You know, sometimes you just need to hang the excuses up and make some arrows.  The other day I got down to one arrow and canned the excuses.  This has been a strange season.  With a new daughter to love (and pay for), money is tight and they only full-length feathers I had left were some nice wild turkey primaries I wanted to save for my special hunting arrows.  I don't need 'special' arrows right now--I need utility.  So, here's what I did:
Tough:  four-point footings will keep me from breaking tips off errant arrows.  Doug Fir shafts are tough anyway.  They're tougher now.
Cheap:  I hauled out two containers of feathers scraps that I saved for some unknown reason and started cutting them into 2 and 3" sections to splice together.  These were the leftovers so they weren't premium by any stretch, but they saved me money.  I applied them with super glue and a fletching jig (hold 1 minute and repeat).
Easy:  rather than worry about what people would think of the imperfections, I skipped the special finishes and cresting I've done for the past year.  I sanded with 60 grit and applied the feathers directly to bare wood.  Then I wrapped them on with nylon thread and rubbed the shafts down with teak oil.  
I don't usually post my arrows, but I'm so happy with these 'cheapies' I just had to.  I love this 1-day-no-drying-time-no-waste-total-utility system.  I also thought it was funny that my arrows looked like a Rabobank cycling jersey.  I liked that team leader Rasmussen.  Better luck next time you blood-doping king of the mountians!
              J. D. Duff
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