigh and sort fletchings 19- 29:58 Fletching process 20- 33:24 Arrow nock tuning process
@@BowOnlyOutdoors you should put the arrows back on the spinner before the second cut. Also, you should really weigh the arrows before starting to use copper wool or steel wool. You can tighten the weight variance, to the tenth of a grain.
At the end of, Vid,.. The FLETCHED Arrow,.. "Nock Tuning" IS,.. so Important, IF you want, really Accurate Arrows ( Matched to Spine WELL ) and GOOD, Broadhead Flight ! I'd Stick with 3 Fletch, and 3 Degrees of Helical with, 2.5 inch Minimum to 3 inch Long, X .400 to .500 Tall, Vanes for good, FIXED, B - H Flight for, the 45 to 60 Lb., Bows. I've Tested,. 2.88 VaneTec Swift's, 3" V-Maxes, 2.5" Heats and 2.7 inch AAE Stealth Maxes and ALL, Fly "well' with 3 Deg of, Helical and MOST Fixed B- H's using, 40 to 50 grains of FACT weight, up front for GOOD,.. FOC ( Great, Penetration on Deer / Elk ). Medium Weight arrows, descent FOC, Fly Well, minimize Drops and Penetrate, Meat / Bone ! My son uses Heavier Arrows ( 485 gr's total wt., with 75 grain FACT and Stiffer Shafts ) with his 73 Pound Bow and 5 to 6 Degrees of, Helical, to control a Fixed B-H.
This is a bachelor's degree in building arrows! Congratulations you have an incredible precision, if you want to come and shoot in Italy you are welcome !!
Great video! The only disappointing element is the trolls in the comments who obviously didn’t need to watch the video but did only to sharpshoot you and your process. Keep up the great work!
Great video! A couple of things to note: Make sure that no glue covers the venting hole at the end of the insert to prevent air resistance when pushing the insert in. Also, although you did it, it’s important to mention that the shaft needs to remain flat for the duration of the drying period and not standing upwards. Another good thing to do but not crucial would be to chamfered the ends with the nippled end of a stone wheel then clean.This insures easy entrance with the insert. - Most arrows will spin counter clockwise due to strings being twisted that way. ALL IN ALL, GREAT VIDEO
Best bow content on YT by far. I’ve been shooting bows for only a year. Since following this channel and using his techniques, I shoot far better than many long time shooters. Not yt bs either. His back tension shooting lesson changed everything for me. Thanks for the amazing content
Learned a few things here for sure. Like removing the labels and using the lightest insert/heaviest arrow and vice versa to get the lowest variance. Mine typically come out with
I have mixed feelings on this one. I kind of like the arrow name/type being on the shaft....maybe it's just an ego thing? Honestly tough this will be the first time I cut my own arrows so I might feel differently when I see how they look when they do not line up.
I have learned a lot since taking up archery in the late 90s. I do all my own setup and repairs and have learned from others, but mainly through trial and error. I have built so many arrows I can't count them all...each time learning from the last and making better flying arrows. I have never taken these detailed of steps though but I like the concept of checking, verifying and especially weight matching components. Makes total sense. Just got a dozen Golden Tip Kinetic Pierce 400 arrows and are going to follow each step. I am by no means a pro archer, but I AM good enough to want the best arrows I can build and I look forward to the task. Thanks for detailing all these steps...should be fun and interesting !!
This is the most thorough arrow build ever ever. Wow let me tell you what buddy you have a great teaching ability the way you talk your voice everything is smooth and cool, and I would take this to the bank, no joke, and to the target with confidence of your arrow, building Waze and techniques, you’re just so thorough with it and there’s no BS in this video at all. My pro shop doesn’t even do this and I thought they were great.!! More than a thumbs up on this one and subscribed lol
Step 11 can be improved by filing inserts, to remove weight, so that they exactly offset differences in arrow weight; then all finished arrows will weigh the EXACTLY the same.
@@Alan_Edwards thank you, Alan, I appreciate the acknowledgement. I have also found that 1/8” threaded rod from my local hardware store is the same thread as very expensive arrow weights from Easton and others. Cut a bit of rod and screw it into the back end of inserts with a bit of epoxy, then file down to exact weight required for a perfect FOC weight matched arrow. Shoot true!
I don’t know how much helical I use in measured degrees. I just use enough to get the arrow spinning to help steer. Too much helical causes a parachute type effect for me and produces less desirable results shooting at longer ranges.
Thank you! I have never had issues personally in the past from doing it to thousands of arrows but knowing that others have, that is a good recommendation. 👍🏻
Not sure if this was mentioned but you should always remove the nock when installing HIT inserts. Air pressure can build up and push the HIT out of place. Then your points or broadheads won't screw in all the way to the carbon. Loved the video though. Pretty much the exact process I use when building arrows. Great job!
To make the cut perpendicular to the shaft. What I do is put the arrow end I'm cutting in a drill chuck. Then lightly tighten chuck while rotating the chuck to ensure no wobble. Once tighted enough so arrow is not spinning then I use a fine locksmiths file to score, eventually cutting the shaft while the drill is going at a low speed. Very fast and accurate with a nice clean edge finnish. To lock the trigger on the drill at the speed I liked, I wrapped a fine copper wire around the handle and it depresses the trigger. Works great.
Yes when you do the Deep six hidden inserts you need to take the nock out, otherwise you may create a suction when you pull your green tool out and make the inserts slide out a bit.
Great video for me. I have yet to fletch my own arrows and am a bit intimidated to do so. So many things to consider. Keeping this video for reference and going back to watch more of yours. I am not convinced that my bow is in tune yet.
In all reality, you can make them as simple or as complex as you want to. When I first started I didn’t have a jig or a saw so I would literally cut them with a hack saw and use a dremel type tool to square the ends. As I’ve advanced as an archer and bowhunter I’ve slowly began to be more and more precise which has lead to more confidence and more accuracy out of my set up. Just jump in and start! You won’t regret it.
I use hotmelt for my hunting inserts. This allows me to heat up the broadhead base and spin it to align the blades with my fletching. I do this so when I have a pass through the rib cage it is much less likely to get a fletching torn or cut as it goes through the animal.
Bending the shaft in a bow press or a pipe clamp with field points at each end will show you exactly how each arrow will bend when shot from a bow. Spin each arrow until they all bend either straight up or straight down. On the nock side just make a sharpie mark on the top. This way you can glue the inserts with your broadhead screwed in and make sure they are all oriented the exact same. Same goes for the fletchings. So every arrow will be identical when nocked in your bow and they will all leave your bow the same.
When there r all carbon arrows that are sorted with different levels of straightness this arrow building process helps. I've spent the same amount of time making .006 arrows very straight shooters. But getting the length & point weight right is great. But u have to get both ends squared off. I have a Lumenok tool I have mounted on the opposite end of the board that I have my fletching tool mounted to. That Lumenok tool is called a F.A.S.T. Fletched Arrow Squaring Tool. But I shoot bare shafts until I get the nock in the right position. A stiff target like a SEVR 21" which has one large side with just a grid pattern is a great tool to get the nock & the spine of the arrow just right. If u do it & pay attention to the results it can spare u the time of paper testing. The aluminum/carbon composite arrows r very straight & forgiving. But I made many Easton ACC arrows out of shafts for a long time & I might have just a couple that don't have a wobble @ the end. This is the only time of the year I make arrows. It's good weather for it in the upper Midwest. Take care & keep your high quality videos going. 🎉
Hard to imagine ever being good enough that this would matter for me, but I might as well build a new set of arrows with these methods and see what it does for me.
Great video - best fletchig guide I've seen 👍 Some questions: how the seam of the wrap looks like? Are the edges perfectly aligned or there is some overlap? If so, how may milimiters the edges are overlap?
Hey man I really like your videos and I think you know what you are doing. I am wondering if you have ever looked into Firenock stuff. I have heard their building tools are the best in the industry. Their arrow fletcher apparently is the only thing that has actually updated how arrows are fletched since the bitzen using science. I also heard their arrows And components like their arrow concept makes your arrows fly unbelievably flat at super long distances. Have you ever checked their stuff out?
@@SirVivalDotKom it doesn’t, it’s just removing the label so it isn’t on the point side if you determine the nock needs to go on that end because it’s straighter.
Great video. You can determine spine if you stick a nock in both ends of a bare shaft rub a little dish soap on the shaft and put them in a couple inches of water in the bath tub. They always roll to the spot where the spine is stiffest. I do it with all arrow builds.
Great tip, thank you! I’ve tried that once in the past but ended up still having to rotate nocks anyway to get them perfect. I’ll have to do more testing to see if I can find a correlation with which side seems to shoot the best based off of that. Have you seemed to notice a correlation on which side the stiff side of the shaft shoots best for you?
@@BowOnlyOutdoors You bet. I always put a mark on the shaft where it floats to the top. Just got done building a dozen arrows and only one did not shoot bullets thru paper. 180 degrees nock rotation fixed it. I'm also working on building a spine tester with extruded t slot aluminum and 3d printed parts... Hopefully I can get it done for less than 50 bucks.
I have a question maybe someone can answer. Which are more consistent in weight, true flight feathers or good quality vanes? I used to always shoot feathers for indoor 300’s but now that I am older, I am wondering if vanes are closer in weight to each other than feathers. I am about to set up a new light poundage bow and before I fletch some arrows this winter, I am hoping someone has an answer for me. Thanks.
I don’t have an answer on what will be more consistent weight wise. With that said, indoor archery (20 yards and/or meters) the name of the game is stabilizing the bigger diameter arrows as quickly as possible. Weight variance becomes less of a factor as the closer distance does not allow it to vary the impact as much as it would at longer distance. Feathers will always grab more resistance and steer the arrow quicker at short range, but there is nothing wrong with plastic fletchings either. It’s all your own personal preference. At the end of the day, it’s best to test each for yourself to determine which you like best.
Only just watched this video (even though it’s been on here for 5 months at time of viewing 🙈) 1st off, thanks for taking the time to put this video together, lots of really good info. Just one question. I have seen other videos that make reference to nock indexing. I noticed at the end of your video you rotate the arrows on the bow when paper tuning, I am assuming this is a similar thing, and would you recommend this method as applied to nock indexing during the build?
You are very welcome! This is just another method of nock indexing, and this is my most preferred way to do it as it gives actual results rather than just indexing the nock to the spine. Both methods definitely work, I just prefer this.
Left helical will be with a left helical clamp which curves left, but you can do a slight offset left with a straight clamp which actually works well also!
If all of your bareshafts are a little bit nock high, lower your nocking point slightly, or raise your rest. Double check the sync of your cams and put them in sync if you will be shooting broadheads. Otherwise put a half twist into your top cam cable and see if it gets better. If the adjustment is too much, go back and adjust the nocking point and rest.
@@isaiah3898 doing so when they’re fletched is more beneficial, but a group of bareshafts flying at 20 yards compared to your fletched arrows can show you more than a paper tear can on its own.
Great job man, like it, learned a lot. Two questions, what kind of arrow wrap do you use, and are they so accurate, that they dont overlap after wrapping one turn, or do you cut them so presicley? Second question, what about measuring the stiffest side of the arrow? Is is not important to know for you, to fletch your arrows all equal? regards from Austria
Thank you! I was just in Austria a few weeks ago visiting the Swarovski Optik factory and taking guests on a Chamois hunt in the alps. It sure is a beautiful place! For the wraps, I use onestringer arrow wraps that I just order online. They overlap probably 1/8” which seems to be about perfect. As for measuring the stiffest side of the arrow, I find it unnecessary if I do my nock tuning process that I show at the end. It is not important for me to fletch the arrows according to the stiffest side of the shaft. As long as my arrows come out of the bow flying straight, I see no added benefit for myself of going through that additional step. If I were measuring the stiffest side of the shaft, I would do it in an arrow tester rather than the other methods out there but I haven’t known it to matter with these arrows. Hope this helps and regards from Nebraska!
I usually just square the nock end after they’ve been cut and I don’t think just squaring the end would fix any visible wobble as it seems to be more from the arrow itself than just the very end.
Good question. That’s one I haven’t tested with broadheads on the front, but with field points, you want the wobble on the front (point side). I would recommend that you use only your straightest arrows for broadheads and hunting, and keep any shafts with wobbles for target practice only.
Great video man! I’m looking to start making my own arrows soon and have a question. What if when you bareshaft tune, the arrows aren’t grouping with your fletched arrows(higher, lower, left, right)?
Great question! Lots of factors that go into this. Factors such as cam sync, rest position, nocking point position, draw length, cam lean, shooting form etc all will change the point of impact. The bare shaft tuning process is pretty in-depth itself which is why I did not include it in this arrow build video. I have included more detail in other bow build videos from in the past and that will be more helpful.
Very interesting! I am new to the bow, and have a question. You said that your arrows are 27½ inch. Is it correctly understood that the weight/density of the arrows, as well as their stiffness, much be tuned to the bow and draw length also?
Yes, the stiffness of the arrow must be matched to your bow. Arrow length, point weight, and rear weight will all play a roll in the dynamic spine of how the arrow reacts coming out of the bow.
Thanks@@BowOnlyOutdoors. And another question if you don't mind: At how long a distance can a skilled archer hit the target with a decent grouping with a barebow or traditional bow with arrows WITHOUT fletches?
@@stefanhansen5882 that’s a great question! I do not know as I haven’t spent near enough time shooting a barebow or recurve to know. What I do know from the compound side with a release is that most bow/arrow/archer combinations struggle to group bareshafts together past 40 yards.
Great video. I like the weight matching section, but is a grain or two of total arrow weight more important than matching FOC? If your adding all the heavy fletching to the lightest arrow, and vice versa, you've created an ideal situation for dynamic spine differences between arrow... I'm not saying your method is incorrect, I've actually never built my own arrows, so I'm here to learn, but I just wonder if anyone has studied the benefits of perfectly matched arrow weights vs perfectly matched dynamic spine, FOC, etc.....
I imagine you could also use a very small drill bit to balance broadheads and field point, much like the way a crankshaft is balanced, removing material
Do you re-weigh each arrow after the insert but before the fld. points? Also, is it ok to put a right fletch vane on the arrow if the bow is shooting left/counter clockwise?
Yes, I re-weigh each arrow after the insert because the glue seems to have some weight variance to it and it only takes a minute to do. Yes, it is ok to put a right helical on an arrow that is spinning counter clockwise. The vast majority of archers will not be able to notice a difference in accuracy and most people shoot a helical that is against the natural arrow rotation anyway by accident. With that said, why not have every advantage on your side if you’re able to? If you know it’s coming out counter clockwise, no reason not to match it.
@@BowOnlyOutdoors because I can only find a right helical fletch on my blazer shrink wrap dip n boil! I don't have a jig so I buy the dip into boiling water kind.
Hey Josh, Hope all is well with you and yours. I've decided to try cool melt hot melt glue and had a couple of questions. I was surprised that you just use your fingers when heating the glue on the insert, doesn't that get hot? Also, I've heard people say you should dip the arrow/insert in cool water as soon as you get the insert installed, but you didn't recommend this? Please let me know your thoughts and thanks in advance.
Hey Doug, thanks for the message. When the glue is already on the insert, it’s still fairly warm/hot, so it doesn’t take much to heat it up to the point where it’s easy to put in the arrow. My fingers don’t get hot as the heat doesn’t transfer to the point since I’m not holding the heat over it for a long period of time. I’ve never had to put it into cool water once installed. I let it cool on it’s own and after 2-3 minutes I can roll off the excess no problem. If your hot melt glue stays more liquid longer, you may have to dip it into cool water to prevent it from dripping, but other than that, it’s not needed. -Josh
Hey Josh, I had previously tried heating the insert first when using hot melt glue, but your method of heating the glue instead of the insert worked so much better. Thanks for the great tip.
Hey Josh, I'm in the process of installing inserts and nock bushings in some aluminum arrows. I have cool melt on hand but wondered why you use hot melt instead of cool melt and what brand of hot melt you use?
@@dougfriendt8906 hey Doug, I’ve always used the hot melt from Lancaster archery and have never had any issues. Never have tried “cool melt” lancasterarchery.com/products/cdm-flitemate-hot-melt-glue-5-stick
You should run a festool hepa vac directly over your cutting station, at the point of cut. You can also buy a foot pedal switch--the vac will turn the cutter and itself on when you press down on the foot pedal. A p-100 respirator is also a smart precautionary investment. Look up what carbon fiber does to your lungs. It is all over the room you are working in now. You can make soft jaws for the pliers by applying a strip of masking tape to each jaw.
@@Calebott01 that question I do not know for certain. Most all labels are inked on which doesn’t mess with the shafts appearance at all when removed, but some shafts may have a coating that comes off with the label. No issues on the Easton axis and gold tip arrows that I’ve used.
Shooting the Elite carbon ERA this year and looking to build some arrows - do you have any suggestion on what spine shaft I should build on this platform? Draw weight 70# at 27” draw. Anyone that could point me in the right direction, thanks 🙏🏻
Instead of removing the label is there any reason why you just don't put the knock on the other end? I'm sure there is a reason and I'm curious about what it is.
Forgot to take the nocks out when putting the inserts in… keeping the nocks in can pressure inside the shaft when putting the insert and can move the insert once installed
I’ve never personally had an issue with that, but I’m sure it can happen! I typically only see that when the arrows haven’t been left perfectly flat to dry for the 24 hours with the epoxy.
I hear a lot of people prefer arrows slightly on the stiffer side, especially for hunting but never explain why. Are you in the same school of thought? If so, what are the benefits of having a slightly stiffer spine and what would be the cons of having a slightly weaker spine, given that they both tune fine out of the bow?
This is a great question! Thank you for asking. For the last 5 years or so, I’ve always actually hunted with very slightly weak shafts because that is what shot the best out of my bow when testing with field points. When it came to fixed blade broadheads, I found that the accuracy was still good with a well tuned bow, but just wasn’t as good as a slightly stiffer arrow. Shooting a stiffer arrow for hunting out of a compound is a benefit for several reasons. First off, a stiff arrow shaft steers broadheads the best. When an arrow is too weak, they just don’t group as good because the broadhead has more influence on steering the arrow since it is flexing slightly more. Secondly, a stiffer spine will always have a higher GPI (grains per inch) which ultimately makes the arrow shaft stronger when it is penetrating through bone and the animal. Paired with that, a stiffer arrow will penetrate better because it doesn’t flex as much when it hits a hard surface, so it keeps the momentum moving straight forward in the arrow rather than losing it out the side as the arrow flexes when it hits a hard object. The cons I’m finding out are not near as bad as I thought they would be. The stiffer shafts with field points still shoot amazing, but are maybe just slightly less forgiving than my slightly weaker set up. Another con that needs to be taken into consideration is how much heavier your total arrow weight will be, as you will lose trajectory if you gain too much weight. I built these arrows to actually weigh slightly less than my previous ones by using standard inserts instead of the heavier brass. At the end of the day, I’m a bowhunter, and I want all of the advantages that I can to ensure I make a completely ethical shot on the animals I am hunting. There may not be a huge advantage to shooting a slightly stiffer shaft, but there are some, so I am using that to my advantage until I find a reason not to. Thanks again, and hope this helps give you more information around it!
@@BowOnlyOutdoors That was a really well thought out and thorough answer. Thank you! I'm testing different arrow builds now for the upcoming season and will definitely need this in mind! Thank you!
Also..... if you got a right twist string it will always send the arrow rotation left. Regardless of what dominant hand the shooter is Right or left helical is not dependant on arrow natural rotation. It literally doesn't matter
Great video, incredibly concise! Please wear a dust mask, and put a HEPA vacuum, like a Festool ct15, at your arrow cutting station; I can't begin to tell you how dangerous carbon dust is, even in small doses. it's horrible stuff that your lungs can't process. Re: Inserts, grab a small quantity of West System 205 two part epoxy; it goes on thinner to reduce weight variances, and is engineered for carbon/aluminum bonding. For the threading, try red Loctite #271. Re: Fletching, try bonding with Loctite #435 low viscosity, with Accelerator #7452. Keep making great content. Subbed!
I’ve tried that also and it works super well if you don’t have as much control with the tip of your glue. Thanks for the comment! Hopefully this helps someone
I can't shoot within the tolerance of 2 grains of weight variance, much less 0.2 grains. This whole process is interesting though. No shaft spine alignment? 😉👍 Very nicely done video though, as another poster mentioned. _edit:_ should have waited for the last segment about nock tuning. Oops.
Thanks! I don’t shoot good enough most days to have a 2 grain variance matter much, yet it still makes a difference. If anything, it gives me more confidence in my set up. Archery is a game of consistency and the more factors I can have as consistent as possible, the better I find I shoot.
@@BowOnlyOutdoorsI’m actually OCD on building my arrows. Prolly too much but finished they will be within 2 grains. Sometimes I have to reheat the hot melt from the insert and remove a bit- too much OCD. But, I’m retired and have plenty of time. Have you ever weighed cut shafts? They can be identical lengths and weigh different. Sometimes 2 grains. That’s Easton and Black Eagle that I’ve tested.
One of the first videos in a while that I watched all the way through without skipping ahead. Excellent video! Very informative, thank you for the guide
0:17 Straightness check on spinner and cutting wobbly side 6:38 Squaring the ends 7:25 Removing labels 8:35 Wiping the shafts 9:13 Double check straightness and put nock in straightest end of shaft 10:03 Number arrows with sharpie 10:54 Start insert installation 11:16 Weigh arrows & inserts, then combine heaviest arrow & lightest inserts 12:38 Weigh fieldpoints 14:00 Gluing-in inserts 14:57 Matching fp and inserts by weight 15:18 Alternative for epoxy if in a hurry 18:20 Arrow clocking (spin orientation) 21:45 Compare bare shaft tune to fletched arrows 23:30 Arrow wraps 26:04 Weight match vanes 29:58 Fletching 33:24 Arrow tuning
After commenting on this video a few days ago, I decide to redo my hunting and 3D arrows. I finished my hunting arrows, and I got them to be within 1.7 grains of each other. I have one arrow that reads 456.6 whereas the rest read between 454.9 and 455.6. If that one arrow didn’t add on the extra weight somehow, I’d be under one grain. I’m curious as to how close I’ll be able to get my 3D arrows. I plan on doing them tomorrow once I pick up some bright green Max Stealths after work.
So you check for which side is most 'wobbly' and then cut 3" off the wobbly side and 2 1/4" off the less-wobbly side. I find it hard to believe that 3/4" makes any difference which side it's on.
Correct, what you cut off on each side doesn’t have to be an exact science as long as the total arrow length is exactly what you want. The goal is to cut the arrow to make it as straight as possible by removing variation at the ends of the full length shaft.
Very consistent build process. All great common sense theories. Perhaps a future show build the arrows as is and show actual shooting results with 2 to 3 grain different arrows at 60 yards. Not sure this will be a huge impact as you’re suggesting. Have also seen evidence that helical has minimal impact. Look forward to seeing the actual results.
Hey Jeff, thank you so much for the comment! I’m not suggesting this will be a huge difference at 60 yards with a 3 grain difference. This is simply the steps to follow to build some of the most consistent and accurate arrows possible. The weight variance does come into play at further distances and absolutely will have an effect on how your arrows land. If you were to do these steps opposite, you could have arrows with over 6 grains of variance which absolutely will have an effect. To know if it’s noticeable or not is dependent upon the shooter, and the vast majority will not be able to tell the difference because of this. Yes, slightly different weight arrows along with different direction of fletching helical will group together, but more consistent arrows will absolutely fly with less standard deviation than those that do have variation. If you are able, why not give yourself every advantage possible? Most archers need to spend their time on shooting form and reps to make themselves better rather than by following this arrow building process, but for those that want the absolute best out of their setup, this is a great way to take the extra step and gain even more confidence. With that said, I do have a video planned in the works to demonstrate actual arrow drop with various arrow weights to show just how much arrow weight can throw an arrow off.
I cut from the side that has the most wobble first, (regardless of where the nock was from the factory). Then I replaced the nocks to get the final length right and cut the other side to get rid of as much wobble off of that end as well. I do it that way to get the least amount of straightness variance possible.
Here are the 20 steps in order for your convenience. I hope this helps! - Josh
00:00 Intro
1- 00:15 Check for straightness
2- 01:48 Remove nocks
3- 03:00 Make first cut on wobbly end
4- 04:10 Replace nocks
5- 05:23 Cut other end of the shaft
6- 06:39 Square ends of arrow
7- 07:25 Remove labels
8- 08:35 Clean arrow shafts
9- 09:13 Double check straightness and move nocks
10 -09:55 Number each shaft
11- 10:50 Least amount of standard deviation by sorting inserts
12- 12:36 Least amount of standard deviation by sorting points
13- 12:52 Installing inserts with Easton epoxy
14- 15:17 Installing inserts with hotmelt
15- 18:21 Determining which way your arrows are clocking
16- 21:46 Check bareshaft tune
17- 23:27 Install arrow wraps
18- 23:50 Weigh and sort fletchings
19- 29:58 Fletching process
20- 33:24 Arrow nock tuning process
If you put the timestamps into your description UA-cam will generate chapter marks in the timeline of the video.
@@TomsonTheOne done! Thank you
@@BowOnlyOutdoors you should put the arrows back on the spinner before the second cut. Also, you should really weigh the arrows before starting to use copper wool or steel wool. You can tighten the weight variance, to the tenth of a grain.
@@sasquatchrosefarts good tips! Thanks
At the end of, Vid,.. The FLETCHED Arrow,.. "Nock Tuning" IS,.. so Important, IF you want, really Accurate Arrows ( Matched to Spine WELL ) and GOOD, Broadhead Flight !
I'd Stick with 3 Fletch, and 3 Degrees of Helical with, 2.5 inch Minimum to 3 inch Long, X .400 to .500 Tall, Vanes for good, FIXED, B - H Flight for, the 45 to 60 Lb., Bows.
I've Tested,. 2.88 VaneTec Swift's, 3" V-Maxes, 2.5" Heats and 2.7 inch AAE Stealth Maxes and ALL, Fly "well' with 3 Deg of, Helical and MOST Fixed B- H's using, 40 to 50 grains of FACT weight, up front for GOOD,.. FOC ( Great, Penetration on Deer / Elk ). Medium Weight arrows, descent FOC, Fly Well, minimize Drops and Penetrate, Meat / Bone !
My son uses Heavier Arrows ( 485 gr's total wt., with 75 grain FACT and Stiffer Shafts ) with his 73 Pound Bow and 5 to 6 Degrees of, Helical, to control a Fixed B-H.
This is a bachelor's degree in building arrows! Congratulations you have an incredible precision, if you want to come and shoot in Italy you are welcome !!
That’s one of the most thorough arrow build I’ve seen, thanks for the info!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you found it helpful!
No doubt !!
Great video! The only disappointing element is the trolls in the comments who obviously didn’t need to watch the video but did only to sharpshoot you and your process. Keep up the great work!
Great video!
A couple of things to note:
Make sure that no glue covers the venting hole at the end of the insert to prevent air resistance when pushing the insert in. Also, although you did it, it’s important to mention that the shaft needs to remain flat for the duration of the drying period and not standing upwards.
Another good thing to do but not crucial would be to chamfered the ends with the nippled end of a stone wheel then clean.This insures easy entrance with the insert.
- Most arrows will spin counter clockwise due to strings being twisted that way.
ALL IN ALL, GREAT VIDEO
Best bow content on YT by far. I’ve been shooting bows for only a year. Since following this channel and using his techniques, I shoot far better than many long time shooters. Not yt bs either. His back tension shooting lesson changed everything for me. Thanks for the amazing content
Thank you so much! We love to hear feedback like this and we are so happy to be able to help you. Keep up the great work 👊🏻
How long did it take you to learn the back tension release method? Looking to change into that next year. Super excited
Learned a few things here for sure. Like removing the labels and using the lightest insert/heaviest arrow and vice versa to get the lowest variance. Mine typically come out with
I love the copper scouring pad tip. love the no name arrow. Also love the masking tape labeling for weights of everything. awesome video. Thanks!
Being able to take the label off is huge. I have never been a fan of the labels on arrows. Best tip I have seen in an arrow making video
I have mixed feelings on this one. I kind of like the arrow name/type being on the shaft....maybe it's just an ego thing? Honestly tough this will be the first time I cut my own arrows so I might feel differently when I see how they look when they do not line up.
I have learned a lot since taking up archery in the late 90s. I do all my own setup and repairs and have learned from others, but mainly through trial and error. I have built so many arrows I can't count them all...each time learning from the last and making better flying arrows. I have never taken these detailed of steps though but I like the concept of checking, verifying and especially weight matching components. Makes total sense. Just got a dozen Golden Tip Kinetic Pierce 400 arrows and are going to follow each step. I am by no means a pro archer, but I AM good enough to want the best arrows I can build and I look forward to the task. Thanks for detailing all these steps...should be fun and interesting !!
This is the most thorough arrow build ever ever. Wow let me tell you what buddy you have a great teaching ability the way you talk your voice everything is smooth and cool, and I would take this to the bank, no joke, and to the target with confidence of your arrow, building Waze and techniques, you’re just so thorough with it and there’s no BS in this video at all. My pro shop doesn’t even do this and I thought they were great.!! More than a thumbs up on this one and subscribed lol
Thank you for the kind words!
Great freaking video. Hell yeah. Liked and subscribed.
Josh You‘re the Best! Great Video,looking forward to the next one already!
Thank you so much Mike! We appreciate your support!
Great video. Thanks for posting the full process
Thank you! I hope it helps
Well, man, ...you know about arrows for sure!! Thank you very much.
Step 11 can be improved by filing inserts, to remove weight, so that they exactly offset differences in arrow weight; then all finished arrows will weigh the EXACTLY the same.
Great idea. The biggest difference at that point is weight distribution.
Good point and one I will consider as I build my new set of arrows following this process.
@@Alan_Edwards thank you, Alan, I appreciate the acknowledgement. I have also found that 1/8” threaded rod from my local hardware store is the same thread as very expensive arrow weights from Easton and others. Cut a bit of rod and screw it into the back end of inserts with a bit of epoxy, then file down to exact weight required for a perfect FOC weight matched arrow. Shoot true!
Hand loading arrows like this makes a BIG difference. Great video Josh!
Yes it does, thank you Jack!
@@BowOnlyOutdoors hey how much helical do you put on your vanes?
I don’t know how much helical I use in measured degrees. I just use enough to get the arrow spinning to help steer. Too much helical causes a parachute type effect for me and produces less desirable results shooting at longer ranges.
Well done arrow build and great tuning too... - Learn a lot here ... ;)
Very well explained.....many thanks. David from England UK
Thank you David! I’m glad you enjoyed it
Great video! I love how precise you are with everything. If I could, I would encourage you to take the nocks out while you're installing the inserts.
Thank you! I have never had issues personally in the past from doing it to thousands of arrows but knowing that others have, that is a good recommendation. 👍🏻
Started building my own arrows recently. Awesome vid man thanks 👍
Awesome! I hope you find this helpful. Thanks for watching!
This is a great channel man. Solid vids every time.
Not sure if this was mentioned but you should always remove the nock when installing HIT inserts.
Air pressure can build up and push the HIT out of place. Then your points or broadheads won't screw in all the way to the carbon.
Loved the video though. Pretty much the exact process I use when building arrows. Great job!
To make the cut perpendicular to the shaft. What I do is put the arrow end I'm cutting in a drill chuck. Then lightly tighten chuck while rotating the chuck to ensure no wobble. Once tighted enough so arrow is not spinning then I use a fine locksmiths file to score, eventually cutting the shaft while the drill is going at a low speed. Very fast and accurate with a nice clean edge finnish. To lock the trigger on the drill at the speed I liked, I wrapped a fine copper wire around the handle and it depresses the trigger. Works great.
Thank you for quality content and video editing.
Our pleasure! We hope you found it helpful. Thanks for watching!
Clean tip cutting wraps to vane. Nice build, like the no label look
Also a great arrow build over all
Thank you!
Yes when you do the Deep six hidden inserts you need to take the nock out, otherwise you may create a suction when you pull your green tool out and make the inserts slide out a bit.
Great video for me. I have yet to fletch my own arrows and am a bit intimidated to do so. So many things to consider. Keeping this video for reference and going back to watch more of yours. I am not convinced that my bow is in tune yet.
In all reality, you can make them as simple or as complex as you want to. When I first started I didn’t have a jig or a saw so I would literally cut them with a hack saw and use a dremel type tool to square the ends. As I’ve advanced as an archer and bowhunter I’ve slowly began to be more and more precise which has lead to more confidence and more accuracy out of my set up. Just jump in and start! You won’t regret it.
I use hotmelt for my hunting inserts. This allows me to heat up the broadhead base and spin it to align the blades with my fletching. I do this so when I have a pass through the rib cage it is much less likely to get a fletching torn or cut as it goes through the animal.
Bending the shaft in a bow press or a pipe clamp with field points at each end will show you exactly how each arrow will bend when shot from a bow. Spin each arrow until they all bend either straight up or straight down. On the nock side just make a sharpie mark on the top. This way you can glue the inserts with your broadhead screwed in and make sure they are all oriented the exact same. Same goes for the fletchings. So every arrow will be identical when nocked in your bow and they will all leave your bow the same.
If your bow is tuned properly, this will give you the most forgiving setup.
When there r all carbon arrows that are sorted with different levels of straightness this arrow building process helps. I've spent the same amount of time making .006 arrows very straight shooters. But getting the length & point weight right is great. But u have to get both ends squared off. I have a Lumenok tool I have mounted on the opposite end of the board that I have my fletching tool mounted to. That Lumenok tool is called a F.A.S.T. Fletched Arrow Squaring Tool. But I shoot bare shafts until I get the nock in the right position. A stiff target like a SEVR 21" which has one large side with just a grid pattern is a great tool to get the nock & the spine of the arrow just right. If u do it & pay attention to the results it can spare u the time of paper testing. The aluminum/carbon composite arrows r very straight & forgiving. But I made many Easton ACC arrows out of shafts for a long time & I might have just a couple that don't have a wobble @ the end. This is the only time of the year I make arrows. It's good weather for it in the upper Midwest. Take care & keep your high quality videos going. 🎉
Great job on this video. Very thorough tutorial
Thank you! I hope it helps.
Love these dudes! So informative and knowledgeable
Thank you!
Great video, very well explained.
Thank you!
What wraps are you using? And where do you buy them at? Thanks for the awesome video, and it's extremely informative.
Thank you! I order my wraps from Onestringer and purchase their solid reflective arrow wraps
Whoever is operating the camera did an incredible job with this one, WOW!
My guess is that it was Micah
The longsuffering GF behind the camera is the real hero here.
@@LynnJynh9315THANK YOU hahaha!
Amazing!!!
Hard to imagine ever being good enough that this would matter for me, but I might as well build a new set of arrows with these methods and see what it does for me.
If nothing else, its a confidence booster!
Good process!
Great video - best fletchig guide I've seen 👍 Some questions: how the seam of the wrap looks like? Are the edges perfectly aligned or there is some overlap? If so, how may milimiters the edges are overlap?
Thank you! They do overlap, but not my much. I would guess 2-3mm.
Thank you!@@BowOnlyOutdoors
Hey man I really like your videos and I think you know what you are doing. I am wondering if you have ever looked into Firenock stuff. I have heard their building tools are the best in the industry. Their arrow fletcher apparently is the only thing that has actually updated how arrows are fletched since the bitzen using science. I also heard their arrows And components like their arrow concept makes your arrows fly unbelievably flat at super long distances. Have you ever checked their stuff out?
Quick question… How does removing the label make the arrow straighter?
@@SirVivalDotKom it doesn’t, it’s just removing the label so it isn’t on the point side if you determine the nock needs to go on that end because it’s straighter.
@@BowOnlyOutdoors got it. Keep the good stuff coming bro.
Awesome awesome video ..as usual, for Bow Only Outdoors. Just a week ago I did 2 dozen arrows. Rats…I would have done this
Thank you Rick! Sorry we weren’t able to finish this earlier but hope this helps for the next time!
Great video. You can determine spine if you stick a nock in both ends of a bare shaft rub a little dish soap on the shaft and put them in a couple inches of water in the bath tub. They always roll to the spot where the spine is stiffest. I do it with all arrow builds.
Great tip, thank you! I’ve tried that once in the past but ended up still having to rotate nocks anyway to get them perfect. I’ll have to do more testing to see if I can find a correlation with which side seems to shoot the best based off of that.
Have you seemed to notice a correlation on which side the stiff side of the shaft shoots best for you?
@@BowOnlyOutdoors You bet. I always put a mark on the shaft where it floats to the top. Just got done building a dozen arrows and only one did not shoot bullets thru paper. 180 degrees nock rotation fixed it. I'm also working on building a spine tester with extruded t slot aluminum and 3d printed parts... Hopefully I can get it done for less than 50 bucks.
I have a question maybe someone can answer. Which are more consistent in weight, true flight feathers or good quality vanes? I used to always shoot feathers for indoor 300’s but now that I am older, I am wondering if vanes are closer in weight to each other than feathers. I am about to set up a new light poundage bow and before I fletch some arrows this winter, I am hoping someone has an answer for me. Thanks.
I don’t have an answer on what will be more consistent weight wise. With that said, indoor archery (20 yards and/or meters) the name of the game is stabilizing the bigger diameter arrows as quickly as possible. Weight variance becomes less of a factor as the closer distance does not allow it to vary the impact as much as it would at longer distance. Feathers will always grab more resistance and steer the arrow quicker at short range, but there is nothing wrong with plastic fletchings either. It’s all your own personal preference. At the end of the day, it’s best to test each for yourself to determine which you like best.
This dude is on my level of OCD haha. Great video. Very informative.
Only just watched this video (even though it’s been on here for 5 months at time of viewing 🙈) 1st off, thanks for taking the time to put this video together, lots of really good info. Just one question. I have seen other videos that make reference to nock indexing. I noticed at the end of your video you rotate the arrows on the bow when paper tuning, I am assuming this is a similar thing, and would you recommend this method as applied to nock indexing during the build?
You are very welcome! This is just another method of nock indexing, and this is my most preferred way to do it as it gives actual results rather than just indexing the nock to the spine. Both methods definitely work, I just prefer this.
Ok, that makes sense. Thanks very much, and thanks for taking the time to reply. Much appreciated.
Is a left helical fletch performed with a straight Bitz clamp angled left, or is the left clamp actually curved left? Thanks.
Left helical will be with a left helical clamp which curves left, but you can do a slight offset left with a straight clamp which actually works well also!
If your bare shaft is a little bit nock high which cable would you twist
If all of your bareshafts are a little bit nock high, lower your nocking point slightly, or raise your rest. Double check the sync of your cams and put them in sync if you will be shooting broadheads. Otherwise put a half twist into your top cam cable and see if it gets better. If the adjustment is too much, go back and adjust the nocking point and rest.
@@BowOnlyOutdoors why wouldn’t you shoot your shafts through paper
@@isaiah3898 doing so when they’re fletched is more beneficial, but a group of bareshafts flying at 20 yards compared to your fletched arrows can show you more than a paper tear can on its own.
Good info. Thanks
After all that work it must be sad losing an arrow in the bushes!!😮
Extremely!! Definitely puts the pressure on you when shooting some of the shots at TAC!😅
Great video!
Thank you!
Great job man, like it, learned a lot. Two questions, what kind of arrow wrap do you use, and are they so accurate, that they dont overlap after wrapping one turn, or do you cut them so presicley? Second question, what about measuring the stiffest side of the arrow? Is is not important to know for you, to fletch your arrows all equal? regards from Austria
Thank you! I was just in Austria a few weeks ago visiting the Swarovski Optik factory and taking guests on a Chamois hunt in the alps. It sure is a beautiful place!
For the wraps, I use onestringer arrow wraps that I just order online. They overlap probably 1/8” which seems to be about perfect.
As for measuring the stiffest side of the arrow, I find it unnecessary if I do my nock tuning process that I show at the end. It is not important for me to fletch the arrows according to the stiffest side of the shaft. As long as my arrows come out of the bow flying straight, I see no added benefit for myself of going through that additional step. If I were measuring the stiffest side of the shaft, I would do it in an arrow tester rather than the other methods out there but I haven’t known it to matter with these arrows. Hope this helps and regards from Nebraska!
Have you ever considered squaring up the knock end just in case that is causing the wobble or since they have to be cut doesn't really matter.
I usually just square the nock end after they’ve been cut and I don’t think just squaring the end would fix any visible wobble as it seems to be more from the arrow itself than just the very end.
You can use tko black fusion glue and not have to mix anything
Does having the nock or a broadhead on the more wobbly end make for a better arrow flight (if I'm using a fixed blade broadhead)? Thanks!
Good question. That’s one I haven’t tested with broadheads on the front, but with field points, you want the wobble on the front (point side). I would recommend that you use only your straightest arrows for broadheads and hunting, and keep any shafts with wobbles for target practice only.
Great video man! I’m looking to start making my own arrows soon and have a question. What if when you bareshaft tune, the arrows aren’t grouping with your fletched arrows(higher, lower, left, right)?
Great question! Lots of factors that go into this. Factors such as cam sync, rest position, nocking point position, draw length, cam lean, shooting form etc all will change the point of impact. The bare shaft tuning process is pretty in-depth itself which is why I did not include it in this arrow build video. I have included more detail in other bow build videos from in the past and that will be more helpful.
Very interesting! I am new to the bow, and have a question. You said that your arrows are 27½ inch. Is it correctly understood that the weight/density of the arrows, as well as their stiffness, much be tuned to the bow and draw length also?
Yes, the stiffness of the arrow must be matched to your bow. Arrow length, point weight, and rear weight will all play a roll in the dynamic spine of how the arrow reacts coming out of the bow.
Thanks@@BowOnlyOutdoors. And another question if you don't mind: At how long a distance can a skilled archer hit the target with a decent grouping with a barebow or traditional bow with arrows WITHOUT fletches?
@@stefanhansen5882 that’s a great question! I do not know as I haven’t spent near enough time shooting a barebow or recurve to know. What I do know from the compound side with a release is that most bow/arrow/archer combinations struggle to group bareshafts together past 40 yards.
Thanks a lot@@BowOnlyOutdoors. So a good guess would be 20-30 yards, or will it be even less?
I do not know, I’ve never tried it with a barebow or traditional bow with fingers.
Great video. I like the weight matching section, but is a grain or two of total arrow weight more important than matching FOC? If your adding all the heavy fletching to the lightest arrow, and vice versa, you've created an ideal situation for dynamic spine differences between arrow...
I'm not saying your method is incorrect, I've actually never built my own arrows, so I'm here to learn, but I just wonder if anyone has studied the benefits of perfectly matched arrow weights vs perfectly matched dynamic spine, FOC, etc.....
I imagine you could also use a very small drill bit to balance broadheads and field point, much like the way a crankshaft is balanced, removing material
Do you re-weigh each arrow after the insert but before the fld. points? Also, is it ok to put a right fletch vane on the arrow if the bow is shooting left/counter clockwise?
Yes, I re-weigh each arrow after the insert because the glue seems to have some weight variance to it and it only takes a minute to do. Yes, it is ok to put a right helical on an arrow that is spinning counter clockwise. The vast majority of archers will not be able to notice a difference in accuracy and most people shoot a helical that is against the natural arrow rotation anyway by accident. With that said, why not have every advantage on your side if you’re able to? If you know it’s coming out counter clockwise, no reason not to match it.
@@BowOnlyOutdoors because I can only find a right helical fletch on my blazer shrink wrap dip n boil! I don't have a jig so I buy the dip into boiling water kind.
Hey Josh, Hope all is well with you and yours. I've decided to try cool melt hot melt glue and had a couple of questions. I was surprised that you just use your fingers when heating the glue on the insert, doesn't that get hot? Also, I've heard people say you should dip the arrow/insert in cool water as soon as you get the insert installed, but you didn't recommend this? Please let me know your thoughts and thanks in advance.
Hey Doug, thanks for the message. When the glue is already on the insert, it’s still fairly warm/hot, so it doesn’t take much to heat it up to the point where it’s easy to put in the arrow. My fingers don’t get hot as the heat doesn’t transfer to the point since I’m not holding the heat over it for a long period of time. I’ve never had to put it into cool water once installed. I let it cool on it’s own and after 2-3 minutes I can roll off the excess no problem. If your hot melt glue stays more liquid longer, you may have to dip it into cool water to prevent it from dripping, but other than that, it’s not needed.
-Josh
Thanks Josh for the quick reply and good info.
Hey Josh, I had previously tried heating the insert first when using hot melt glue, but your method of heating the glue instead of the insert worked so much better. Thanks for the great tip.
Hey Josh, I'm in the process of installing inserts and nock bushings in some aluminum arrows. I have cool melt on hand but wondered why you use hot melt instead of cool melt and what brand of hot melt you use?
@@dougfriendt8906 hey Doug, I’ve always used the hot melt from Lancaster archery and have never had any issues. Never have tried “cool melt” lancasterarchery.com/products/cdm-flitemate-hot-melt-glue-5-stick
You should run a festool hepa vac directly over your cutting station, at the point of cut. You can also buy a foot pedal switch--the vac will turn the cutter and itself on when you press down on the foot pedal. A p-100 respirator is also a smart precautionary investment. Look up what carbon fiber does to your lungs. It is all over the room you are working in now. You can make soft jaws for the pliers by applying a strip of masking tape to each jaw.
Thank you!
spine testers are still cheaper than an arrow saw, which if im not mistaken we didnt get an alternative for.
hi what fletching jig are you using please? Dave UK
Hi Dave, it is a Bitzenburger fletching jig.
Does it work to strip labels from any arrows?? Also does it affect the look of the carbon? Thanks!!
@@Calebott01 that question I do not know for certain. Most all labels are inked on which doesn’t mess with the shafts appearance at all when removed, but some shafts may have a coating that comes off with the label. No issues on the Easton axis and gold tip arrows that I’ve used.
@@BowOnlyOutdoors thank you!!!
Carbon dust from cutting and sanding will mess your day up too if you inhale it.
I’d have some sort extraction setup.
Shooting the Elite carbon ERA this year and looking to build some arrows - do you have any suggestion on what spine shaft I should build on this platform? Draw weight 70# at 27” draw. Anyone that could point me in the right direction, thanks 🙏🏻
340 spine with 50 grains or less insert with 100 grain point and 26.5” length arrows would work well.
@@BowOnlyOutdoors Thank you so much for the feedback! Love your channel and will be signing up for the masterclass.
@drochell7970 thank you so much for your support! Don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly with any questions. We’d be happy to help!
What is weight of arrow and what weight is isert are they all typical
The total arrow weight for these arrows once they were finished were 450 grains. All 12 were within 1 grain of each other (449.8-450.4)
Curious if any inserts pushed out a smidge since he didn’t pull the nocks(?).
Not at all. I’ve never ever had that happen. There’s no need to pull out the nocks from my personal experience.
Instead of removing the label is there any reason why you just don't put the knock on the other end? I'm sure there is a reason and I'm curious about what it is.
I want the straightest end to have the nock in it.
Forgot to take the nocks out when putting the inserts in… keeping the nocks in can pressure inside the shaft when putting the insert and can move the insert once installed
I’ve never personally had an issue with that, but I’m sure it can happen! I typically only see that when the arrows haven’t been left perfectly flat to dry for the 24 hours with the epoxy.
I hear a lot of people prefer arrows slightly on the stiffer side, especially for hunting but never explain why. Are you in the same school of thought? If so, what are the benefits of having a slightly stiffer spine and what would be the cons of having a slightly weaker spine, given that they both tune fine out of the bow?
This is a great question! Thank you for asking.
For the last 5 years or so, I’ve always actually hunted with very slightly weak shafts because that is what shot the best out of my bow when testing with field points. When it came to fixed blade broadheads, I found that the accuracy was still good with a well tuned bow, but just wasn’t as good as a slightly stiffer arrow.
Shooting a stiffer arrow for hunting out of a compound is a benefit for several reasons.
First off, a stiff arrow shaft steers broadheads the best. When an arrow is too weak, they just don’t group as good because the broadhead has more influence on steering the arrow since it is flexing slightly more.
Secondly, a stiffer spine will always have a higher GPI (grains per inch) which ultimately makes the arrow shaft stronger when it is penetrating through bone and the animal.
Paired with that, a stiffer arrow will penetrate better because it doesn’t flex as much when it hits a hard surface, so it keeps the momentum moving straight forward in the arrow rather than losing it out the side as the arrow flexes when it hits a hard object.
The cons I’m finding out are not near as bad as I thought they would be. The stiffer shafts with field points still shoot amazing, but are maybe just slightly less forgiving than my slightly weaker set up. Another con that needs to be taken into consideration is how much heavier your total arrow weight will be, as you will lose trajectory if you gain too much weight. I built these arrows to actually weigh slightly less than my previous ones by using standard inserts instead of the heavier brass.
At the end of the day, I’m a bowhunter, and I want all of the advantages that I can to ensure I make a completely ethical shot on the animals I am hunting. There may not be a huge advantage to shooting a slightly stiffer shaft, but there are some, so I am using that to my advantage until I find a reason not to. Thanks again, and hope this helps give you more information around it!
@@BowOnlyOutdoors That was a really well thought out and thorough answer. Thank you! I'm testing different arrow builds now for the upcoming season and will definitely need this in mind! Thank you!
Also..... if you got a right twist string it will always send the arrow rotation left. Regardless of what dominant hand the shooter is
Right or left helical is not dependant on arrow natural rotation. It literally doesn't matter
Great video, incredibly concise!
Please wear a dust mask, and put a HEPA vacuum, like a Festool ct15, at your arrow cutting station; I can't begin to tell you how dangerous carbon dust is, even in small doses. it's horrible stuff that your lungs can't process. Re: Inserts, grab a small quantity of West System 205 two part epoxy; it goes on thinner to reduce weight variances, and is engineered for carbon/aluminum bonding. For the threading, try red Loctite #271.
Re: Fletching, try bonding with Loctite #435 low viscosity, with Accelerator #7452.
Keep making great content. Subbed!
Thank you!
Not sure if you've tried this, but I started using a toothpick to get the glue on the fletching rather than trying to squeeze it perfect
I’ve tried that also and it works super well if you don’t have as much control with the tip of your glue. Thanks for the comment! Hopefully this helps someone
I can't shoot within the tolerance of 2 grains of weight variance, much less 0.2 grains. This whole process is interesting though. No shaft spine alignment? 😉👍 Very nicely done video though, as another poster mentioned.
_edit:_ should have waited for the last segment about nock tuning. Oops.
Thanks! I don’t shoot good enough most days to have a 2 grain variance matter much, yet it still makes a difference. If anything, it gives me more confidence in my set up. Archery is a game of consistency and the more factors I can have as consistent as possible, the better I find I shoot.
Amazing! Thank you.
Why spin the arrows with knocks on. Plastic knocks varies in weight and knocks are consumables and are frequently replaced.
Good point! I’m just looking at the end of the shaft when spinning.
Gotta weigh that glue too bud!😉
Haha, must factor in every detail! 😂
What’s that address? I will send you all parts and pieces for assembly.
Haha, time consuming process although I’d love to help you!
@@BowOnlyOutdoorsI’m actually OCD on building my arrows. Prolly too much but finished they will be within 2 grains. Sometimes I have to reheat the hot melt from the insert and remove a bit- too much OCD. But, I’m retired and have plenty of time. Have you ever weighed cut shafts? They can be identical lengths and weigh different. Sometimes 2 grains. That’s Easton and Black Eagle that I’ve tested.
Take nock out first
How about you become my personal arrow builder?
Haha, I believe the saying goes “give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime!”
How the heck you not gonna show what the arrow weights turned out
The weights of the 12 arrows ended up being 449.8 to 450.4 grains after glueing the fletchings. 👍🏻
Only coment I have is don’t spin ur arrows on the label . Iv heard some manufacturers say this as well as bowmar bow hunting
Super disappointed he didn't weigh the arrow wraps.
Haha, thankfully the fletching variances made up for any difference between the wraps
Amazing, if you don't remove the labels you would miss an elephant's ass at 5 yards.
Haha 😂 that’s funny! Total personal preference
Du hast jetzt den Rundlauf von 0,001-003 mit dem Auge überprüft. 😂😂😂Das kann nur ein Ami machen.🇺🇸🇺🇸😂😂
Es ist nicht perfekt aber es ist besser, als es überhaupt nicht su tun, haha! 😂
How much weight do the sharpie numbers add though?? Haha. Thanks man, would have taken a lifetime to learn this without your help
One of the first videos in a while that I watched all the way through without skipping ahead. Excellent video! Very informative, thank you for the guide
0:17 Straightness check on spinner and cutting wobbly side
6:38 Squaring the ends
7:25 Removing labels
8:35 Wiping the shafts
9:13 Double check straightness and put nock in straightest end of shaft
10:03 Number arrows with sharpie
10:54 Start insert installation
11:16 Weigh arrows & inserts, then combine heaviest arrow & lightest inserts
12:38 Weigh fieldpoints
14:00 Gluing-in inserts
14:57 Matching fp and inserts by weight
15:18 Alternative for epoxy if in a hurry
18:20 Arrow clocking (spin orientation)
21:45 Compare bare shaft tune to fletched arrows
23:30 Arrow wraps
26:04 Weight match vanes
29:58 Fletching
33:24 Arrow tuning
Great idea! Thank you
@@BowOnlyOutdoors You are welcome. Great content and I knew I would come back to this video. Feel free to put it in the description if you desire.
I do all but clocking and wraps. Clocking just did not make a difference in my experience. Good and accurate video nonetheless.
Great Video!. Very detailed and precise. Well done. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to the next one.
Thank you so much!
After commenting on this video a few days ago, I decide to redo my hunting and 3D arrows. I finished my hunting arrows, and I got them to be within 1.7 grains of each other. I have one arrow that reads 456.6 whereas the rest read between 454.9 and 455.6. If that one arrow didn’t add on the extra weight somehow, I’d be under one grain.
I’m curious as to how close I’ll be able to get my 3D arrows. I plan on doing them tomorrow once I pick up some bright green Max Stealths after work.
Honestly the best video on how to build arrows. Luke 9:62
Copper steel wool........??
Those are mutually exclusive, buddy.
this is the best presentation i have seen, different but great, thanks also a material list would be nice.
So you check for which side is most 'wobbly' and then cut 3" off the wobbly side and 2 1/4" off the less-wobbly side. I find it hard to believe that 3/4" makes any difference which side it's on.
Correct, what you cut off on each side doesn’t have to be an exact science as long as the total arrow length is exactly what you want. The goal is to cut the arrow to make it as straight as possible by removing variation at the ends of the full length shaft.
Thank you for the in depth video!
Very consistent build process. All great common sense theories. Perhaps a future show build the arrows as is and show actual shooting results with 2 to 3 grain different arrows at 60 yards. Not sure this will be a huge impact as you’re suggesting. Have also seen evidence that helical has minimal impact. Look forward to seeing the actual results.
Hey Jeff, thank you so much for the comment!
I’m not suggesting this will be a huge difference at 60 yards with a 3 grain difference. This is simply the steps to follow to build some of the most consistent and accurate arrows possible.
The weight variance does come into play at further distances and absolutely will have an effect on how your arrows land. If you were to do these steps opposite, you could have arrows with over 6 grains of variance which absolutely will have an effect. To know if it’s noticeable or not is dependent upon the shooter, and the vast majority will not be able to tell the difference because of this.
Yes, slightly different weight arrows along with different direction of fletching helical will group together, but more consistent arrows will absolutely fly with less standard deviation than those that do have variation. If you are able, why not give yourself every advantage possible?
Most archers need to spend their time on shooting form and reps to make themselves better rather than by following this arrow building process, but for those that want the absolute best out of their setup, this is a great way to take the extra step and gain even more confidence. With that said, I do have a video planned in the works to demonstrate actual arrow drop with various arrow weights to show just how much arrow weight can throw an arrow off.
Why not make one cut from the side that wobbles the most
You made a cut on all arrows from nock side first and then cut from opposite side
I cut from the side that has the most wobble first, (regardless of where the nock was from the factory). Then I replaced the nocks to get the final length right and cut the other side to get rid of as much wobble off of that end as well. I do it that way to get the least amount of straightness variance possible.
looks like a copy of bomars arrow build .
Meticulous and thorough. Thanks for the instruction.
You are very welcome!