Home > Arrows and Arrow Making > Footing Jig
Footing Jig
Reviewed By Steve , 5 September 2009
Some folk think that the latest Carbon or Ally arrows are expensive.. if like me you shoot wooden arrows then you will know that a top set of woodies can work out to be more expensive than Carbon Express, Gold tips or Beman classics. They may last you months or if you are really good even longer but there comes the day when it just isn’t happening and not only are you losing them but they are breaking, sometimes in style but sometimes it’s just the points, which is probably the most common way an arrow gets broken. I know some folk who make their arrows intentionally long so they can re-fit a point, it means that they end up with odd length arrows and arrows which were never right from the start.
I like my arrows to be bang on, the correct spine at the correct length and at the correct weight, this means that once they have had the tips broken they are useless, by the time a set of a dozen is down to the final 4 you don’t want to use them as you haven’t enough to ensure you can get around a shoot with out changing to a new set.
I also run an events company and we use woodies because I can ensure that all the arrows match the bows we supply, and in any case I like wood in preference to Heavy Fiberglass arrows that most companies use.
Anyway, if you shoot wood here is the greatest archery tool you will ever own, it’s a footing Jig.
The principle is so simple, it’s a tube which takes your wood shaft, there are 3 sizes 11/32 5/16 & 23/64 – the tool is cut at an angle and this allows you to shave it down to a point, now you take either a piece of hardwood or another plain shaft and put that through the Jig, it cuts it at the same angle, put the two pieces together and they make the perfect scarf joint.
I have found that using a small block plane and working with the grain standing vertically in layers I get a beautiful straight cut, smooth and ready to glue ( see pic 3 on the left).
I use Titebond 3 which is a waterproof wood glue which makes a bond you will not break, better than cascamite, it dries in 24 hours and you are ready to refinish the arrow.
What I do is save up all the broken ones in a set, then cut them all the same length and foot them, sometimes I use a hardwood sometimes just a new pine or POC shaft, either way the result is beautiful if using hardwood and almost undetectable if using more of the original wood
Now think of all the arrows you have thrown away that could have been brought back to life. If you do this properly you will still have a matched set of arrows which shoot as good as new – if you don’t make such a great job then you still have a superb set of stump shooters.
This little tool will probably pay you back the next time you go shooting, you would have to be crazy not to own one of these.
We have had a lot of enquires on this product, we recommend that you get yours from Flybow, who stock a range of fantastic Traditional Archery Products, and when you do, please mention Archers-Review..
| Rating | |
|---|---|
| Features & Design |  |
| It's so simple you will wish you had thought of it yourself | |
| Performance | |
| It foots arrows | |
| Value for Money | |
| £16.- !!!! so cheap you will buy one in each size just in case.. | |
| Overall | |
| Shame I can't give it 6, it's the best archery tool I own !! | |
Steve Nicholson and Andy Gilfrin, are real archers interested in the best archery suppliers have to offer. In our search for the very best bow, arrows and equipment we have shot, used and worn pretty much everything on offer.
We value feedback from users and suppliers and are keen to hear from you if you wish to contact us about anything on the website.
Contact Steve .. steve@archers-review.com
Contact Andy .. andy@archers-review.com
We are now offering the opportunity for suppliers, manufacturers and bowyers to get involved. Check out the sponsors page for more information.
| Essential Details | |
|---|---|
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What : Footing Jig Price : £16 Where : http://www.flybowshop.com |
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I clamp mine into a vice which allows room to work
The shaft is inserted
Using a small plane take the wood down to the jig
Once glued the join is almost invisible
Quickly and easily an arrow has been brought back to life
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Magazine |
Magazine
We were very pleased to give our support to the James Whale Kidney Foundation shoot which we cover in this months magazine. We were also contacted by Lars Pilø with news on the archery related finds on Jovfonna, and while we couldn't get out there ourselves Lars kindly filled in some background information for us.
A mixed bag this month, me in the South West, Geoff putting the record straight, a chat with Keith Stay and the wisdom comes from South Cox of Stalker bows.
We take a tour the length and breadth of the British mainland to visit Scotland with Border Bows, Yorkshire with Aidy Hayes, the Wirral with Jason from thelongbowshop.com, down South with the Company of Canterbury Longbowman, and Geoff is in Spain.
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Quick Links |
A list of other Arrow Reviews
Forged Arrowheads by Tom MareschallNidderdale Arrow Tapering Jig
JoJan Multi Fletcher
Nidderdale Archery Medieval style points
Reparrow Hard Wood Footings
Nidderdale Premium Arrow Shafts
Arrow Fix Accessory For Bamboo Arrows
Tonkin Cane Shafts
Arrow Spine Tester From Nidderdale Archery
T Tips Points By Arrow Fix Tool
Arrow Fix Tool Repair Broken Arrow Shafts
Nock Jig For Self Nocked Arrows
Top Hat Points
Little John Matched Arrows
Little John Custom Arrows
Stu Millers Dynamic Spine Calculator
Parallel Shaft Preparation Tool
Chinese Tung Oil
Easy Taper Tool Basic
Fibreglass Arrows
Your Comments
Tell us what you think, do you agree with the review or have something to add?
Posted by: Gerry, yes, that Gerry on Oct 28, 22:54
Hi Folks, I like the site. Is it worth putting in links to where these items can be purchased, i.e. a link direct to Herb’s or Neet’s site etc. Maybe you could get some pay per click revenue out of it.
x x x
Posted by: Andy@archers-review on Oct 29, 12:32
Hi Gerry, welcome. In time we will be putting links on the site, however we want to make sure our visitors get the best deals on the products so will be hand picking the right suppliers.
Posted by: Berny on Nov 21, 18:34
So, where can i get one these jigs?
I’ve searched & I haven’t found one.
(including looking at Herbs & Neets).
I want one!
Where can i get one? Please.
Posted by: Steve@archers-review on Nov 21, 18:48
Hold tight folks, we hope to have some contact details pretty soon.
Berny….. you have mail…
Posted by: Burt on Jan 5, 12:49
I to wold like to get this jig please help
Posted by: Steve@archers-review on Jan 5, 13:50
Hi Burt, we are still working on links to products but I have sent you a mail.
Posted by: Andy@archers-review on Jan 12, 10:18
For those asking where to get the jig, we have added some links to Flybow.
We have been personal customers of Flybow and are please to recommend them as a source for the Footing Jig and also a ton of other great traditional archery supplies.
If you contact Flybow with regards to the Footing Jig, please mention you found it via Archers-Review.
Posted by: Berny on Jan 12, 13:04
I bought both 5/16 & 11/32 jigs.
Have only just fletched 3 arrows I put together using the 5/16 jig,
& shot them 2-3 days ago.
I pleased with the result, will spend many a happy hour fixing arrows. Perhaps I should also practice more & break less.
….went to my local 3d field shoot at Mellerstein (the home of Border Bows) the other week with A.N.Other – we broke or lost 12 arrows between the 2 of us.
Posted by: Geoff G on Apr 13, 22:40
Fantastic and simple.Have saved many broken woodies and tested them on a very hard target but none of them shattered. Saved loads of time and effort by using a sharp wood chisel instead of the small block plane. Give it a try.
Posted by: NC on May 26, 12:46
I recently bought a footing jig from Flybow, not the same as the above but similar principle and does multiple sizes with a built in clamp. The results are excellent visually and from a shooting point of view, and the process takes just minutes. Only beef is that the design of the jig means that you can’t use a block plane as the wing nuts and bolts are in the way. Shame, but you can adopt Geoff G’s suggestion and use a chisel.
Posted by: John on Feb 18, 22:24
I purchased one of these from the Longbow Shop. Excellent, so easy to use, I used a block plane, works brilliant.
Posted by: Bernie on May 20, 01:28
Excellent bit of kit,well worth the money, & easy to use (I used a mini block plane). Worth its weight in gold !!!…
Posted by: Alex on Dec 4, 16:31
Hi Steve, would you say this tool has been replaced by the arrow-fix option now? If you put cost aside, which would you opt for in repairing an arrow?
Posted by: Steve@archers-review on Dec 4, 20:05
If I am putting aside cost… get both … the Arrow-Fix does many things apart from fixing arrows… this does one job but it does it in the simplest, easiest, straighforward and cost effective way… damn the expense…I use both. ;-)
Posted by: Bob S on Dec 5, 07:23
I bought one from Flybow, and I’m glad I did. It’s quick and simple – I use the bare blade from an old Stanley plane (all my chisels are knackered!). As Steve says, make sure you have the grain running vertically otherwise you run the risk of the wood lifting from the jig as you cut, giving you a crooked surface to try and match up to.
Repair three or four arrows and the jig has paid for itself. Result!