I have been progressing quite well with my first cane arrows.
I've got half a dozen to trial the build process.
First step was to line up the nodeson the nock ends and trim so they are all the same length. I did this to make sure I had a nice section to fletch on to.
I trimmed the sticks with a razor saw, cutting around rather than through.
I then measured and cut to length.
I drilled both ends out to 4mm and fitted some sections of cane dowel I just happened to have. I've no idea where it came from, but there was an eight inch section in my pen pot...
So I used it.
I inserted 15mm in the pile end with araldite to hold it - I was very gentle pushing in the dowels as I didn't want any splits.
Left this over night and then tapered with a pencil sharpener type taper tool I had to wrap masking tape around the shaft to get a good fit, as the cane shafts are smaller than my normal 5/16th.
Then I fitted some nice black Sherwood modkins, again with two part epoxy.
I then popped up the nock end, again fitted dowel - only 10mm this time though.
Left this to dry and then rounded the ends off.
I then drilled a hole for the self nock - did a 3mm hole, but started with a 2mm pilot, again trying not to split anything.
Then I drilled 1.5mm holes in a line out to the tip and filed the slot out. Then sanded a taper and tidied it all up. I then wiped some poly varnish over the lot and left to dry.
I fletched with white natural feathers and I'm not 100% sure that I like the shape. I will have a few experiments until I decide on something that looks nice and isn't too high profile.
Althogether enjoying the experience of working with new material and looking forward to seeing how these fly.
I'll be finishing them off with black silk ribbon around the self nock area and in front of the fletchings.
Have great weekend
Si