Step one for a quiver full of huntin' arras

[rodlonq]

Step one - put the plastic end bits and pointy things on. What a mess

Arras131012.jpg (163.14 KiB) Viewed 2728 times

Cheers......... Rod

[Gringa Bows]

You've got a bit of variety in broady's there mate...

[Stickbow Hunter]

Looks like you're havin' fun Rod. Are they the bamboo arrow shafts? Going by those you like your broadhead horizontal when the arra is on the string.

Jeff

[rodlonq]

Yes Rod, and the different colours are for the different points. And yes to you too Jeff. I was almost surprised to find when I started sorting the batch of bamboo shafts there was a pretty big variation in weight and spine, with half a dozen or so being way off the mark. I will say that I was impressed with the overall straightness. So i tried to get the total mass of each arrow around the same while also trying to keep the stiffness matching the point weight as well. It means that heavier points need to go on lighter shafts, but the lighter shafts have to also be stiffer to keep the dynamic spine about the same as well. Turns out I only got about 40 shafts out of 100 that suit my bows and draw length (in theory anyway, the proof will be in the shooting). Luckily a fair portion of the remainder turned out to be OK for my son or I could use them if I made up heavier adaptors to bring up point weight. There lies another problem, they are getting a bit heavy at 720-730 grains and I am only shooting 55 to 60 pound bows. This year and practice sessions have been few and far between so I won't be taking the shot until I am close enough to be confident of a clean result. Should be able to cope with a fair bit of variety I hope . I do like the broad head horizontal. It seems more like a practice point and I really don't like them vertical because it seems to make it hard to determine where the point is. I don't gap shoot or anything like that (at least not actively, maybe subconsciously?) I just like to see the point in my sight picture.

[Stickbow Hunter]

There lies another problem, they are getting a bit heavy at 720-730 grains and I am only shooting 55 to 60 pound bows.

That is the weight (approx 750 gr) I use with my bows of that weight. The shafts I got were actually too light ,for what I wanted, at around 625 gr finished. I ended up putting a 5 degree taper on 190 grain field points and then attached the broadheads to those.

I found the spine rating to be very good with the 100 I got. Where the spine marking was on the shaft is where the fella spined them and we found they were very accurate. I used the thickest end of all the shafts to keep the diameter and weight up.

I can't recall exactly now but I probably only had fifteen or so that went very heavy or light in mass but the rest went in about three groups with a range of 20 grains. I use one group and then next batch will be made from another group. I have never found that sort of weight difference to cause me any problems. I also had about five that I wouldn't use because they weren't straight enough.

Be sure to take some more photos to show us when you have them finished.

Jeff

[Gringa Bows]

Rod,are you taking the Gringa hunting too

[rodlonq]

Thanks for all that Jeff. It seems I may be on the right track after all and feeling much more confident. I am pretty psyched about getting away. I haven't gone on a hunt that had any serious change of producing a harvest since I was an apprentice, and a lot of water has gone under the Burdekin bridge since then I can tell you. I have two homebrew bows to blood and the Gringa that LBRod made for Bludogs auction. It will also be the first time all my other home made gear gets put to the test properly.

Rod, yes mate, it will be with me. I made a black and yellow spare string for it that needs to be shot in, it looks the part with the black glass and osage highlights. I'll probably leave it on there and carry the one you sent with it for a spare. The arras with yella nocks and cock feather should make a nice fashion statement I think

Cheers..... Rod

[Gringa Bows]

Dont forget my pickies mate

[rodlonq]

There ya go Rod, this is the before picky. I hope the after pickies have red stains on the arras

HornetArrasSmall.JPG (159.7 KiB) Viewed 2638 times

Cheers...... Rod

[rodlonq]

Step 2 - stuff em all into a box and take em up to Cape York for 10 days.

I originally bought a metre of 6" PVC pipe, a glue on cap and a screw on cap. I soon realised I'd need another screw on cap and I thought this is getting bloody expensive for a half baked solution to carry 3 dozen arras. 15 minutes on the web and I found this box for less money than the PVC had already cost me and it has the extra compartments for housing broad heads (I cut the creamy coloured foam myself from a slab of foam) and tools etc. It's even lockable incase I win the lotto and go huntin' overseas. I now have all my WIP shafts and such stored in the PVC container and that suits me fine too. On top of all that I finally got around to reading about you lads "Cunamulla Hunt" this morning and now I am having a lot of trouble tuning in to SWMBO at times. Anyways a picture (even a bad one) says a thousand words, so.....

BoxOfArrasSmall.JPG (156.05 KiB) Viewed 2629 times

It holds 3 dozen arras, 4 dozen + a few broad heads, 2 dozen field points, spare glue and string wax etc. and spare strings are under the arrows in sandwich bags

Cheers......... Rod

[bigbob]

I'm envious Rod hope you have a terrific time in the deep north. Before I finally cark it I have made myself a solemn vow that i will revisit old stomping grounds around Weipa chasing that big ol' gnarly boar with the great hooks I dream about.Of course I may be confined to a wheelchair by then!

[Stickbow Hunter]

Lookin' good Rod. I have had a couple of those cases for many years and they are excellent. Mine are the earlier ones that don't have the corners rounded like yours so are better IMO as they have a bit more room. When do you head north?

Jeff

[rodlonq]

Goin' Tuesday next week Jeff, and looking forward to finally having something to post in the huntin' and fishin' campfire.

[Stickbow Hunter]

Great stuff mate. Have a ball and all the best with downing a few critters!!!

I'll look forward to a good write up and photos on your return.

Jeff

[Bill]

yes, hope u have a good and safe trip Rod.

[rodlonq]

Cant promise too much on the photos front Jeff. I will only have my iphone with me, basically because that is all I have got . Better to have a write up and crappy photos than sitting at home reading about everyone else doing it.

Nutgrass has set the bar pretty high on the write ups and photos mate. We'll see how it goes, I've written nothing but technical documents for years so it could be a bit boring compared to Gary's yarns.

At least I should not suffer from gear failure as I have spares for my spares. 3 bows with spare strings for each, plenty of arras, 3 varieties of quiver and enough emergency repair gear to fix almost any minor problem. I only have one fishing rod but I have enough lures and spare tackle to ensure I don't miss out on fishing (I have a spare spool for my reel ).

Cheers...... Rod

[ontothepigs]

Can you happen to remember where you got that case and or what it was called? How did the hunt go?

[Curvemeister]

Some nice arrows you've built up there , i also have one of the same cases and is a great bit of kit , especially to keep feathers nice and straight .
Are the foam inserts where you have the points socketed into standard or foamed in by yourself ?
Mine doest have them , but is a great idea , i currently have found theat 2 sattelite broadhead boxes fit into the cavities each side of the handle , and the top half sockets over the other half of the box near perfectly for it to be closed and latched up .
i might have to foam in one side and keep the other side for a box as i have spare arra parts residing in one of the boxes , ( nocks , points , inserts for aluminiums etc. )

[Curvemeister]

On closer look at your pic i realise mine is a differetn type of case a " field locker " mine hasnt got the cavities as large and spacious as yours , what type of case is it ?
I'd like to have one of those also !

[Stickbow Hunter]

I believe the case is an MTM Arrow Plus case and they are available from the suppliers on the front page of the site.

Jeff

[Curvemeister]

Thanks Jeff , i'll definately have to look into them .
Cheers .