# Getting inserts out of carbon arrows



## dabersold (Sep 13, 2009)

I bought some brass inserts for my carbon arrows to help with weight, spine, and FOC. My question is, how to get the old ones out. This is my first time with carbons and I con't want to ruin any. Thanks.


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## Two Blade (Jul 13, 2008)

I asked this question before and the advice that I was given was to put a field point in my insert and then heat it up with a torch. I bought a 20 dollar torch from Home Depot and that is what I use. I heat my field point a little bit and then I try to pull it out. If it doesn't come out, I heat a little more. I have also switched to a 'low temp' hot melt because it has a lower melting temp than super glue. When you put it on your insert, you do not need or want to get your insert very hot. Remember that carbons and heat do not mix well so be cautious about how long you heat up your field point and your inserts. Always test your carbons afterwords by bending them. If you hear any crackling sounds, I would not use that arrow. Also, if you pull your inserts out and they have black all over them, that is part of your shaft. You can clean the inserts by holding the inserts with a pair of pliers and heating them up and then wiping them off with a rag.

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/product_info.php?cPath=421_73&products_id=2534

I also bought one these for installing inserts. They are great for heating up inserts and then applying the hot melt.


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## elk ivory (Apr 8, 2007)

Easiest way I have found is take a drill bit size slightly smaller than the shaft/arrow diameter and remove the nock and drop it down the shaft(unsharpened end toward the insert) and then tilt and sling the shaft downward,might take a few tries depending on the glue used and best to do it outside because when it lets go it will come out fast.

Works every time and as of yet I have never damaged a single shaft after using this method for many years.


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## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

elk ivory said:


> Easiest way I have found is take a drill bit size slightly smaller than the shaft/arrow diameter and remove the nock and drop it down the shaft(unsharpened end toward the insert) and then tilt and sling the shaft downward,might take a few tries depending on the glue used and best to do it outside because when it lets go it will come out fast.
> 
> Works every time and as of yet I have never damaged a single shaft after using this method for many years.



x2.


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## dabersold (Sep 13, 2009)

Thanks guys. Also, when installing, do I use the same hot melt glue I use for aluminum and wood, or fletching glue, or is there a special glue for carbon inserts?


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## SandSquid (Sep 2, 2008)

Getting too close to my high dollar carbons w/ a propane torch scares the poop out of me.

I take big point (like 125gr.) and holding it w/ some pliers get it really hot. While it's hot I screw it into the insert and try and keep screwing it in until the heat form the point transfers to the insert, which happens very quickly. Aluminum is a great conductor. As soon as the assembly starts to twist keep on twisting as I yank it out. In my mind I'm getting _just_ enough heat to break the bond and hopefully, not over stressing the carbon.

I ran out of hot melt and used my wife's "Industrial" Black&Decker Dual Temp hot glue gun and it worked better than the "smear the insert w/ the stick" method.
I heat the insert up in the flame, gave a squeeze of glue from the gun, dip back in the flame for a second and press into the shaft. For carbons, I dunk in a glass of water tepid water so as to cool it down faster.
Aluminums, I jest let them cool naturally.

Perfect every time.

That stuff is a LOT chepaer at Lowes than the "real" stuff from lancaster, etc.


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## SandSquid (Sep 2, 2008)

AKM said:


> I also bought one these for installing inserts. They are great for heating up inserts and then applying the hot melt.



Got a link for that tool?


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## elk ivory (Apr 8, 2007)

dabersold said:


> Thanks guys. Also, when installing, do I use the same hot melt glue I use for aluminum and wood, or fletching glue, or is there a special glue for carbon inserts?


On carbon arrows I found that a good fast set fletching glue or Lok Tite super glue gel works very well,never had any pull out using either product.


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## Two Blade (Jul 13, 2008)

SandSquid said:


> Got a link for that tool?


Here you go John. It is actually rather expensive. A long bolt with the proper thread size would be just as good and a whole lot cheaper. Also, when you heat up enough inserts, this tool gets hot. If you had several long bolts, when one gets hot you could just use a different one.

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/index.php?cPath=46_213


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## elk country rp (Sep 5, 2005)

lol- my inserts usually come right out when i find my arrow stuck 2" into a tree after missing a grouse.....all i have to do is pull real hard.


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## dabersold (Sep 13, 2009)

Thanks all - I used the drill bit in the shaft method and it worked great. Now I'll be inserting 50gr. brass inserts to help with my slightly over spined arrows. Should be right around 480gr with a 145gr point. I'm shooting 50# at my 28" draw.


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## Two Blade (Jul 13, 2008)

dabersold said:


> Thanks all - I used the drill bit in the shaft method and it worked great.


I just did it too and it worked great.


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## egor (May 26, 2011)

this one is more for plastic nock removal for fobs, broken ones ect,,

boil water, put in cup, have cold water running next to it, place arrow into water just above where arrow meets nock, count 1...2....3...4...5... remove arrow from water then twist out nock with plyers, place arrow under cold tap, done.
I always check for crackling when I shoot as I have watched too many youtube arrow disasters and have had no problems with this method 
I would also check with the drill method as drilling creates heat


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## Clang! (Sep 29, 2007)

Two methods:
1) Use the drill rod to blow the insert out. I use a 3/16x24 steel rod from Home Depot, remove the nock, and ram it down the shaft hard. Works like a charm.

2) Dip the end in boiling water to weaken the glue. Epoxies can usually tolerate 212F temperatures without degrading. CAs (superglue) can't. Contact the manufacturer to be sure that theirs arrows can. 

EDIT: Do NOT mess around with torches and carbon arrows. The flame temp is way above what any epoxy is capable of handling, and thermal degradation is near impossible to detect.


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

Clang! said:


> Two methods:
> 1) Use the drill rod to blow the insert out. I use a 3/16x24 steel rod from Home Depot, remove the nock, and ram it down the shaft hard. Works like a charm.


Could you explain how you hold the arrow shaft in place when pounding the insert out? That's always been my biggest issue, sliding in the vice or almost cracking the shaft.


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## bulldog18 (Jan 20, 2006)

I use the drill bit method and hold the shaft at the nock end. Insert drill bit and fling the insert end towards the floor. I use a piece of carpet on the floor in my shop to catch the insert.


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## EnglishKev (Aug 8, 2009)

kegan said:


> Could you explain how you hold the arrow shaft in place when pounding the insert out? That's always been my biggest issue, sliding in the vice or almost cracking the shaft.


I use the rod method as I never got the hang of 'whipping' the shaft with a drill bit inserted.
I have a yard of stainless steel that just fits inside my arrow shafts, I was going to use brass for the weight, but the stainless was all I could get at the time.
I grip the shaft with a rubber arrow puller about a third of the way down from the nock end with one hand, point the insert end at the ground (watch out for your feet LoL) and then 'piledrive' the insert with the rod using the other hand.
Works like a charm.

Kev


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

This is great stuff guys. Here I was thinking there was no way to get an insert out of a carbon (mostly to repair arrows). This all has me very excited


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## noflyzone (Nov 30, 2008)

just used the drill bit on some gold tip arrows with Loc-tite glue and aluminum inserts.......worked great!


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## tunit57401 (Oct 14, 2008)

drill bit totally works holy crap


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## Huntinsker (Feb 9, 2012)

I cut a field point down and welded the threads to an old screw driver. Heat the screw driver and the heat will travel down the threads and melt the glue on the insert without getting a flame too close to the shaft. Works great for me.


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## jusoldave (Apr 28, 2012)

Also, keep in mind that the method that works is largely dependant on the glue used when installing the first set of inserts; I use Insert Iron, and haven't found any method to work, short of cutting the arrow behind the original insert...


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## Huntinsker (Feb 9, 2012)

I tried the drill bit in the shaft trick last night and it worked great. Certainly easier than a torch.


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## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

dabersold - you do realize that if the arrows you were shooting were tuned to the bow - and you now add more weight to the front and shoot them out of the same bow they will no longer be tuned - if you are going to add weight to the tip you will need a stiffer spine or a shorter arrow - assuming the arrows were tuned to the bow in the first place.


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## Joseph Moore (Aug 24, 2012)

I ordered some precut shafts with inserts installed and noticed on a few of them the inserts aren't fully seated... sticking out 1 or 2 mm. Should I pull them out and reseat them myself?


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

i remove the nock and use my rifle cleaning rod...with a short 1/4" piece of rubber hose (fuel line) at the base of the cleaning rod...so the hard handle doesn't crack or splinter the nock end of the shaft when the insert going flying out the end..a few quick strokes and it's like...pow, pow pow! Pa-Ting! :laugh:

yep...that's how i do it. 

BTW...heat doesn't work real well on inserts that have been super-glued in.

L8R, Bill. :cool2:


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## deepsprayj (Nov 4, 2011)

A gas stove works on heating tips. No torch necessary. If you keep the carbon moving in the flame it wont get hot enough to damage it. I have heated mine on tough inserts with no damage. Try it on a broken shaft first and see. I shoot victory and have not had any issues. Just dont let them get hot enough to burn and your fine.


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## ozarksbuckslaye (Jul 24, 2008)

This is what I use. :thumbs_up


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## Dutdut (Jan 7, 2013)

Just tried the drill bit method. Can't believe how well it worked


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## jbbowman (Oct 1, 2012)

There is a YTube vid of a guy useing heat to remove inserts, I did two and it worked fine.


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## AddicTioN (Nov 19, 2012)

used a fletching glue on my inserts for carbon and they never have come out yet.


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## Meleagris1 (Jan 8, 2003)

That drill bit trick works great! Thank you! To catch the insert I just taped a small plastic bag to the end of the shaft.


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## Stevie777 (May 2, 2013)

Just tried the Drill bit AND adding a bit of heat, placed the face of the Alloy insert on the cooker hot plate for a few seconds, and i mean seconds..quick flick and out she popped....excellente.


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