Peakoverload
Member
So I've finally got all the bits to make my first set of wooden arrows. Other than a taper tool and a saw I have no 'tools' but rolling the shafts across a flat surface shows that 6 of the 12 are 98% straight, 4 are 95% straight and 2 are 92% straight. In other words 6 give no real 'rattle' being rolled but if you press down hard on one end there is a very tiny movement at the other end. On 4 there is a just noticeable rattle and on 2 there is a fairly obvious rattle.
Taking the worst arrow I thought I'd have a go at straightening it. Looking down the shaft I still couldn't tell where the bend was, to me it looked pretty straight. I then placed it on my flat surface, press down on one end and rotated the arrow until the other end was obviously raised up. Marking that point I then placed it over the heal of my hand and gently bent it. This made a noticeable difference.....but not in the right way. Now I had two bends in the arrow. After several minutes of trying to work out where the bends where and by how much to bend the arrow I got back to almost where I was. I then tried one final bend thinking I had finally identified where the bend was and SNAP!! :grumpy::grumpy::loser::cheerful:
Clucking Bell.
Anyone have any advice on how to straighten arrows? Just how straight should they be bearing in mind they are made of a natural material? And how can you detect where a bend is when it's too subtle to pick up by the eye?
I've seen a few DIY arrow rollers built using skate bearings which look like a good idea which may well help identify less than perfectly straight arrows and potentially where the bend is but doesn't answer how to safely make them straight.
Taking the worst arrow I thought I'd have a go at straightening it. Looking down the shaft I still couldn't tell where the bend was, to me it looked pretty straight. I then placed it on my flat surface, press down on one end and rotated the arrow until the other end was obviously raised up. Marking that point I then placed it over the heal of my hand and gently bent it. This made a noticeable difference.....but not in the right way. Now I had two bends in the arrow. After several minutes of trying to work out where the bends where and by how much to bend the arrow I got back to almost where I was. I then tried one final bend thinking I had finally identified where the bend was and SNAP!! :grumpy::grumpy::loser::cheerful:
Clucking Bell.
Anyone have any advice on how to straighten arrows? Just how straight should they be bearing in mind they are made of a natural material? And how can you detect where a bend is when it's too subtle to pick up by the eye?
I've seen a few DIY arrow rollers built using skate bearings which look like a good idea which may well help identify less than perfectly straight arrows and potentially where the bend is but doesn't answer how to safely make them straight.