First arrow build

[arcticpig]

Going hunting September 2nd. I have never built arrows in my life. I'm not sure if I should let the guy at the pro shop build me arrows. He sent me on my way with a rest that was super far right and I had to retune bow. My arrows were longer than I needed them. And they're on the verge of being under spined.

My question is how hard is it to learn to use a blitz jig and get arrows to be good enough to hunt? I have done carpentry my whole life and also was a mechanic for a couple years. I know learning something new takes practice but I'm hoping it would be less of a learning curve with YouTube.

I was going to have Lancaster archery cut them down to 28 and 1/2 axis 5 mm carbon. I'm using a barbed broadhead so I want them to stick out past the rest a little bit. Looking for any suggestions. I'm planning on using a 16 g HIT insert and 100g ramcat broadhead. I'm going to use the Easton x nocks qti ll vanes. I have a Matthews v3x and I was going to think about doing like a 2° left for the vanes. Currently they are to the right. Don't know if that will change much. Also I wanted to line up the vanes with the broadhead blades. Probably getting a little crazy at this point.

Do you think I should just have the guy build the arrows. The last arrows didn't come out bad but I was going to buy a roller to check the straightness and all this (arrow spinner, Blitz jig, two colors of vanes, fletching glue, h i t insert epoxy, knock aligner for the blitz jig, and the arrows cut to a custom length) would cost only $100 more than he would charge me just to build the arrows at 235 for a dozen.

What do you think? Should I just have a pro shop build the arrows for now and after season start tinkering and buying a bow press and all the stuff I need or is it worth it to just start building the arrows now. I'm definitely getting a bow press and a draw board after season. Do I need any kind of program? I know somebody on here was helping me with Archer's advantage or a program called pinwheel. Is this necessary and should I invest? Thanks y'all I can appreciate the help enough.

 

[CarterHunt]

I say build them yourself and you can make them exactly how you want. It's not rocket science and if you're a carpenter you'll probably enjoy it and do a great job.

 

[d3ntalbliss]

Go for it. It's fun and not a big deal honestly.

Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[DB29]

Do it yourself, building arrows is easy and the sooner you buy the equipment the more $$ you will save.

Get something to cut and square the shafts. Use hotmelt to put your inserts in so you can change them out later. That and a Bitz and you are good to go.

 

[arcticpig]

Do it yourself, building arrows is easy and the sooner you buy the equipment the more $$ you will save.

Get something to cut and square the shafts. Use hotmelt to put your inserts in so you can change them out later. That and a Bitz and you are good to go.

What is hot melt? Like hot glue? Also cutting tools are expensive. Do you think precut would be okay for this time?

 

[butcherboy]

Definitely build your own. If you can’t get a saw yet then have Lancaster cut them for you. Use a low temp hot melt glue. How many lbs are you shooting? If you think you are underpinned then go down a spine. 400-340, 340-300, etc. I shoot anywhere from 65-75lbs, FMJ and axis 5mm 340’s. Cut to 27” with a 28” draw. Exodus swept broadhead and could probably still cut another inch off if I want. Cutting your arrow shorter will also increase the spine. I use blazer vanes and an Arizona mini for fletching. I have other fletching jigs as well for longer vanes. Left or right helical really won’t matter all that much. I like the blazers because they do a great job in stabilizing the arrow and I don’t need a primer pen. Just clean the arrow with some isopropyl alcohol. Fletch tite platinum glue works really well. Be sure and place a small drop of glue on the front of each vane when it comes out of your jig.

 

[arcticpig]

Definitely build your own. If you can’t get a saw yet then have Lancaster cut them for you. Use a low temp hot melt glue. How many lbs are you shooting? If you think you are underpinned then go down a spine. 400-340, 340-300, etc. I shoot anywhere from 65-75lbs, FMJ and axis 5mm 340’s. Cut to 27” with a 28” draw. Exodus swept broadhead and could probably still cut another inch off if I want. Cutting your arrow shorter will also increase the spine. I use blazer vanes and an Arizona mini for fletching. I have other fletching jigs as well for longer vanes. Left or right helical really won’t matter all that much. I like the blazers because they do a great job in stabilizing the arrow and I don’t need a primer pen. Just clean the arrow with some isopropyl alcohol. Fletch tite platinum glue works really well. Be sure and place a small drop of glue on the front of each vane when it comes out of your jig.

I'm shooting 70#. My draw is 28.5 inches. What hot glue? Just any hot glue?

 

[butcherboy]

Iron Will sells a pretty good hot melt glue. You will need a heat gun or a small propane torch. Hold the HIT in a pair of pliers and heat it up quickly. Lightly heat the glue up and apply it all around the lower portion of the HIT. Push it
Into the arrow then you use your HIT tool to finish seating it. I don’t use the plastic tool that comes with the 5mm arrows. I bought a metal one from Iron Will. When the glue hardens then just pull off the dried glue from the outside of the arrow. The Iron Will tool comes with a copper bristle brush so you can clean out any residual glue from inside the shaft if you want to.

You need a low temp hot melt. Do not use any hot glue like from a glue gun.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

My question is how hard is it to learn to use a blitz jig and get arrows to be good enough to hunt?

Not hard. If you do mess up a few, just cut off the vanes, scrape off the glue, and try again.

I was going to have Lancaster archery cut them down to 28 and 1/2 axis 5 mm carbon. I'm using a barbed broadhead so I want them to stick out past the rest a little bit. Looking for any suggestions. I'm planning on using a 16 g HIT insert and 100g ramcat broadhead. I'm going to use the Easton x nocks qti ll vanes.

That sounds like a good setup. What exactly are you looking for suggestions on?

I have a Matthews v3x and I was going to think about doing like a 2° left for the vanes. Currently they are to the right. Don't know if that will change much. Also I wanted to line up the vanes with the broadhead blades. Probably getting a little crazy at this point.

Left vs. right fletching only matters if you're shooting a single bevel broadhead (fletching direction should match bevel direction so both components are trying to spin the arrow in the same direction). You're not shooting a single bevel, so left vs. right doesn't matter. Vane angle isn't that important either. If you use a straight clamp in a Bitz jig, you should be able to get around 2-3°. If you use a helical clamp, you could get a little more angle. Aligning vanes to blades is a complete waste of time IMO.

Do you think I should just have the guy build the arrows. The last arrows didn't come out bad but I was going to buy a roller to check the straightness and all this (arrow spinner, Blitz jig, two colors of vanes, fletching glue, h i t insert epoxy, knock aligner for the blitz jig, and the arrows cut to a custom length) would cost only $100 more than he would charge me just to build the arrows at 235 for a dozen.

Your call. You'll eventually pay back the cost of fletching tools if you build/repair enough arrows.

Do I need any kind of program? I know somebody on here was helping me with Archer's advantage or a program called pinwheel. Is this necessary and should I invest? Thanks y'all I can appreciate the help enough.

Not necessary. The free spine charts/calculators on the arrow manufacturers' websites will get you close enough. If you give me your draw weight and draw length, I'll run your planned arrow through Pinwheel just for grins.

 

[butcherboy]

I'm shooting 70#. My draw is 28.5 inches. What hot glue? Just any hot glue?

I like Saunders which you can buy from Lancaster. The Iron Will hot melt is really good. Stay away from Fer-l-tite. I recommend getting the HIT tool and glue from Iron Will. Also, make sure your arrow is at least a 340 spine and cut it to 27.5” that should give you plenty of room for the Ramcat broadheads still. I shoot the exodus swept and cutting an inch off still gives me
Plenty of room in front of my rest, especially on a drop away. I like the QAD rest because I can pre-cock it and it won’t fall off. If I don’t shoot then it has a lever to release the rest.

 

[CarterHunt]

What is hot melt? Like hot glue? Also cutting tools are expensive. Do you think precut would be okay for this time?

I have my shop cut my arrows when I buy the shafts, then I do everything else myself (install inserts, wraps, vanes etc.).

 

[arcticpig]

Not hard. If you do mess up a few, just cut off the vanes, scrape off the glue, and try again.


That sounds like a good setup. What exactly are you looking for suggestions on?


Left vs. right fletching only matters if you're shooting a single bevel broadhead (fletching direction should match bevel direction so both components are trying to spin the arrow in the same direction). You're not shooting a single bevel, so left vs. right doesn't matter. Vane angle isn't that important either. If you use a straight clamp in a Bitz jig, you should be able to get around 2-3°. If you use a helical clamp, you could get a little more angle. Aligning vanes to blades is a complete waste of time IMO.


Your call. You'll eventually pay back the cost of fletching tools if you build/repair enough arrows.


Not necessary. The free spine charts/calculators on the arrow manufacturers' websites will get you close enough. If you give me your draw weight and draw length, I'll run your planned arrow through Pinwheel just for grins.

70# and 28.5 draw. I think I'm actually going to do 28" shafts without nocks or tips. I guess my suggestions would be different inserts( I hear people don't like HIT) or if anyone recommends a certain vane. I'm going for elk, whitetail, and hopefully some other animals but mostly those two.

 

[Marshfly]

I know lots of people like hot melt. IMHO it sucks. If your local range uses carpet stacked for targets you WILL lose inserts. If you shoot into the harder 3D targets when it's hot you WILL lose inserts.

That said, YES, build your own arrows. I use the Arizona EZ fletch. I have 4 shooters in my house so it seems like I'm constantly refletching something. I currently have 3 dozen to do for hunting season this year for me, my wife, and my son.

I bought the Modsaw and love it. Saw, spinner, and squaring tool all in one.

 

[arcticpig]

I like Saunders which you can buy from Lancaster. The Iron Will hot melt is really good. Stay away from Fer-l-tite. I recommend getting the HIT tool and glue from Iron Will. Also, make sure your arrow is at least a 340 spine and cut it to 27.5” that should give you plenty of room for the Ramcat broadheads still. I shoot the exodus swept and cutting an inch off still gives me
Plenty of room in front of my rest, especially on a drop away. I like the QAD rest because I can pre-cock it and it won’t fall off. If I don’t shoot then it has a lever to release the rest.

I think I'm going with 28". I bet I could fit off an extra half an inch though. What would be the benefit of that half an inch? I have a ultra rest integrate mx2 so same thing. It is

 

[arcticpig]

I know lots of people like hot melt. IMHO it sucks. If your local range uses carpet stacked for targets you WILL lose inserts. If you shoot into the harder 3D targets when it's hot you WILL lose inserts.

That said, YES, build your own arrows. I use the Arizona EZ fletch. I have 4 shooters in my house so it seems like I'm constantly refletching something. I currently have 3 dozen to do for hunting season this year for me, my wife, and my son.

I bought the Modsaw and love it. Saw, spinner, and squaring tool all in one.

Do you use the HIT inserts with epoxy or you don't even use the HIT?

 

[Marshfly]

I think I'm going with 28". I bet I could fit off an extra half an inch though. What would be the benefit of that half an inch? I have a ultra rest integrate mx2 so same thing. It is

27.5 or 28.5 is zero difference in reality. Roll with what you have.

 

[Marshfly]

Do you use the HIT inserts with epoxy or you don't even use the HIT?

I shoot Rips with the standard stainless halfsert that comes with them most of the year. That is what my son and wife hunt with also. I glue those in with AAE Max Impact and can remove them with a MAP gas torch heating up a field point. But they never come out otherwise.

I'm doing Easton HITs for my hunting RIP TKOs this year and using the golf club epoxy. I'm considering those forever inserted. LOL.

That said, if the TKOs came with the SS inserts the regular RIPs did, I'd run those.

 

[arcticpig]

I shoot Rips with the standard stainless halfsert that comes with them most of the year. That is what my son and wife hunt with also. I glue those in with AAE Max Impact and can remove them with a MAP gas torch heating up a field point. But they never come out otherwise.

I'm doing Easton HITs for my hunting RIP TKOs this year and using the golf club epoxy. I'm considering those forever inserted. LOL.

That said, if the TKOs came with the SS inserts the regular RIPs did, I'd run those.

You like the Arizona? I am thinking about using that vs blitz

 

[Mighty Mouse]

70# and 28.5 draw. I think I'm actually going to do 28" shafts without nocks or tips. I guess my suggestions would be different inserts( I hear people don't like HIT) or if anyone recommends a certain vane. I'm going for elk, whitetail, and hopefully some other animals but mostly those two.

Pinwheel says you would be near perfect with a 340 spine cut 27.5" carbon-to-carbon with 116 gr on the front and 30 gr (approximate weight of 3 vanes + unlighted nock) on the rear. I remember your other thread now...don't you already have 340's with some extra length on them that you were struggling to tune? If so, you could trim them down, put in new inserts, and possibly save yourself a couple hundred bucks vs. buying/building a whole new set of arrows.


A HIT is the best insert option for a 5mm arrow IMO.

 

[Marshfly]

You like the Arizona? I am thinking about using that vs blitz

I fletch way too many arrows to use a Blitz. I think custom angles and such are totally unnecessary anyway. Fast and easy.