# Axis Lighted Nock DIY



## Ancient Archer (Sep 25, 2008)

I'm looking for recommendations for making a lighted nock for Easton N-fused Axis 400 arrows. I've tried the Thill lights, but when drilling out the X-nock enough heat is generated, even when going slow & using several incrementaly sized drill bits, to partially heat distort the nock shank, and it is vey easy to drill out through a side of the nock. I've use the Rivoarcher method with good success on larger, standard size nocks, but the Xnocks are very difficult it modify as a lighted nock.

All else failing, I could buy some NocturnalX lighted nocks, but they are back ordered.

Anyone have a recommendation for the Axis arrows with Xnocks?


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## Sm0lder (Aug 9, 2010)

Here's a link for the Nockturnal's in stock. http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=720423


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## Ancient Archer (Sep 25, 2008)

Thanks for the link. The Nocturnal-X is also on backorder.


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## robinfly (Sep 2, 2007)

Here is how I did mine. Didn't need to drill nock. Works great

scroll to #1088

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=201870&page=28


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## Ancient Archer (Sep 25, 2008)

robinfly said:


> Here is how I did mine. Didn't need to drill nock. Works great
> 
> scroll to #1088
> 
> http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=201870&page=28



And you were able to drill out the nock without it overhearting & distorting? The hole in the nock is conical, so it's difficult to align it central to the spindle of a drill press. I tried several drills, each one incrementally larger than the previous and it still wanted to overheat & melt. What size hole did you drill? As I recall, the battery was 0.156" dia. and I went up to 0.159" to allow it to fit in reasonably well. This left a thin wall. If an 11/64" (0.172") drill were to be used that would be too large. I suspect you didn't make this with a Xnock that is used for the Axis arrows.


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## robinfly (Sep 2, 2007)

Sorry I didn't pay too much attention to the sketch. I didn't drill the nock at all. What I did was slid the light end into the end of the nock far enough to glue it in place then sanded the shank of the nock so it would slide into the shaft with a slight bit if resistance so I can turn it on and off with a small amount of effort. Then I cut the end off of another nock and glued it on the other end of the light. Then applied a little glue to the end then slid the assembly in to the shaft. The light turned on while pushing it all the way in. To turn it off just pull slightly on the nock. Be careful not to glue the nock in place. I'll upload an illustration.


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## robinfly (Sep 2, 2007)

*hope this helps*

hope this helps I used the lucky jack battery refill
The one on the bottom is the axis with homemade nock the top is axis nfuse with luminok

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=411574&pdesc=Lucky_Jack_Battery_Refill


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## pabuckslayer08 (Nov 19, 2008)

The luminok on Axis is the way to go, nearly dead on the same an much easier


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## Ancient Archer (Sep 25, 2008)

robinfly said:


> hope this helps I used the lucky jack battery refill
> The one on the bottom is the axis with homemade nock the top is axis nfuse with luminok
> 
> http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=411574&pdesc=Lucky_Jack_Battery_Refill


Thanks for the response. However, I have to ask what light are you using? I've been using the Thill light ( reference http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/...roductDetail/Bobbers/prod9999007374/cat101131) and it doesn't go into the Xnock to begin with. The Xnock has to be drilled to accept the Thill light. Are you usig a different light, or a different nock? Thanks for the help.


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## robinfly (Sep 2, 2007)

it is the red ROB-n-BOBBS light that I linked. It fits tight in the orange x-nock. You may have to pass a drill in the nock end no more then 1/8" deep, but thats it.

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=411574&pdesc=Lucky_Jack_Battery_Refill


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## dw'struth (Mar 14, 2008)

Sorry to intrude, but have any of you guys used both lights (thill and ROB-N-BOB)? Is one brighter? thanks


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## comp55 (May 20, 2010)

Robinfly- I just ordered my lights today and I'm gonna try to put a few of these together. Just to clarify you said you put some glue on the end. Can u clarify that a little more. Basically I'm just wondering where to put that glue should i put it on the piece of nock that i cut and attached to the light so that it actually glues to the inside of the arrow shaft or what? Thanks


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## dw'struth (Mar 14, 2008)

The rubber part of the light, surrounding the actual bulb, needs to be lightly glued into position inside the nock. The bottom of the battery needs to be epoxied (i think) into the piece of nock. The piece of nock needs to be positioned in your arrow with the light turned on, that way the nock can be slightly pulled out from flush with the arrow. This turns the light off. When shot, the light is turned on by the nock (on your string) pushing in on the light, which is held in place by the piece of nock inside the arrow shaft. Getting the correct positioning is crucial.


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## comp55 (May 20, 2010)

Ok thanks. I think it will all make sense to me when I get the lights and see how they function


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## dw'struth (Mar 14, 2008)

Yep, the on-off function of the light, as you will see, don't leave you with much play room when setting in place. Of course if you are useing a bigger nock, like the super nock, there is a better way altogether.


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## Ancient Archer (Sep 25, 2008)

robinfly said:


> it is the red ROB-n-BOBBS light that I linked. It fits tight in the orange x-nock. You may have to pass a drill in the nock end no more then 1/8" deep, but thats it.
> 
> http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=411574&pdesc=Lucky_Jack_Battery_Refill


Oops! Looks like I should have read your post more closely. Thanks for the correction. Do these lights have a good battery life? Thanks.


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## Ancient Archer (Sep 25, 2008)

In your sketch, it appears that the light is glued near the end of the nock & is positioned well inside the shaft. This leaves the nock much stronger, with less risk of breaking. However, with the light that far inside the shaft does the light still produce a bright nock. It appears to do so from your pictures above. Also, did you drill a hole down through the throat of the nock into the shaft end of the nock to produce more light. I have done this with a 3/32" drill and it does help.


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## robinfly (Sep 2, 2007)

dw'struth said:


> The rubber part of the light, surrounding the actual bulb, needs to be lightly glued into position inside the nock. The bottom of the battery needs to be epoxied (i think) into the piece of nock. The piece of nock needs to be positioned in your arrow with the light turned on, that way the nock can be slightly pulled out from flush with the arrow. This turns the light off. When shot, the light is turned on by the nock (on your string) pushing in on the light, which is held in place by the piece of nock inside the arrow shaft. Getting the correct positioning is crucial.


That is correct.


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## robinfly (Sep 2, 2007)

Ancient Archer said:


> In your sketch, it appears that the light is glued near the end of the nock & is positioned well inside the shaft. This leaves the nock much stronger, with less risk of breaking. However, with the light that far inside the shaft does the light still produce a bright nock. It appears to do so from your pictures above. Also, did you drill a hole down through the throat of the nock into the shaft end of the nock to produce more light. I have done this with a 3/32" drill and it does help.


The nock is slightly dimmer then the luminok but as you can see in the picture its hardly noticable. I did not drill the nock at all, however the cut piece of nock on the battery side I had to drill larger by just a hair so the battery will fit inside. Then glued in place.


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## robinfly (Sep 2, 2007)

Ancient Archer said:


> Oops! Looks like I should have read your post more closely. Thanks for the correction. Do these lights have a good battery life? Thanks.


This is the first time I have ever used these lights so I don't know how well they will hold up or how long the battery will last.
I bought them because it was the cheapest I could find and shipping was free.

here is another pic


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## Ancient Archer (Sep 25, 2008)

Thanks for taking the time to explain this, appreciate your efforts.

The review on Gander Mountain is 4 1/2 stars, which is great, but a couple of reviews concern me:

"The battery life on the replacement batteries was not very long. I found that they only lasted about an hour of light up time. The light was bright though."

"if you repeatily turn on/off light will stop working bad contacts,made homemade lighted nocks.Would not recommend these for this application,although they seem like they would be great for fishing"

I believe the Thill Nite Brite Battery-Light has a battery life of 20 hours, but that may be a bit exaggerated.

Perhaps changing the installation of the Thill light by using your method above would result in a good compromise, particularly drilling only 1/8" deep into the nock. I'm also thinking that if a hole were drilled through the nock throat, as I mentioned above, that might allow some light to "escape" and not illuminate the nock. Just a thought.


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## comp55 (May 20, 2010)

The problem with the thill lights from what i read is that the diameter of the light/battery is too large to fit into the axis nocks without drilling them out. But that's just what i have read, I haven't actually tried them out.


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## dw'struth (Mar 14, 2008)

I know an Easton Super nock has to be drilled to hold the Thill lights, so I am sure they wouldn't fit easily into the Axis nocks. Are the other lights smaller in diameter?


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## comp55 (May 20, 2010)

I'm not sure but based on Robinfly's instructions he didn't have to drill anything so I'm thinking that they are. I tried looking at the specs online but it doesn't say.


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## Ancient Archer (Sep 25, 2008)

You are all correct in that the Thill Nite-Lite does not fit the Axis X-nock. The X-nocks have to be drilled out to accept the Thill Nite-Lites. I not only understand that, but I have already destroyed (3) X-nocks trying to drill them out. They overheat, melt & distort to th point where they are either weakened badly or no longer fit the shaft.

My latest comment above concerns the life of the "Lucky Jack" battery vs. the Thill Nite-Lite battery. If one has only (1) hour of useful life vs. (20) hours of useful life, then that is a major consideration.


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## robinfly (Sep 2, 2007)

Hi all, I've been stuck at work for a few days, but when I get home I can get the exact dimensions of the light and the nock and will post them.


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## Ancient Archer (Sep 25, 2008)

I just measured (3) Thill Nite-Lite batteries and the ID of (3) X-nocks.
Each of the batteries measured 0.159" Dia.
Each of the X-nocks have a conical ID. The exit diameter of each measures 0.157" Dia. At 1/8" in from the end the ID is 0.147" Dia. At the shoulder of the nock the ID measures 0.098" Dia.

To drill the nock to a depth of only 1/8" to a 0.159"+ Dia. to accept the battery only this far into the nock, as shown in the above sketch, is not a problem whatsoever. The problem arises when trying to drill the hole to accept the battery to the full depth of the hole, to place the light closer to the end of the shaft as I have done on other standard size nocks using other designs such as with the Rivoarcher technique. Drilling the X-nock this deep is problematic in several ways.

The first is aligning & holding the nock securely to drill the hole central to the OD of the nock as it is very easy to drill through the side of the nock. The second is drilling the hole & preventing the nock from overheating & melting. Again this is easy to do, despite using incrementally sized drills to "sneak up" to the final diameter. The third is weakening the nock to the point where it is no longer safe to use if the hole is drilled to the full depth. So, it becomes obvious that the depth of the hole in the X-nock must be limited, as shown above, to ensure safety.

The bottom line is that the X-nock should be drilled to a partial depth as shown in robinfly's sketch. Yet, this extends the battery well into the shaft and, along with a very limited battery life of approximately 1 hour, makes me wonder if this is a reliable & long term solution. I'm pleasantly surprised how bright the nock is with the light that far into the shaft.


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## robinfly (Sep 2, 2007)

I measured the light and the nock and the dimensions are .157 at the plastic end that houses the LED light. The battery pack is .158. The nock is .150. That is an interference fit of about .004. The nock has to be drilled out with a #21 drill. The nock I had already assembled must have been a little larger. Hope this helps.


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## comp55 (May 20, 2010)

Ancient archer- I am hopefully going to be receiving my lucky jack lights in the mail today and plan on puttin a few of these nocks together this weekend so i will get to experience first hand whether or not I have any of the problems with them similar to those listed in the product reviews. I doubt i will be testing the actual battery life because i don't plan on leaving any on for an extended amount of time but I will get to see if there are any problems with the on/off function working properly.

And I agree if the thill lights are a better/longer lasting product it would be worth the extra effort to try and make them work as opposed to using the lucky jack lights that might die.

Hopefully I will get a few made up this weekend and I will let all know how it goes. I ordered 5 lights so I might just turn one on and see how long it lasts before I make these nocks. It would kind of be a wasted effort and a waste of nocks to put them all together and only get around an hour of light. Doesn't really serve its purpose in a hunting situation if the light dies out before you get down to go recover your shot and hopefully the animal being shot at.


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## bohmer2 (May 14, 2010)

Ancient Archer said:


> You are all correct in that the Thill Nite-Lite does not fit the Axis X-nock. The X-nocks have to be drilled out to accept the Thill Nite-Lites. I not only understand that, but I have already destroyed (3) X-nocks trying to drill them out. They overheat, melt & distort to th point where they are either weakened badly or no longer fit the shaft.


I just made one of these for an Axis with the X-nock. I have made a dozen or so for my GoldTips and it was easy, the Axis took some work. I went through one nock trying to carefully drill it out. The key I found was to step the hole up a little at a time, this kept the nock from overheating, melting and distorting. I am still not real happy because you have to remove a lot of material from the x-nock and I fear it's strength may be lost. 

The diagram Robinfly posted looks like a better option, I will try that with the next X-nock I work with. One benefit of the X-nocks is they all appear to be translucent which should make the design Robinfly shows work. Thill light's have great useful life but you have to be careful not to twist the light end as this can cause light up issues because of how the contact on the light hits the battery.


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## dw'struth (Mar 14, 2008)

I would still like to know if one brand of light is brighter than the other. They look so similar, I don't figure there would be much difference but I read on the Cabela's reviews that some think the rod-n-bob's are brighter but don't run as long. If anyone know first hand I am curious to know. thanks


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## BAMA512 (Feb 14, 2008)

This is bama512,i made one with a green x nock and it works great .it also go's in about 1/8 ,.i think i have a diffrent style nock that will work..i am waiting on a battery to come in to see...if it works i will let everybody know about it..but they are a little pricy..thanks for all the info. On here guys god bless bama512


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