COMPLETE BOLT AND ARROW KIT ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS.



Please read instructions thoroughly before getting started. To get the best results, please understand this is NOT A ONE-DAY PROCEDURE.  Take your time and do it right.   Make sure you allow seven days of drying time after you glue on your APDs and blunts.



You will need scissors and a marker.  Everything else is in your kit.  Your shafts have already been sanded and cleaned with acetone, but if you see any dust or dirt, just give them a quick wipe with a clean cloth.  The bottom edge of your T-shirt will work just fine.



Part One:  Attaching the Asgard APD.



The shaft holes of the APDs have already been roughened for better adhesion.  Put a generous amount of glue over the shaft hole of the APD
>> (FIG 1)



Push the APD onto the shaft until it touches the bottom of the hole and the glue oozes or spurts out of the APD hole.  Push hard! Twist the shaft to distribute the glue evenly. OK now, one more time!  Pull the shaft out and repeat the procedure.  If your APDs are for arrows (not bolts) and have the nocks still attached, be careful not to damage the tines of the nocks when you push the APD onto the shaft.  I do this by using the edge of a chair.
>> (FIG 2)



Place the large round hole of the APD on    the chair with the tines off the edge of the chair.  The fiberglass shaft will be vertical while you push the APD onto it using the edge of the chair.



After gluing, let it set for seven days without moving it.  Yes, I really mean seven whole days.  Learn from my experience.  I have had APDs ready after 2 days, but not always!  After seven days test the APD to make sure it is secure. 



Test it by grasping it and trying to pull it off.  If you can pull it off or twist it around the shaft, re-glue it. The Asgard APD fits the 1/4-inch diameter shafts very snugly.  So snugly, that the shaft will push all the glue down to the bottom of the shaft hole.  You must push the shaft in hard enough to get the glue to distribute between the shaft and the APD.



If the glue creates a bulge at the bottom of the shaft, you can poke a small hole in the bulge with a thumbtack.
>> (FIG 3)



This is a lot of fun because the glue will spurt out suddenly and make a mess.  So cover up that nice dining room table you’re working on.  Set the freshly glued APD and shaft aside for a minute, then push it on again to make sure it is not being slowly pushed off by an air bubble in the bottom.  If it is being pushed off, try the thumbtack pinprick trick previously described.  Watch for spurting glue as you push the APD on again.  Getting GOOP adhesive out of carpeting is icky.
>> (FIG 4)



Part Two:  Begin attaching the Classic Baldar Blunt



The hole of the blunt has already been roughened for better adhesion.  Place a mark on the shaft 1 1/4-inch from the end of the arrow.
>> (FIG 5)



Put a blob of glue over the shaft hole of the blunt.
>> (FIG 6)



Push the Baldar Blunt onto the end of the shaft until it bottoms out and covers the 1 1/4- inch mark.  Push it on straight and do NOT let the Baldar Blunt twist to the side or you will split the collar.  If you split the collar, the Baldar Blunt may not be used. You guessed it!  Pull the shaft out and repeat the gluing procedure.  Push hard to get any trapped air out of the shaft hole. Set the freshly glued blunt and shaft aside for a minute.  Watch the mark to make sure it is not sliding back off.  If so, push it back on.  Some days, because of temperature, humidity or perverse gremlins, I have to do this more than once.  I like to allow the glue in the blunts to dry for seven days before taping, but it’s not necessary.  I glue the APDs and blunts on at the same time so that making them only takes 7 days and not 14. While drying, put your arrows/bolts someplace safe where they won’t be moved, where the doggy won’t chew them and the kitty won’t test out the forces of gravity on them.



Part Three:  Tape the shaft



Actually, I like to label the arrows with name and kingdom before taping the shaft.  You can write directly on the fiberglass with a Sharpie marker.  The strapping tape is translucent enough that your writing will show through.  I like to do this because the writing doesn’t wear off or become illegible.  Tape the shaft between the Blunt and the APD with strapping tape.  This takes time and care.  Cut a piece of tape the needed length.  Lay one long edge of the tape carefully lengthwise down the shaft.
>> (FIG 7)



Get that one edge of the tape, the long edge, stuck onto the shaft straight before proceeding.   Roll the shaft a little and then push down the tape lengthwise.  Do this in increments.  Each time you push down on the tape, you will stick a little bit more of the tape to the shaft.   Roll the shaft, push down on the tape lengthwise, roll the shaft, push on the tape, roll, tape…



Part Four:  Finish attaching the Blunt



Now you must tape the Blunt to the shaft. Use one continuous piece of tape.  Stretch the tape slightly as you wrap it three times around the shaft BELOW the collar of the Blunt.
>> (FIG 8)



Then stretch the tape up to the collar of the Blunt and wrap the tape three times around the collar.  Now stretch the tape back down to the shaft, and make three more wraps around the shaft below the Blunt.
>> (FIG 9 - 10)



Do not stretch the tape too much or it will slide off the collar of the blunt.  It will do this while you are not watching and you won’t notice it until just before some important battle.

Next, place another piece of tape (8 to 10 inches) over the top of the blunt and down the sides of the shaft.
>> (FIG 11 - 13)



Some kingdoms have a rule that two pieces of tape need to go over the top of the blunt.  Better check with your local authority or just use two pieces of tape over the top.   You have enough tape.
>> (FIG 14 - 15)



One last piece of tape needs to go around the shaft to cover the ends of the tape that went over the head of the blunt.
>> (FIG 16 - 17)



Part Five:  Take care of Your Arrows



You just put an awful lot of work into your arrows/bolts.  Please take good loving care of them.  After shooting, you MUST inspect them.  Even if someone else has inspected them after a battle, you need to re-inspect your own arrows again.  Do not shoot them again if you find any kind of damage, or if the Blunt is not seated or taped correctly.  Arrows, like other weapons, need attention and up-keep.  You will need to fix and re-tape them occasionally.  Inspect them between battles and when you get them home.  Don’t wait until it’s time to take them back out onto the battlefield to inspect them.  Don’t store you arrows in a shed or car where the temperature is uncontrolled.  Extreme temperatures will make the tape come loose.  I find this makes the arrow inspectors grumpy.



Part Six:  Be responsible and help me out.. 



SCA Society and SCA kingdom rules are always improving.  Hopefully these instructions do not conflict with any rules, but you better check for yourself.  If you find any problems with these instructions, I would love to hear from you.