Arrow Taper Grinder....Homemade and bought...

[Cinead]

For those of us that make our own arrows....there are always tapers needed for the nocks and heads. There are a few options available to buy and one you can make.

The "pencil" sharpener type:
http://www.3riversarchery.com/Arrow+Bui ... oduct.html

They are OK....but not so good on hard woods. I shoot ash shafts exclusively....so a no go for me. Period. Soft woods....are are alright, but I still wouldn' t use one.

The woodchuck taper grinder:

http://www.3riversarchery.com/Arrow+Bui ... oduct.html

The cadillac of grinders.....with the price to prove it! If you can afford it....go for it! IF you make a LOT of arrows.....or go in with 3 or 4 local guys and diffuse the cost.....

The homemade grinder:
I got the idea from a back issue of Primitive archer magazine....I forget which one....and I am too lazy and tired to look it up. Go to the homepage....to the back issue list and start reading, find it.....and buy the issue.

I made mine based upon these instructions....BUT.....I shrank it down to fit on the bench-top disc sander that I have.
I also added:
http://www.3riversarchery.com/Arrow+Bui ... oduct.html

I cut it in half.....perfect angle for nocks and heads.....no guess work with protractors and such......if you read the article.....you will see what I mean. If you PM me, I might be able to help out.....maybe.

Since I already had the sander...and the guide block was a gift......and I used scrap from ny shop.....my total cost: $0.00.

If you already have a disc sander (table top) or a table saw (like in the directions of the PA article) you can make one for NO more than $25.00....even if you have to buy the wood, taper guide and glue.

Add on the depth taper adjuster and you have a homemade wood chuck for a fifth of the price of buying one.....and it takes less than an hour to complete. Did I mention that it works just as well?

[Eledhwen]

Interesting. I have the pencil style sharpener which I have used on ash..not easily..but mostly for cedar.

Since I don't taper the nock end, using self-nocks instead, I only have to do the head end. Hmmm. I don't use power tools. I'll have to work up something that'll let me use my small planes and shaves. That guide block might prove useful in the endeavor. Hmmm.

Thanks for sharing!

Eledhwen

[Willrett]

sounds really cool would love to see some more pics. Do you use precut shafts or do you cut and from yourselves? I have a chance to get several trees worth of cherry limbs and maybe some others as well and plan on trying to do those if possible.

[Cinead]

I use precut shafts.....I get mine from Allegheny Mountain Arrow woods. They are $26 a dozen, already spined and weighted. If you don't lose them....Ash is nearly indestructible....I just don't have time to cut and plane them down.....but I have before.....

[Eledhwen]

Same place I get mine although I've begun to work on making my own shafts since a storm leveled a stand of ash nearby and I got a lot of the wood. I figured learning how to make my shafts might be a good thing.

Eledhwen