# Arrows and feet



## Raider2000 (Oct 21, 2003)

I do not use them "YET" but I do know some of the advantages of footing wood & carbon shafts.

Wood:
Footing with a more denser wood will make the FOC more to the front, stronger at the point area of the shaft & ofcorse the looks are AWESOME.

Carbon:
I've heard it done with a section of aluminum shaft to increase the FOC, & stronger at the tip for really hard targets "or targets that just happen like Rocks."


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## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

I've been trying to make some footed shafts, and am getting better at it. Once I get it right, I intend to use them pretty much exclusively.

Aloha... Tom  :beer:


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## Teucer (Aug 19, 2007)

*looks cool*

OK they do look cool, but I think the better way to increase weight up front is with brass inserts. If I'm not mistaken, Beman has inserts that weigh 75 grains. That's alot heavier than what you are going to get with wood. Also the chance of the wood footing being as straight as the insert is very unlikely, meaning your broadhead doesn't stand a chance of spinning correctly.


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## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

Well my Cedar arrows, or Ash, or Spruce, or whatever I can get my hands on, don't wear brass well.... and for me its not so much weight as giving it unique look, a more durable "foot" and I'm thinking also about tapering the foot, which should be pretty neato especially if I can find some really hard wood like koa or mahogany or whatever might real heavy and dense wood maybe that will sink in water....

Aloha....  :beer:


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## voodoofire1 (Jan 24, 2006)

I shoot footed arrows, both carbon and wood, I don't shoot the purpleheart footed woodies much because they are very special and not replaceable, my footed axis and mfx's, are the toughest arrows I've ever shot, and get used daily, I don't shoot them cause they're cool, I shoot them because they work, the 1 1/2" footing weighs just 15 grains but in the battle of attrition they are worth their weight in gold.


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## Fernando (Jun 18, 2007)

*pics*

Dou you have any pic? I never saw one. sounds beautiful.
Is the first time I heard about.
Fernando


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

I do, as well as my brother. But more out of necessity and frugality! When we break the point off of a wooden arrow, we use birch dowel ends footed on to reuse the arrow. My brother does this with his POC and has doubled their life span. I do with with my birch arrows not only to reuse them, but also to make older arrows/shafts that were too short longer. It's not hard, and if I can do it anyone can.


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## I'm Not Ted (Feb 12, 2009)

Hmm. When I start making my own, I think I'll try that. Mainly because they look AWESOME. Sorry fernando, can't find any real good pics. They are pretty sweet looking. Would look awesome with some spliced feathers too...


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## Raider2000 (Oct 21, 2003)

kegan said:


> I do, as well as my brother. But more out of necessity and frugality! When we break the point off of a wooden arrow, we use birch dowel ends footed on to reuse the arrow. My brother does this with his POC and has doubled their life span. I do with with my birch arrows not only to reuse them, but also to make older arrows/shafts that were too short longer. It's not hard, and if I can do it anyone can.


When I start playing around with some POC's I may give you a PM on how to do footing on em because I've personally never done it.


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## I'm Not Ted (Feb 12, 2009)

3rivers sells footing blanks I think. Maybe they'd come with directions or something...:dontknow:


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

The way my brother and I foot arrows is really as simple as we can do it. My brother uses a 2x4 block with a slot to cut the dowel and arrow at the same angle (single joint, no wings). He cut them and then a little sanding to straighten them up. Once straight, he glues them with TB III and wraps it to dry. Once dry he sands them flush and they're ready.

I've been trying two wing footings since my arrows are 3/8", not 11/32" like his. For this, I use a block of wood with a slot for the shaft and markings, using a striaght edge to make lins on the shaft. Then I plane/sand them down to the marks (a 4" "V"). I then use a big toothed saw to cut a slit in the footing 4 1/2" deep, perpendicular to the grain. I clamp at the bottom of the slot and Tap it on with TB III and then wrap it all up tight. Once dry I sand and plane it down and finish it. I've had no problems with this one not being striaght aterwards like our original single bevel, it looks nicer, and after I got the hang of it wasn't much mroe difficult.


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## Fernando (Jun 18, 2007)

*Footed Arrow*

Hi Kegan,
Thanks for the guidance, I'll try here. What do you think using 2 or 3 differents woods? Jatobá between two lights woods for ex.? works?
Fernando


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## Fernando (Jun 18, 2007)

*Footed arrow*

I'm not Ted, 
I'm thinking in 3 laminations, the core with hard wood and around 3/32" and 2 light woods more.
What do you think? an than pics...
Fernando


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

Fernando said:


> Hi Kegan,
> Thanks for the guidance, I'll try here. What do you think using 2 or 3 differents woods? Jatobá between two lights woods for ex.? works?
> Fernando


Never thought of that. Not sure it would help anyhing, but boy-oh-boy woudl that be pretty


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## I'm Not Ted (Feb 12, 2009)

I'm not sure you would gain any real advantage but holy S that would be perdy. Try it out. Not sure how to do it but if you do, post pics. And sorry, I've looked and I really can't find any good pics of footed arrows. I will look some more and get them back to ya. 

Not Ted


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## Fernando (Jun 18, 2007)

*Footed arrows*

Ok Guys,

I'll try and post pictures than.
see you,
Fernando


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## I'm Not Ted (Feb 12, 2009)

Okey dokey. Best pic I can come up with. Hope it's okay...:dontknow:


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## Fernando (Jun 18, 2007)

O k, that's very good to understand what is.
you know, I thought something completely different when you talked about footed arrow.

Do you know what I was think it was? 3 thin layers glued together with the total a little less than 1/2" and square. The core hard wood and the sides a very light wood. I was thinking in to round it in my machine and it's done. very simple.

But like is in the pic, it's not easy to do. he he.
I'll try to make like I said.
Fernando:chortle:


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## I'm Not Ted (Feb 12, 2009)

Yeah, I think ya should still try. I was thinking you meant doing that on both ends with the light wood with Jatoba in the middle.


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## Fernando (Jun 18, 2007)

I realized, so that I explained.
The hard core maybe can gives to the arrow an extra life and the light sides probably will keep the intire arrow...light. Only doing to know.
Fernando


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## voodoofire1 (Jan 24, 2006)

Here are a couple pics for you, the first are some purpleheart spiral footed cedars that cost me over $10 each for just the raw shaft, In the second are my 2016 footed beman mfx's, which are about indestructable!


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## I'm Not Ted (Feb 12, 2009)

Very nice cedars. You shoot em?


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## Fernando (Jun 18, 2007)

Hey vodoofire1,
all of them beautiful, the cedar deserve it price. The beman, which wood are they build? and why they are so strong? You really like good things.
Fernando


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## I'm Not Ted (Feb 12, 2009)

Beman MFX's are carbon arrows so they are already pretty strong. Add that 1.5 in. (or however long) 2016 aluminum piece and they really should be indestructible.


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## Fernando (Jun 18, 2007)

thanks I'm Not Ted for clear,
I'm just now learning this thousands of little stuffs, 
Fernando


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## voodoofire1 (Jan 24, 2006)

I'm Not Ted, I don't shoot them very often, maybe once a year if that, they were made in memory of my son Dustin....pictures just don't do these special arrows justice...they are beautiful, and each one is still perfect. I do have one with a big sharp snuffer mounted on it hanging in the shop just waiting for this huge gnarly buck that lives in the area to come drink from my pond, and when he does.... I'll be ready!


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## Ratdog68 (Feb 22, 2009)

voodoofire1 said:


> I'm Not Ted, I don't shoot them very often, maybe once a year if that, they were made in memory of my son Dustin....pictures just don't do these special arrows justice...they are beautiful, and each one is still perfect. I do have one with a big sharp snuffer mounted on it hanging in the shop just waiting for this huge gnarly buck that lives in the area to come drink from my pond, and when he does.... I'll be ready!


Voodoofire1... those are beyond words as a memorial. It gives me a feeling of pride and honor to be able to lay eyes on those arrows. Thank you for sharing them... my thanks to your son for his service and most precious of gift to us all. Blessings to your family. May you receive a double portion of healing to your hearts from Heaven above.


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## SandSquid (Sep 2, 2008)

voodoofire1 said:


>



Ohh, my good golly those are amazing! I'm a fairly accomplished woodworker and I cannot fathom the time effort and skill that went into making them.
THose had to have been done on a CNC machine, yo'hd go batty cutting those by hand! Still I'm amazed the shafts ONLY cost $10.00 each.

If you don't mind me asking, where you got them from? 
I have some bits of a very special wood ("Pink Ivory") I'd like to have done up.


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## voodoofire1 (Jan 24, 2006)

Thanks Fellas, I bought the shafts from "Rusty's feet" at the Kalamazoo show in Jan of '06, Rusty retired from the biz in '07. Word has it that he took his best regular footed shafts and soaked them in water to get them pliable enough to twist like that.

I'm saving them for 3 hunts that my son and I were talking about just before he passed, and one day I'll honor him by taking these hunts with a current or former soldier, I don't want to do these hunts with a guide per say, but friends who lives in the areas they will take place in, and I will build each of these friends the finest Elk risered longbow that's ever left my hands to commemorate the occasion.............they will be truly special hunts of a lifetime.......Hunts that dreams are made of.......


I'm Not Ted, I truly did not mean to hijack your thread, my apologies.


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## Ratdog68 (Feb 22, 2009)

*Elk Risered Longbow?*

You need to start a thread on the build along section to talk more about this. I'd love to learn more about it. 

Sounds like a great dream to cultivate. Best of luck on those hunts.


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## SandSquid (Sep 2, 2008)

voodoofire1 said:


> Word has it that he took his best regular footed shafts and soaked them in water to get them pliable enough to twist like that.


They were twisted AFTER they were made.. wow, that takes guts!

I'd say that they would need to be steamed rather than merely soaked.


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## voodoofire1 (Jan 24, 2006)

Well SS, that's just what I heard, I really don't know how he did it as I never asked him myself.

Ratdog68, I can't do a build-a-long on these bows, as each piece of antler is never the same, and as such has to be approached differently, lengths, limb pad angles , and grip placement are very fluid, no CNC's, or patterns are used, no formulas are written , every bow is truly different, and kustom built for the particular person that wants it.... they are a very difficult build, but worth every drop of sweat. here's pic of a few I built for some friends in N.C.


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## Ratdog68 (Feb 22, 2009)

voodoofire1 said:


> Well SS, that's just what I heard, I really don't know how he did it as I never asked him myself.
> 
> Ratdog68, I can't do a build-a-long on these bows, as each piece of antler is never the same, and as such has to be approached differently, lengths, limb pad angles , and grip placement are very fluid, no CNC's, or patterns are used, no formulas are written , every bow is truly different, and kustom built for the particular person that wants it.... they are a very difficult build, but worth every drop of sweat. here's pic of a few I built for some friends in N.C.


I still vote for a build-along... just to give us the basic idea of the overall build. Are you making the riser entirely from an antler base? Are you laminating a slab of it to some wood? I'm very intrigued by the concept. That pic doesn't do your work justice, BTW.


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